Image of movie Japon Series
Image of movie Japon Series
Retrospective

Japon Series

Cécile Fontaine
France 1991
7 min
V'20

Already back in 1991, in their first “Found Footage” show, sixpackfilm dedicated a special program to Cécile Fontaine, whose work explores the possibilities of manipulating the film strip in incomparable ways. She makes handmade films in the truest sense of the word: no artificial intelligence would be able to repeat her interventions and their impact. For Fontaine, the original material is an object she wants to attack, testing its limits. Her methods are varied and include chemical baths, dissolution of color coating or the entire emulsion, re-filming the material in a self-made optical printer, additional dyeing, and even cutting up and rearranging the originals. Even color stock may be added to a black and white image. The textures and optical effects underline the plastic properties of celluloid as a physical object, and simultaneously create interesting changes in meaning. 
CRUISES, one of Fontaine’s greatest works, combines two films about leisure activities at the sea, sailing and cruising. Embedded in ravishing colors and partially obliterated, the people in the films appear as ghosts or revenants from a dangerously beautiful idyllic world. 
To this date, Cécile Fontaine has made more than 80 films. In 1991, she founded a collective called “Dissolution / Six Solutions” together with five other outstanding female French film artists. (B.B.U.)

All retrospective films that will be shown at the Filmmuseum after the Viennale - from 2.11. - can of course also be reserved as usual at filmmuseum.at or by calling 01/533 70 54 and purchased at the box office of the Austrian Film Museum. The prices of the Austrian Film Museum apply.

Credits
16 mm
Farbe
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