Following the success of last year’s showcase, we are very pleased this year to present a selection of work that again demonstrates the strength and breadth of creative talent within UCL’s Department of Anthropology. The work selected for this programme is brimming with curiosity and ambition; an eager sense of authorship is on display throughout as these young directors explore their new craft.
Session 1
The Last Skiers
Veronica Ciceri | 2023 | UK | 11′ | Digital | Italian spoken, English subtitles
A precious statement on the fragility of nature, told by a generation of Italian skiers who have seen the slopes they learned to ski on turn into arid, yellow hills.
A Song of Resistance
Bazla Samin | 2022 | UK | 20′ | Digital | Kazakh spoken, English subtitles
Through animated sequences we delve into the traumatic experiences of a Kazakh victim of the Chinese “re-education” centre.
بیگانه (Alien)
Shahrbanoo Nezam Mafi | 2023 | UK | 10′ | Digital | Farsi & English spoken, English subtitle
Discrimination and prejudice is revealed through the testimonies of Iranian travellers and their experience of border controls.
OASIS
Luisa Mancilla Barrera | 2023 | UK | 13′ | Digital | Spanish & English spoken, English & Spanish subtitles
In a community garden nestled in the heart of central London, a group of local and migrant women prepare for their first EGM.
The Flower’s Gaze
Chenchen Shi | 2023 | UK | 20′ | Digital | English spoken
This multidimensional journey explores the enduring importance of flowers in society, and our fascination with them.
Session 2
Double Exposure
Molly Bell | 2023 | UK | 9′ | Digital | English spoken
Two parallel stories about the complexities of love and family magically come together on a single roll of film.
Understanding Gwyn
Christina Hardinge | 2022 | UK | 10′ | Audio | English spoken This audio piece is an intimate portrait of a personal bond, and a meditation on how we deal with grief.
notes on mikvah
Asha Sumroy | 2022 | UK | 22′ | Digital | English & Hebrew spoken, English subtitles
The filmmaker collects notes on the Jewish water ritual mikvah, and slips into immersive recollections of memories leading them to question the way we evolve and love.
(F)rites of passage
Ellis Harbord | 2023 | UK | 6′ | Digital | English spoken
In doing a favour for his girlfriend, the filmmaker is reminded of a formative experience working in a pub kitchen that is the starting point for a witty, original film about the unexpected ways in which we come to know ourselves.
Miss Lemon and Daffodil
Yang Kaili | 2023 | UK | 10′ | Digital | Mandarin spoken, English & Mandarin subtitles
A personal inquiry into childhood memories as the director sets out to discover the source of her present-day anxieties.
Followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.