An entire generation of people grew up with Mavis Beacon. She was the virtual assistant that helped us learn how to type on a computer. But how much do we know about her? And even though there’s a real picture of a woman on the cover, is Mavis Beacon actually real? These are the questions that come up when you watch the new doc, “Seeking Mavis Beacon.”
As seen in the trailer, “Seeking Mavis Beacon” tells the story of two young women who are trying to find out the truth about the lady on the cover of the typing software. Who is she? Where is she now? And how did a Black woman become the face of business in one of the biggest selling software applications? The film is directed by Jazmin Jones, who is also one of the investigators in the film alongside Olivia McKayla Ross.
We saw “Seeking Mavis Beacon” during its run at Sundance, and in our review, we said, “That said, none of these flaws make for a terrible film. In fact, ‘Seeking Mavis Beacon’ is one of the most interesting and thoughtful docs you’ll likely see all year.”
“Seeking Mavis Beacon” debuts in select theaters on August 30 before expanding in the weeks after.
Here’s the 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. Two DIY detectives search for the model while posing questions about identity and artificial intelligence.