Jóhann Jóhannsson: Last and First Men
(film screening)
Somewhere in the distant future the human race is heading for extinction. Surreal, solitary monuments are all that remain as beacons of its former glory, sending their urgent message out into the cosmic wilderness. Completed after his death, this hypnotic piece is the only feature-length film by Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson – an original audiovisual sci-fi poem, in which real brutalist concrete ornaments are transformed into unsettling objects from the distant future.
The contrastive, black-and-white 16mm shots, in combination with the majestic minimalism of Jóhannsson’s music, make for a unique experience that defies the familiar concepts of time and space. The singularity of the work is enhanced by a dreamlike recitative delivered by Tilda Swinton, who accompanies the film with a sci-fi tale from Olaf Stapledon.
Links: Artcam Films