Muse: The Making of Absolution(2003)

Land Without Bread(es)

An exploration —manipulated and staged— of life in Las Hurdes, in the province of Cáceres, in Extremadura, Spain, as it was in 1932. Insalubrity, misery and lack of opportunities provoke the emigration of young people and the solitude of those who remain in the desolation of one of the poorest and least developed Spanish regions at that time.

Le Théâtre National Populaire(fr)

The T.N.P., the Théâtre National Populaire, an important experimental theater directed by Jean Vilar. Franju combines sequences from theatrical performances with documentary images, creating links and confrontations between theater and the real world.

The Arrival of a Train at La Ciotat(fr)

A group of people are standing along the platform of a railway station in La Ciotat, waiting for a train. One is seen coming, at some distance, and eventually stops at the platform. Doors of the railway-cars open and attendants help passengers off and on. Popular legend has it that, when this film was shown, the first-night audience fled the café in terror, fearing being run over by the "approaching" train. This legend has since been identified as promotional embellishment, though there is evidence to suggest that people were astounded at the capabilities of the Lumières' cinématographe.

Shannon Amen(en)

Shannon Amen unearths the passionate and pained expressions of a young woman overwhelmed by guilt and anxiety as she struggles to reconcile her sexual identity with her religious faith. A loving elegy to a friend lost to suicide.

Workers Leaving the Lumière Factory(fr)

Working men and women leave through the main gate of the Lumière factory in Lyon, France. Filmed on 22 March 1895, it is often referred to as the first real motion picture ever made, although Louis Le Prince's 1888 Roundhay Garden Scene pre-dated it by seven years. Three separate versions of this film exist, which differ from one another in numerous ways. The first version features a carriage drawn by one horse, while in the second version the carriage is drawn by two horses, and there is no carriage at all in the third version. The clothing style is also different between the three versions, demonstrating the different seasons in which each was filmed. This film was made in the 35 mm format with an aspect ratio of 1.33:1, and at a speed of 16 frames per second. At that rate, the 17 meters of film length provided a duration of 46 seconds, holding a total of 800 frames.

Rendezvous in Space(en)

This documentary, the final film directed by Frank Capra, explores America's plans for the future of space exploration. It was produced by the Martin-Marietta Corporation for exhibition in the Hall of Science at the 1964 New York World's Fair.

How the Lion Cub and the Turtle Sang a Song(ru)

The Tortoise composed a song and the Lion cub learnt it by heart and they sang it together.

Gauche the Cellist(ja)

This is essentially a highly condensed remake of the famous 1982 Isao Takahara release. It tells the story of Gauche, a struggling cellist in a provincial orchestra. He is visited by four talking animals - a cat, a cuckoo, a tanuki, and a field mouse - on successive nights They help him to improve his playing, just in time for orchestra’s concert performance of Beethoven’s Pastoral Symphony.

Thot-Fal'N(en)

This film describes a psychological state "kin to moonstruck, its images emblems (not quite symbols) of suspension-of-self within consciousness and then that feeling of falling away from conscious thought. The film can only be said to describe or be emblematic of this state because I cannot imagine symbolizing or otherwise representing an equivalent of thoughtlessness itself. Thus the actors in the film, Jane Brakhage, Tom and Gloria Bartek, Williams Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Peter Olovsky and Phillip Whalen are figments of this 'Thought-Fallen Process', as are their images in the film to find themselves being photographed."

From Three to Twelve(et)

This Is Spinal Tap(en)

"This Is Spinal Tap" shines a light on the self-contained universe of a metal band struggling to get back on the charts, including everything from its complicated history of ups and downs, gold albums, name changes and undersold concert dates, along with the full host of requisite groupies, promoters, hangers-on and historians, sessions, release events and those special behind-the-scenes moments that keep it all real.

Functional Block Diagrams(en)

A synthesis of sound and movement; colourful characters dance and move in repetitive patterns to percussive and melodic elements. A combination of motion and music that is hypnotic and beautiful. At first it feels structured and orderly but as more elements are added becomes quixotically expressive.

Crossfade(en)

Two lifelong friends and aspiring musicians begin to spiral downwards as one of them decides to move away to pursue a new career.

Heavenly Waters(en)

After an acrimonious split back in the 1970s, rock group Heavenly Waters agree to reunite in Greece to scatter the ashes of their biggest fan. Only things don't go according to plan.

Vacuumin’ Around(hu)

A documentary about a person who cleans his room with a vacuum cleaner, filled with disasters and mishaps.

Half a Life(ar)

After a traumatic encounter, a young gay Egyptian joins the LGBT rights movement. When his safety is jeopardized, he must choose whether to stay in the country he loves or seek asylum elsewhere as a refugee. "Half a Life" is a timely story of activism and hope, set in the increasingly dangerous, oppressive, and unstable social climate of Egypt today.

Strudel Sisters(hu)

Two elderly sisters share the delicate art of making traditional Hungarian strudel and reveal a deeply personal family story about their mother, who taught them everything they know.

The Great Blizzard in the Baltics in December(et)

A series of short winter scenes.

Halter Off(en)

Set in Charles Town, West Virginia, Halter Off offers an unapologetic look at one man's shot at a second chance. Angelo Jackson, a 50-year old horse trainer with a checkered past, is looking to redeem himself after being one charge away from a life sentence in prison. Banned from the track and with the odds against him, Angelo is facing the biggest race of his career against mentor and legendary horse trainer, James W. Casey. As Angelo finds himself downs on his luck and with the system he is working for working against him, he puts it all on the line to win the race of his life.

The Fundraiser(en)

An accompanying short film to TÁR (2022).