cave, time, imagination
The cold, dark cave weaved unexpected threads; intensifying the experienced times in each piece – and bridging the pieces by dilating the space of imagination. Very effective. Reza Tavakol
Category: Clearwell
accomplished, under and cold
The high spot for me of last Friday’s DifferenceScreen at Clearwell Caves was when I was removed from being underground and cold by being drawn into The Day I Disappeared 2011 by Atousa Bandeh Ghiasabadi. The psychological estrangement of exile was deftly handled by Atousa’s weaving of beautiful imagery from past and present. The pain of loss and dislocation gradually evolving into better times. Always a good sign when you are left with a clear feeling that you want to see it again! There was plenty more dislocation (some funny too) in some of the other short films… AndrewD
This is not my liver…
… but a piece of natural red pigment from the Forest of Dean where the Clearwell caves were hosting – amongst others – the biggest sculpted Lenin head ever, for a few minutes. Stupendous. Jonathan Wright
Subterranean Cinema
We launched Difference Screen on Friday 5th July in sweltering temperatures, an absurd moment putting on winter clothes to enter Clearwell Caves’ constant underground temperature of 11C. Film makers Atousa Bandeh and Sophie Nys joined us. Atousa flew from Amsterdam to be with us for the UK premiere of her film The Day I Disappeared. She was joined by her sister Alaveh, the first time the sisters have seen the film together. The film gives the chance to imagine what being smuggled over borders and separated from your family and younger sister might be like. Atousa confirmed that Alaveh is the younger sister in the film. A real privilege to …
Beginning
Difference Screen reflects on the world very much above ground – artists responses to social upheaval in landscapes, places and people – so starting underground may seem an oddity. But the possibility of screening artists’ film in the extraordinary red-yellow caverns of Clearwell Caves on 5 and 6 July was not one to be missed. The caves are actually disused, ancient iron ore mines, dating back 4,500 years – now open to the public. The walk deep into the earth in these meandering rocky spaces will create a powerful, experiential context for the films. Inge Lise Hansen’s Travelling Fields (pictured) seems appropriate, as Difference Screen emerges from underground to continue …