Colección Privada: The Super 8 and 16mm Scene in Spain

by Lucía Salas We’re proud to present this piece in both English and Spanish, translated by the author. When studying the history of film, we start with its predecessors: the magic lantern, chronophotography, diorama, kinescope, zoetrope, and the panorama—all different ways to lose ourselves to images. The panorama began as a painting, big enough to create the illusion of immersion in a (usually) frozen world, … Continue reading Colección Privada: The Super 8 and 16mm Scene in Spain

Helke Misselwitz: Moving East to West Amidst the Sperrmüll

Reflections on Bulky Trash (Helke Misselwitz, 1991) by Elspeth Vischer Reflections on labour and parenting in the final days of the GDR are framed within an interesting dichotomy of music and creative freedom in Helke Misselwitz’s documentary Sperrmüll (Bulky Trash).  In her signature intimate and empathetic style, this film charts a rift in political systems, protests, and young people’s allegiances to the GDR in unexpected … Continue reading Helke Misselwitz: Moving East to West Amidst the Sperrmüll

Around The World in 14 Films: ‘When The Waves Are Gone’, ‘EO’ and ‘Trenque Lauquen’

by Florian Weigl One way to test the cinephile mettle of a country is to go to its most prominent festival of festivals. Canada and Toronto have TIFF, the U.S and New York have NYFF, Austria and Vienna have the Viennale and Germany and Berlin, well, we have Around The World in 14 Films. Founded by Bernhard Karl, Kathrin Bessert and Nikola Mirza in 2005 … Continue reading Around The World in 14 Films: ‘When The Waves Are Gone’, ‘EO’ and ‘Trenque Lauquen’

Neocolonial Grip: Ousmane Sembène’s ‘Tauw’ (1970) + Djibril Diop Mambéty’s ‘Le Franc’ (1994)

Currency takes even more of a centre stage in some of their lesser-known shorts steeped in acute political commentary: Le Franc (1994) and Tauw (1970) respectively, which delve deeper into many of the context-specific issues of cash—and lack thereof—in Francophone Africa, exposing the incomplete nature of the decolonial project. Continue reading Neocolonial Grip: Ousmane Sembène’s ‘Tauw’ (1970) + Djibril Diop Mambéty’s ‘Le Franc’ (1994)

Prismatic Ground 2022: Select Films of Love and Memory

“Both editions of Prismatic Ground have done well in being an inviting festival space for submitting filmmakers, and in turn this allows for the wide array of programming that necessitates the “wave” format. Online and cinematic presentation together means that while enjoyment of this festival will continue worldwide, presentations on projected film prints will become its newest element, intertwining the global availability of the internet and the togetherness of film screenings for those able to attend.” Continue reading Prismatic Ground 2022: Select Films of Love and Memory