Multi-Screening: Winter Into Spring/ Reflections on 2020, Heartstrings, 9 Brief Films from Suburban Zen, How Long Will You Sleep, I AM HERE, American Rondeau, Remember, The Amber Thief, Befriend To Defend, "Excerpt", Gospel Island, Dark Myriad 70, I Am

The Amber Thief

The Amber Thief is a short stop-motion animation film and poem that reimagines the predator-prey relationship between a spider and a fly.

American Rondeau

A short film featuring the poem by Carmine Di Biase, recalling early America through the importance of remembering cinema.

9 Brief Films from Suburban Zen

This film presents only a small portion of what can be found in the poetry collection titled, "Suburban Zen: Tiny Stories, Poems, Humorous Reflections & Deep Thoughts".

GEORGE FLOYD: SAY THEIR NAMES

When will the "last" time be the LAST time? Chris Oledude's single "George Floyd" has now been represented in the powerful video, "George Floyd: Say Their Names." America's struggle for equality and fairness throughout law enforcement parallels those struggles faced by minority groups in every society where the majority feels empowered to disregard civil and human rights. The powerful protests that erupted worldwide after George Floyd's murder in May 2020, are celebrated here. The enduring power of Black women as determined healers of a torn community is celebrated here. The victims had names. We honor their lives by saying their names.The pressure for change must continue. No justice? No peace!

I AM HERE

A hero's journey of overcoming struggle is told through a series of visually adapted poems.

Dark Myriad 70

Dark Myriad 70 (Тьма Тем 70) is a video poem that aims to create a new type of poetic language, integrating spoken word with moving image to develop a non-illustrative style. It is set against a Magrittian backdrop and the piece explores the shadows that tower over us like Napoleon against the Austerlitz sky.

The video poem presented here is part of an album called Dark Myriad (Тьма Тем). The project aims to integrate the audio-visual elements into inseparable rhythmic and rhyming compositions. This approach strives to reach a universal type of poem, where the natural language of the spoken word is only a part of the composition and the knowledge of this language does not limit the understanding and appreciation of the piece. The project builds on Eta Dahlia’s previous video poem album, "Little Flowers" (Цветочки) and develops the visual aspects and techniques of creating a unified video poetic experience.

The title Dark Myriad comes from an ancient Slavonic numbering system and signifies the biggest possible number, which is linguistically associated with darkness and its perceived infinity.

Gospel Island

Born and raised in the south, Mare is a young queer woman unpacking generational trauma in hopes of leading her most authentic life. Now living alone she begins to organize her internal account of past relationships, while simultaneously preparing for a cross country move. Through uncomfortable and incredibly intimate dreams, Mare's younger self literally revisits past moments, piecing together the fragments that are responsible for how she moves through the world today. Mare begins her long journey to a totally unfamiliar landscape and is now open to the vast possibilities that ultimately open to those who search for more.

"Excerpt"

An excerpt from Joachim Glage's short story, "The Ghostly Neurosis of Harold Hochstedler," is read, and we see glimpses of the protagonist's life in parallel to it.

The Facts

A video for a love poem of the same name.

21

I was twenty-one. What did I know?

Heartstrings

Heartstrings is a short 3D-animated drama that tells the story of Ailidh, a young Irish woman who immigrated to New York City in 1910 with little belongings except for her father's old violin. Ailidh comes home from a long day of performing in the streets of Hell's Kitchen with a broken string, discouraged, and soaked with rain. Although she is on the verge of giving up on her new life in the United States, she is surprised to find that by playing her father's violin that she hadn't had the heart to touch since her journey began, she is able to bring him back to her for one final goodbye. Though the encounter with her father is short-lived, it gives Ailidh the encouragement she needs to continue to follow her dreams of becoming a performer and she is left with a newfound confidence that she will be okay in her new life.

Heartstrings was written and directed by Erin Donahue at the Savannah College of Art and Design with a talented team of eleven artists with diverse backgrounds and experiences, two sound designers, and a score by Miles Kredich.

Escape From The Garden or A Tapestry In Three Acts

'Escape From The Garden' takes inspiration from artwork by my grandmother to explore the trauma caused by inter-generational guilt.

Winter Into Spring/ Reflections on 2020

Looking back on a year of pain and joy, love and rage, heartbreaking loss – and hope.

Befriend To Defend

Rich feminist poetry and snappy, colorful visuals combine in this 3.5 minute spoken word short. Based on lived experience and featuring over 20 women, the film tackles the notion of the “correct” way to respond to threats and assault. A collaboration between award-winning director Esmé Hicks and actor-writer Sophie Ablett.

How Long Will You Sleep

Inspired by a troubling meditation on a medieval saint, this spacious poetic film is about consciousness, love, and the filmy air of eternity in the everyday.

Video & audio by Marilyn Freeman

Copyright © 2019 Marilyn Freeman. All rights reserved.

Remember

Based on Dave Malone's poem, "Remember," this short film explores the trauma and memory of a plane crash.

I Am Soil Breaking Off

Videopoetry: A metaphor about national identity and migration as a mangrove seed and its journey.