Terra Incognita

Dirty Shapeshifters

We’ll explore how different cultures and geographies derive meaning from the elements. From mythologising to spiritualising, capitalising to embedding technology, each film offers a unique perspective on our relationship with nature.

With contemporary shorts, features, and artist moving-image from Costa Rica, Mexico, the US, UK, Nepal, Palestine, Jordan, Vietnam, China, and Tuvalu, we’ll embark on a cinematic voyage. Firstly, looking at the body’s relationship to nature, followed by escapism, resistance, and futuristic unknowns.

An example of this cerebral exploration is Raven Jackson's All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt which masterfully weaves human memories with the Mississippi landscape, reminding us of the intergenerational moments that shape our being. Through her lens, we see how sudden drops of rain can evoke recollections of the tender familiar, blurring the lines between past and present.

Flowers Never Bend with the Rainfall

As we immerse ourselves in the elemental narratives, we confront not only the beauty but also the injustices ingrained within our relationship. Warfare, capitalism, displacement, and ecological injustices are laid bare, challenging us to confront our human complicity.

But in darkness, there is also resilience to be found. Much like the natural strength of flowers weathering the rain despite their fragility, the works of filmmakers such as Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Subash Thebe Limbu, Petra Kuppers, and Kim Torres echo the ability to endure and adapt. Through their films, we witness the symbiotic relationship between humans and the elements, as both overcome adversities and forge paths towards resistance and renewal. From meditatively floating in the Dead Sea to a drone dancing with a Mountain God to a home so beautiful you’d rather die here than go to heaven; these windows offer glimpses of tranquillity and connection, and the profound solace the natural world can provide.

Similarly, we’ll also see how volcanoes shed light on social constructs and the politics of creating elemental art. In Werner Herzog's films, his narration plays a pivotal role, often becoming a spectacle in itself. In The Fire Within he imbues volcanic eruptions with almost divine significance, portraying them as an ever-present danger to life on earth. Contrasting this perspective, Heavy Flow by Feminist Land Art Retreat offers a satirical take on traditional views of masculinity in land art and provocatively likens lava to menstrual flows. Examples of these juxtapositions throughout the programme invite us to reconsider perceptions of violence and natural phenomena, and how societal constructs shape our responses to the world around us.

After this programme, I hope your body feels rested. Feet more grounded. Eyes more brighter. Mind more quiet. Remember to loosen your chest, stretch, breathe, laugh, cry - for an optimal experience.

See you before sunset.