Many of us have grown up with Mavis Beacon, the computer typing teacher at the center of her self-titled games. But who is she and where did she go? The upcoming documentary, Seeking Mavis Beacon, aims to answer these questions and more about our relationship with technology.
Directed by Jazmin Jones, produced by Guetty Felin and featuring Jones and Olivia McKayla Ross, the Neon film tries to find what happened to the real Mavis Beacon, who has seemingly retreated into a life of anonymity. The trailer shows how the journey to find Beacon is one part fun, one part mysterious, and all parts discovering what it means to be a Black woman in America. According to the official synopsis:
The most recognizable woman in technology lives in our collective imagination. Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing taught millions globally, but the software’s Haitian-born cover model vanished decades ago. Seeking Mavis Beacon follows two DIY detectives as they search for the model while posing questions about identity and artificial intelligence.
Seeking Mavis Beacon debuts at the IFC Center in New York City Aug. 30, with subsequent screenings in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago on Sept. 6. The film will then open in select cities Sept. 13. Watch the full trailer below.