Experimental Films in Asia : International Network Forum GALAXY 67"

Experimental film seems to be viewed with suspicion by the general public, perceived as being too weird or “out there,” being produced for the sole purpose of appeasing a handful of bourgeois pseudo-intellectuals in the art community. However, the “Galaxy 67” forum at the Asia Culture Center this past Saturday looked to help audiences better understand the context behind experimental filmmaking as well as provide a narrative for its historical development in Asia. It was a thought-provoking, informative symposium which brought together brilliant minds from across the world working in experimental film, and it better conceptualized the practice and development of the art in East Asia.

“Experimental Films in Asia” section at the Library Park, Asia Culture Center.

Experimental Films in Asia” archive has been tracing histories of experimental films of each area and collecting relevant materials for the establishment of histories of experimental films of Asia.

▲ Discussion on the "Reflection Cinema" - with Go Hirasawa (Independent Curator) - Haden Guest (Harvard Film Archive) - John Klacsmann(Anthology Film Archives)

▲Ip Yuk-Yiu, Professor, City University of Hongkong

I was interested in the second part of the forum, which was on“Future Cinema.” Ip Yuk-Yiu, an experimental filmmaker and professor at City University of Hong Kong was up first to speak with his presentation titled, “Cinema as New Media.” He sought to present cinema as an ever innovative medium within media technology, going far back to the origins of film, beginning with the motion studies movement of the late 19th-century. As cinema technology developed, people were more fascinated with the machines driving the creation of films than the directors themselves. The people behind these technologies were constantly trying to innovate the way films were presented. This is perhaps best represented by the 1900 Paris Expo. Ip described the creation of a “Cinemorama” for the event, in which ten projectors simultaneously played sections from a film on 70mm film. This is the equivalent of watching a film on ten IMAX screens today, and demonstrates how people within the “future cinema” movement were constantly pushing the boundaries of film technology.

 The second speaker was Kim Jihoon, a professor of Cinema and Media Studies and Chung-ang University in Seoul. His presentation focused on the pioneering work of the Korean avant-garde artist Kim Gu-Lim, particularly the transnational style of his work, comparing it to those of his counterparts in North America. Kim’s work was created within the context of an industrializing Korea, and broke away from Korea’s traditional art scene. His work stuck out like a sore thumb within the Korean art scene, and much like his Western counterparts, was challenging local norms on art and culture and was a huge influence on the work of later Korean experimental artists, such as Paek Nam June.           

▲ Julian Ross, Programmer. International Film Festival Rotterdam.

The final speaker of this section was Julian Ross, a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow at the Centre for Research and Education in Arts and Media at the University of Westminster, and member of the short film selection committee at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. The first segment of his presentation focused on the mission of the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Nearly two thousands films are shown using a variety of mediums, giving a platform for younger, experimental filmmakers, especially those lacking requisite infrastructure and support for their creative endeavors. Ross then went into a section of the festival he is curating on Japanese Expanded Cinema titled “sound//vision:”. He and his colleagues have worked to recover many “lost” avant-garde Japanese films from the 1960’s and 70’s. These films have only recently started to be preserved b ythe Japanese National Film Center, and he and his colleagues have been critical in providing support for this mission. One of the most important artists within the Japanese Expanded Cinema movement was Takahiko Iimura, who split his time between Tokyo and New York, and was a pioneer of Japanese avant-garde film. He saw screenings as a special event, and the films he made were always shown with different soundtracks, editing, or even damaged film. His work has also been showcased at the Asia Culture Center.

▲Skype with Adachi Masao who has occupied a role at the heart of Asian experimental film. The ACC presented a screening of a 16mm restored version of Galaxy, a work produced by the mysterious director in 1967, for the first time in the world. Born in 1939, Masao Adachi’s unshakable political beliefs have shaped his vision of cinema as an intense engagement with its audience and its time. His 1967 work Galaxy is widely known as a symbol of the surrealist film genre. The film wrestles with existentialism as the main characters meet their alter egos during an imaginative encounter with death. The restored 16mm version is the result of extended restoration efforts overseen by Masao Adachi, and will afterwards be housed in the Asia Culture Center. 　

▲ An amazing film performance was presented in the last segment!

Each speaker at the “Galaxy ‘67” forum provided a unique insight into the world of experimental film, and exquisitely espoused its importance within the wider art of cinema, as well as its role within the wider Asian art scene. I came away with a greater appreciation of the importance of experimental film, as did many others in attendance. 

▲ Poster image of the forum

· Written by. Amos Farooqi, 9th ACC Reporters Corps

· Designed by. Kim Youngeun, 9th ACC Reporters Corps