IV Baiqonyr ISFF: non-competition programme “Oberhausen”
IV Baiqonyr ISFF: non-competition programme “Oberhausen”
Baiqonyr International Short Film Festival was held in Almaty for the fourth time from September 4 to 8. This year, non-competition programmes featured films participating in the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival. The programme was presented by Christiane Buechner, film festival selector and jury chairman of Baiqonyr ISFF.
With the support of the Goethe Institute - Kazakhstan, seven films were shown to viewers: Elvis: Strung out (Canada), Evelyn (USA), Udahnut zivot (Croatia), I0 (Russia), Algo-rhytm (Great Britain, Senegal), L`Etoile de Mer (Germany), I got my things and left (Rwanda, Switzerland).
In Elvis: Strung out features the legendary figure of Elvis Presley. An excerpt from his concert in Las Vegas in 1970 is shown. The film does not have a storyline, it is a kind of sound editing, where the emphasis is on the sound track. Elvis' musical performance is mixed with his lines, which were recorded when talking to the audience. Director - Canadian Mark Oliver.
The second film Evelyn - performance of a girl who visited the Arctic. The film is made of collages that tell the viewer the story of a girl who wanted to discover a new world. What was happening on the screen was narrated by a girl. The film directed by Nuna Yuen from the United States.
The animated film from Croatia Udahnut zivot is close in genre to horror. Viewers are shown how a Taxidermist girl makes stuffed animals out of dead animals by pulling a long film from their heads, which, as in instant photos, captures their gaze. The girl cuts a piece from her film and plays it on the screen. The frightening scenes of killing animals and the dull color scheme are repulsive. But the message of the picture is that there should be no separation between animals and people.
The short film “IO” tells about a short fragment from the life of a girl and a guy. From the point of view of social problems-a picture of abusive relationships, aggression and anger. “I understand this film more in a philosophical light. My attention was drawn not to the couple involved, but to stray dogs that attack at the sight of sudden light, as well as fragments from a Christian circle where prayers are sung,” commented Christiane Buechner.
Manu Luxch from England, in his hip-hop comedy “The Algorithm,” raises the urgent problem of the Internet in modern society, asking questions about how we use the innovations of the digital age and how the new era of the Internet affects our lives. All the author’s thoughts are transmitted through musical rap performance with the addition of graphics and special effects.
The film of director Maya Schweizer L`Etoile de Mer in translation means “Starfish”. Here, underwater shooting and author's video archive are mixed. This silent movie is both a visual and textual essay. The focus is on oblivion and the sea as a point of reference and reflection.
The German film I got my things and left was shown not only in the Oberhausen programme, but also at an international contest. Director - Mbabazi Aime. The film tells how we remember and forget. Eric is gone. His friends meet at his house to spend the night together. They reflect on life, find support, exchange jokes and remember Eric. An intimate film about mourning and friendship.
Seven films were shown in English. After viewing them there were mixed feelings: a state of shock from an unusual collaboration of paintings and at the same time respect for the work done.
Christiane Buechner answered the question from the film expert Gulnara Abikeyeva “Why are there so many equipment in your films collection?”. She replied: “Because it is a language of cinema, and the language of cinema is very diverse. We are interested when films tell and touch upon questions to which we cannot find answers and which we cannot rationally solve. They must be solved with feelings and with the help of art. Maybe not decide, but continue to think about them.”
Danel Amrina
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