Since the very beginning of cinema, the medium divided itself between two main forms of narrative: the documentary tradition, devoted to capturing a “real” view of the world, and the fictional story-telling derived from the stage and the written word. By the 1920s, a sort of third position arose with the upcoming Avant-garde filmmakers who were interested in embracing a non-naturalistic, intensely fabricated imagery yet maintaining a non-fictional, first-person approach to their themes and visual motifs. Believers in the concept of bringing art closer to daily life, these filmmakers insisted on a subjective vision capable of subverting the commercial modes of production and techniques.
Taking the camera as the essential tool in this aesthetic development, this six-week, online class aims to trace the evolution of a new way to use the apparatus outside the traditional conventions, from the early 20th Century to our times. Most of the classes will be led by renowned artists working in the field of experimental cinema, who will not only present their work, but also share their creative processes, technical insights and reflections on ways to reconsider the possibilities of moving images today.
Students of all levels are welcome.
