Power Relations and Surveillance in Film 'Eye In The Sky (2015)' Directed by Gavin Hood

Abstract

Eye In The Sky (2015), directed by Gavin Hood, depicts power relations and surveillance work in military operations using sophisticated technology. This study aims to analyze the shift of power relation using Michel Foucault's theories of power relations, anatomo-politics, biopolitics, and surveillance, as well as the main theory of postmodernism by Fredric Jameson and the types of surveillance control displayed in the film. The method used is descriptive qualitative through scenes and dialogues in the film. The results of this study show that power in the film moves through institutions such as politicians, military, and drone pilots to reflecting the movement of power. Even in this film, the one who holds the real power is the drone pilot because the only one who can fire the weapon. For surveillance itself, it is seen when the military uses sophisticated technology without making the object feel watched, so what they do is visible on the screen, even though it crosses the country. Jameson's theory of hyperreality shows that the boundary between facts on the ground and the situation is very different, especially in making decisions about the life and death of a child. This study shows how power and surveillance work together, especially in today's digital era.