CalArtian Films Screening at Ann Arbor Film Festival

The Ann Arbor Film Festival, the oldest avant-garde and experimental film festival in North America, returns with its 62nd edition in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Running from Tuesday, March 26 through Sunday, March 31, this year’s lineup features shorts from a number of CalArts alums and faculty.

“I Would’ve Been Happy” by Jordan Wong (Film/Video MFA 20) is an exploration of a complex relationship that employs intricately coded pictographs and schematic abstractions. These visual elements are skillfully applied onto glazed ceramic tiles and quilted cyanotype fabric, creating a unique visual language. Drawing inspiration from architectural aesthetics, the film reconstructs memories of familial domestic spaces, aiming to unveil a sense of order within the fragments of a fractured past. Last May, Wong presented a solo exhibition of the same name including the film and two sculptural works at The REEF in downtown Los Angeles.

Laura Kraning’s (Film/Video MFA 10) “de-composition” explores a Rust Belt landscape through a textural macro collage. Meticulously created over the course of a year in Buffalo, New York, the film presents a dynamic sequence of moving images that highlights multi-hued material decay and metallic decomposition, all guided by the rhythmic pulse of the New York Central rail line.

Sujin Kim’s (Film/Video MFA 20) “dissolution” visually captures an unending tide of change, seamlessly transitioning between personal and societal imagery. Serving as a metaphor, the film illuminates the interconnectedness between an individual’s psychological struggles and the unpredictability of our tumultuous era. Here, each element becomes both the catalyst and outcome of the other in an unbroken cycle of influence and consequence.

“Dear, When I Met You” by School of Film/Video faculty Craig Smith is a meditation on the dual nature of art—ephemeral yet immortal. Opening with a severely deteriorated 1928 musical short, the film transforms it into a new creation by honoring the beauty found in the original’s aging process.

“Chasing Birds” by Una Lorenzen (Film/Video MFA 09) traces the journey of a young girl playfully chasing a bird amidst a period of chaos and transformation. This film delves into the theme of disconnection between people and explores how change can be both terrifying and invigorating, depending on one’s viewpoint. Inspired by the director’s personal experiences with anxiety and her daughter Sunneva, the narrative unfolds as a poignant exploration of shifting perspectives.

Check out the official festival schedule for details of the timing and location for each of the aforementioned films. They will also be available to watch online through the Ann Arbor Film Festival website.