Curatorial

BREATH/LIGHT/BIRTH: SPIRITUALITY IN EXPERIMENTAL CINEMA

Winnipeg Cinematheque October 14, 2010

*still from King of the Jews by Jay Rosenblatt

The climate of contemporary film has grown comfortable in its absence of religious themes. However, when a film appears that asks any sort of question about God or even alludes to the possibility of a great power, it stands out. Dealing with these concepts of religion and spirituality in an artistic manner becomes daring in its infrequency. The films in the program were selected both from their use of content and their form. Not only is their thematic content important but also how they were made. They would all be described as experimental as the artist pays particular attention to how he/she uses their medium of choice, balancing both form and concept.

• untitled 2 (the last jew of edenbridge), by Sol Nagler (2003, 4.5 min)
• Breath/Light/Birth, by Bruce Elder (1975, 6 min)
• We are experiencing…, by John Kneller (1996, 16 min)
• Path, by Elvira Finnigan (2007, 3 min)
• Quiero Ver, by Adele Horne (2008, 6 min)
• The Architect, by Rick Fisher and Don Rice (2004, 4 min)
• Fair Trade, by Leslie Supnet (2009, 4.5 min)
• King of the Jews, by Jay Rosenblatt (2000, 18 min)
• Playing Jacob, by Amanda Dawn Christie (2005, 3 min)