The Phantom of the Operator is a poetic film collage that documents the construction and rise of female telephone operators and their eventual replacement with computerized communications systems.

The Phantom of the Operator

An ensemble of fascinating characters seek to re-invent and revive a sophisticated early electronic music instrument that is anything but obsolete: the Ondes Martenot. An inspiring but mysterious device that everyone has heard (but rarely heard of), it was celebrated as the musical invention of the 20th century. This filmic, sonic, and human journey explores an intense love affair with musical expression and spins the tale of an enduringly cutting-edge technology on the verge of a major resurgence. It bridges a missing link in the history of electronic music by placing the instrument in a rich artistic and technological lineage.