The night began in a dark room, void of any seating, where a large number of people gathered to watch small screens, displaying experimental films exploring the broad topic of “architecture”. One of the films showcased on these small screens, with sound provided through headphones, was ‘Running Time’, which was produced by the University College Dublin, Ireland in 2010. A much larger screen projection was displayed on the wall at the back of the room, which provided light and sound to the room. More experimental film projects were shown on the large screen, including Miwa Matreyek’s ‘Redcat Gala Video’, and discussions of these were encouraged by food and wine provided. The music which accompanied the films was not the focus, but rather intellectual ideas and topics which arose during their viewing.
The second part of the evening was conducted in another dark room, where rows of chairs faced a large screen on the back wall. More short films were shown, but in a much more formal setting than previously. One of my favourites from this screening was ‘Surface a Film From Underneath’ by Varathit Uthaisri in 2009. This experimental film explored the world from the perspective of underground, and explored the different ways in which humans and objects interact with the surface. The first screening lasted for approximately 40 minutes, followed by a short intermission before the rest of the films were shown. The night was concluded by a large scale discussion on the multiple themes and ideas which were exhibited over the course of the evening. Overall the film night did much to expand my understanding of architecture, and the way in which various concepts can be explored through film.
reviewed by Emily Wallace
