Imaginary Particles
“Cinema is neither an art, nor a technique, it is a mystery”. (Jean-Luc Godard)
In the beginning were horses, in motion… on a painting by Géricault… then on photographs, after a bet. A bet settled by pioneers Muybridge and Marey to try and solve the mystery of movement. This eventually led to images of a train entering the station in La Ciotat, after some years, and some progress, in the domains of science and early cinema. Science has been part of cinema since its inception, even before film stars started to exist. Since then science has been a constant source of inspiration and imagination, bringing all sorts of ideas onto film: about time, space, movement, life and the mysteries of life.
Chernokids by Matthieu Bernadat, Nils Boussuge, Florence Ciuccoli, Clément Deltour, Marion Petegnief (France – 2010)
Some of these mysteries called for an experiment. And this is exactly what some short films propose to do for us. With a little help from the projector, they project their protagonists onto the silver screen where they all become Schrödinger’s cats, alive or dead. Thus film confronts paradoxes of a higher nature.
Others called for an explanation. And this is possibly the supreme intention when reality is being captured so we can look more closely into it. Although there is also a good part of magic involved. Ever dreamt of leaping into the future, or rising from the dead? Short films can equal a first-class ticket on a fun fair ride for this purpose. The instruments of filmmaking are used to measure up, compare, observe and experiment for us. Creation is everywhere. From the big bang theory of film editing to the ethical big boom of scientific research. “It’s all maths,” said Eisenstein; “All is relative,” replied Einstein. The solution to the equation of film has yet to be found.
Anima by Scott Mannnion (Australie – 2012)
Mysteries are to be cherished. If you’re afraid to be transported back into the science lab, rest assured. We have exclusively retained raw particles of imagination for you. We are all Electronic Perfomers in our daily lives after all. The short films in these programmes will lift the veil on exciting areas of mystery. Some invoke the spirits of Edison or Tesla, others star Higgs boson or robots; all bring light onto the essential stuff on which a fertile imagination can thrive.
