ADRIAN, Mich.—On September 21st, 2022, at 7:30p.m., Siena Heights University will have an on-campus screening for ‘After Yang,’ a movie based on the short story ‘Saying Goodbye to Yang,’ written by Professor Alexander Weinstein.

‘Saying Goodbye to Yang’ is a story set in a near-future world that has grown increasingly attached to and dependent on their technology. The story centralizes on the character of Yang, a robotic big brother that a family purchases as company for their adopted daughter. When Yang malfunctions, the family soon realizes what an integral part Yang has become to their emotional lives. The story uses humor and speculative fiction to pose questions about the ways that we as humans have grown dependent on our devices, and the costs that might come with our increasingly cybernetic world.

‘Saying Goodbye to Yang’ was first published in Weinstein’s short story collection ‘Children of the New World.’ The collection was named a notable book of the year by the New York Times, NPR, and Electric Literature. Weinstein’s work and interviews have also appeared in Rolling Stone, World Literature Today, Best American Science Fiction & Fantasy, and Best American Experimental Writing—all of which are tremendous accomplishments that serve as a testament to Weinstein’s strengths as a speculative storyteller and writer.

The film adaptation, starring Colin Farrell, Jodie Turner-Smith, Justin H. Min, and Malea Emma Tjandrawidjaja, was produced by A24 and was released to the public in 2021. The movie has a rating of 88% on Rotten Tomatoes and was well-received by audience and critics alike.

Of the movie adaptation, Weinstein says: “It’s a really beautiful and heart-opening adaptation of my short story. Kogonada is a brilliant director, and he captured the central themes of my story while expanding on them in ingenious ways. I couldn’t have hoped for a better director to make this film.”

The movie screening will take place at 7:30p.m. on September 21st at the Siena Heights University Performing Arts Center. Faculty, staff, and students are all invited and encouraged to attend.