Award-winning film examines AI’s reliance on marginalized data-labelers

Indian filmmakers Kiran Rao and Biju Toppo have joined as executive producers on “Humans in the Loop,” the Fipresci India Grand Prix-winning feature about an indigenous Adivasi woman working as an AI data-labeller. The move represents a significant boost for the indie drama, which explores how technological progress can entrench exclusion while sidelining indigenous knowledge systems—themes increasingly relevant as AI’s hidden labor force gains scrutiny.

What you should know: The film follows Nehma, an Oraon Adivasi woman whose AI data-labelling work exposes the hidden labor powering “smart” technologies in Jharkhand, northern India.
• Adivasis are India’s indigenous tribal communities, comprising roughly 8% of the country’s population.
• The drama examines how technological advancement can marginalize indigenous knowledge systems while relying on their labor.
• Director Aranya Sahay and producers from Storiculture’s Impact Fellowship and Sauv Films created the project.

In plain English: AI data-labelling is the process where humans look at images, text, or other data and tag or categorize it to teach AI systems what they’re seeing.
• For example, someone might look at thousands of photos and label which ones contain cats versus dogs, helping an AI learn to recognize the difference.
• This work is essential for making AI “smart,” but it’s often done by low-paid workers whose contributions remain invisible.

Why this matters: The film addresses a critical blind spot in AI discourse by centering indigenous perspectives on technology’s human costs.
• AI data-labelling represents a massive but largely invisible workforce that powers machine learning systems globally.
• Indigenous communities often bear the brunt of technological displacement while their traditional knowledge systems are overlooked.
• The timing coincides with growing awareness about AI’s dependence on human labor, particularly in developing regions.

Who else is involved: The executive producer additions bring significant credibility and distribution power to the independent production.
• Kiran Rao, whose “Laapataa Ladies” served as India’s official Academy Awards entry in 2024, continues her support of independent cinema following involvement with “Ship of Theseus” and “Stolen.”
• Biju Toppo, a veteran of Adivasi cinema known for documenting indigenous communities, praised the film’s authentic perspective.

What they’re saying: Both new executive producers emphasized the film’s unique voice and global relevance.
• “This film speaks directly to the lives of people I personally have known and seen. For too long, Adivasi perspectives has remained invisible, not just in history, but even in how we imagine the future,” Toppo said.
• “Having seen the film from its inception I’m proud to say that it’s both a regional film and a global at the same time.”
• Director Sahay noted the significance of their support: “Independent filmmaking is often described as walking a tightrope. Knowing that Kiran Rao and Biju Toppo are championing ‘Humans in the Loop’ gives us immense courage.”

Key details: The film recently shared the Fipresci India Grand Prix honor alongside Payal Kapadia’s “All We Imagine as Light.”
• Theatrical release begins September 5 in Mumbai, followed by Delhi, Kolkata, Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Bengaluru from September 12.
• Distribution is supported by the Museum of Imagined Futures’ Impact Distribution fund through an alternative model.
• The makers are launching a “cinema of the people” initiative, allowing audiences to request screenings in their cities.
• The project took “a year of consistent outreach through micro-community screenings to reach a momentum to release the film theatrically.”