The Tube

What happens inside our brains when we watch television? Peter Entell wants to find an answer to this question after observing the four-year-old daughter of a television journalist staring at the tube without blinking, unapproachable. He pays a visit to a Japanese researcher who tells him that 618 children were admitted to hospital after watching a stroboscopic episode of Pokémon. An American scientist discovered that alpha waves, which point at non-activity of the brain, dominate when we watch TV. Former employees of General Electric talk about the fears people have had since the invention of the medium. During his tour, Entell makes us witnesses to his preparations: the addictive surfing on the Internet, the timid meetings with the interviewees and the adjustment of the camera and the sound, before reaching the conclusion that we are drawn to the light like moths. (International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam)