Trans-temporal Imaginations: Rethinking Experimental Film Practices from South Asia
Trans-temporal Imaginations: Rethinking Experimental Film Practices from South Asia
Curated by Ushmita Sahu / Emami Art (Kolkata, India)
Sat Oct 5, 2024 at 4 PM, at the Dave Barber Cinematheque
Screening as part of the WNDX Festival of Moving Image
With post screening Q&A facilitated by Solomon Nagler (via zoom)
MORE INFO: https://wndx.org/trans-tempora...
Trans-temporal Imaginations offers a glimpse into the vibrant world of alternative moving image practices in India. Curated by Ushmita Sahu, Director and Head Curator of Emami Art in Kolkata, India, for WNDX, this curated program brings together seven of the most interesting emerging film practitioners from India that were first shown at the Emami Art Experimental Film Festival in 2023. The festival, conceptualized by Sahu, has been exploring the rich tapestry of experimental cinema from across India over the past three years.
The title draws inspiration from the notion of time and uncertainty often explored in experimental cinema. It draws focus to the disruption of traditional narrative structures and linear timelines, opting instead for a fragmented or nonlinear approach embracing ambiguity and unpredictability. Experimental films push the boundaries of cinematic expression, offering a platform for marginalized voices and alternative perspectives. Today, this form of artistic expression is thriving, particularly in the Global South, where filmmakers are harnessing the power of the medium to confront social, political, and cultural realities in bold and unconventional ways. The interest in experimental film practices is also driven by a desire to reclaim narratives and challenge hegemonic structures.
The collection of seven experimental films offers a profound dive into the multi-faceted realities of contemporary times, revealing unique perspectives, meditations on identity, and belonging to bold critiques of societal norms and deeply personal narratives that challenge conventional storytelling norms. Each serves as a fragment, a piece of a larger puzzle that invites viewers to question, reflect, and immerse themselves in the intricacies of the current times.