NETHERLANDS / 14 MIN / 2023 / EXPERIMENTAL DOCUMENTARY / DCP 2K / 16:9 / STEREO / COLOR
No dialogues
Similar to Tarkovsky’s film Stalker, the film romanticizes and mystifies the non-spaces, as an alternative to the rationalized, centralized and goal oriented society. Starting from the last green urban leftovers, the story transitions towards more urban landscapes, where it follows children playing, youngsters dancing, and animals strolling around. Everything they do – looks timeless, mysterious, dreamy and surreal. The spaces that at first look unattractive and not welcoming become somehow magical, once people, mysterious creatures or animals enter them. The spaces in the film are introduced in a fragmented way, building their universe slowly, mixing and combining fragments in a playful and sometimes humorous way. From these bits and pieces, we deconstruct the space letting the viewer’s mind wander, creating its own parallel world.
Los no-espacios como una opción a la sociedad racional y centralizada. Iniciando desde los últimos espacios verdes urbanos, la historia se mueve a traves de diferentes paisajes de la ciudad, siguiendo a unos niños jugar, adolescentes bailar, y animales vagar. Todas acciones que parecen ser atemporales, misteriosas y surreales. Los espacios que a simple vista no son atractivos, se vuelven mágicos una vez que las personas o creaturas, interactúan en él. Los espacios se presentan de modo fragmentado, creando un universo lento, combinando fragmentos divertidos y hasta con humor. Pedazos que deconstruyen el espacio permitiendo que el espectador merodee, creando su propio mundo paralelo.
Festivals & Awards
CineEco Seia – Serra da Estrela International Environmental Film Festival (Portugal, 2023)
Festival Audiovisual Pila (Argentina, 2023)
Festival Internacional de Cine de las Yungas (Argentina, 2024)
Cine Tekton! Festival Internacional de Cine y Arquitectura (Mexico, 2023)
Festival Internacional de Cortos Ernesto Esteban Etchenique (Argentina, 2023)
Laceno d’Oro 2023 (Italy, 2023)
Ismailia Film Festival (Egypt, 2024)
Director’s Notes
Hazy Earth is a dreamy exploration of urban “voids”, their microcosms and strange urban rituals that occur there. Inspired by Tarkovsky’s film Stalker, the film romanticizes and mystifies the non-spaces, as an alternative to the rationalized, centralized and goal oriented society. From the last green urban leftovers the story transitions towards a more urban landscape, where we observe enigmatic acts of humans and animals. The spaces that at first looked unattractive and not welcoming transform to somehow magical. These interstitial worlds are introduced in a fragmented way, building their universe slowly, mixing and combining fragments in a playful and sometimes humorous way. From these bits and pieces, we deconstruct the space letting the viewer’s mind wander, creating its own parallel world.
Motivation
We wanted to work on this film together due to our common interest in urbanism. We also share the increasing feeling of alienation in the city. In some way, this film is an attempt for us to explore, familiarize and reclaim the urban space we live in. During the pandemic, we have seen the transformation of public spaces when inside activities were put on hold. Barbers started working underneath bridges, tunnels became gyms and parks became dance floors. Suddenly the urban voids became an alternative hideaway from overcrowded public spaces. With the film we want to open the discussion about the importance of these environments for the future development of the city and how to preserve the existing ones. By presenting multifunctionality of these city voids, we strive to articulate a possible vision – rather than a set function – of these landscapes. Our goal is to bring awareness that not every space should have a defined function and should be filled in, and to encourage a more positive view on these urban landscapes.
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Category:
documentaries documentary environment environment experimental experimental kids/family youth
written & directed by
Anastasija Pirozenko, Femke Janssen
produced by
Anastasija Pirozenko, Femke Janssen
cinematography by
Anastasija Pirozenko
art direction by
Anastasija Pirozenko, Femke Janssen
editing by
Anastasija Pirozenko, Femke Janssen
sound design by
Sergio González Cuervo
suported by
Amsterdam Fund for the Arts & Amarte Fonds
distribution and world sales
anastasija's bio
Anastasija Pirozenko is an audio-visual artist and filmmaker currently based in Amsterdam. She holds a BA in Photography and Media Arts from Vilnius Academy of Arts (2012) and a MA in Film from the Netherlands Film Academy (2016). Her artistic practice spans film, video installations, and photography. In her work, Anastasija explores the concepts of belonging, community and utopia. Her work has been shown at international film festivals as well as art events, including Visions du Reel, Int. Short Film Festival Oberhausen, and Jihlava Documentary Film Festival.
femke's bio
Femke Janssen graduated from the directing course in Amsterdam and worked for years as a theater maker in Amsterdam and the rest of the Netherlands. Since 2009 she retrained to the visual arts and was educated at the Wackers Academy. Femke is inspired by the city of Amsterdam and its residents. In all her art projects she tries to establish a connection with the resident in its context. In recent years, the phenomenon of urban renewal and the drama that ensues has been an important starting point. The theatrical experience remains an important part of the presentation of her work. She wants to create experiences and interact for and with her audience.