This is a visual journey charting the “the end” or the feeling that it may just be “the end”. Every generation believes they may be the witnesses to the coming “rapture” and some even crave “the end”. Sprawl is a surreal visual experience told through the medium of film and inspired by Lord Byron’s ‘Darkness’. This poem was written during a time of…yes…darkness in 1816, also referred to as “the year without summer” in Europe. While most didn’t realise at the time, it was actually caused by ash from the eruption of a volcano in Indonesia. Of course, one does not need a period of literal darkness to think that: “A storm’s a-coming, the end be near”, but it is quite poetic. This film will explore how three different creatures react to “the end”. There will also be some dancing as Leonard Cohen sang in ‘The Future’:
“There’ll be phantoms
There’ll be fires on the road
And the white man dancing”
Sprawl
- Ticket Price: R50.00
- Genre: Film
- Duration (minutes): 20-25 minutes
- Ages: 16
- Release Date: June 23, 2022 00:00 - July 03, 2022 23:59
- Language: English
THE VOD WINDOW HAS CLOSED
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Concept and creation: Sonja Smit
In collaboration with: Jen Schneeberger, Sive Marawu, Sonja Smit, Gary Welsh
Behind the scenes: Tim Hopwood and Anzel Loubser
Sound: Pieter Smit
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
Sonja Smit is an experimental artist and researcher devoted to the idea of lifelong learning. She is interested in different ways of sense-making and unsettling artistic statements. Her most recent work is based in film and video and she is currently based in Gqeberha.
Jen Schneeberger is a South African Theatre-maker and Musician. Recent work includes directing Caryl Churchill’s ‘Love and Information’ for UCKAR and continued vocal performances as FER, a musical offering.
Sive Marawu is a film maker and performance artist residing in Gqerberha. They graduated from AFDA in 2018 and pride themselves on working on projects that bring light to marginalised groups and individuals.
Anzel Loubser is an MA in Media Studies candidate with an interest in all things beautiful and shocking.
Tim Hopwood is a photographic artist and musician. Tim photographs aspects of the city that few focus on and is interested in notions of change and mortality.