Magic Lantern Show - Art Film Festival

In 2009 Helen Day Art Center’s then curator, Odin Cathcart, hosted an outdoor projection on Halloween night. In 2012 the art center reprised the idea and developed a one night art film - short film festival that presented 14 films from local, national and international artists. The festival was successful at introducing audiences to a new form of art. This Halloween Helen Day Art Center presents the second annual Magic Lantern Show - Art Film Festival. A call to artists resulted in over fifty entries. A team of jurors selected 12 art films, among them ‘Hermeneutics’ by Alexei Dmitriev - Russia, a piece that plays with the tension and angst of war using original footage of the Second World War; the scenes seem to lead to an imminent doom, then an unexpected twist brings back hope and joy. ‘Picnic’ by Margeaux Walter - Brooklyn, NY is a fantasy film were a girl meets with strange beings who play tricks on her and some even present an upset attitude. ‘mmry cnqrs tm nd spc’ by Brooke Schooles - Los Angeles, CA presents one of the most artistic approaches, for this video a still image has been separated into layers that were later animated, the result is an enigmatic creation. 

The Magic Lantern Show 2 collection is rich in styles and subjects, while a few works involve narrative, others have aesthetic purposes while some others act as a political protest. 

The biggest achievement for this young festival is that it remains in the art film category no matter the content. Helen Day Art Center aims to make the film festival inclusive to all audiences and educate viewers about this growing new form of art. Total run time is 45 minutes approximately. 

In addition to the 12 juried films the art center has invited Italian artist Marcantonio Lunardi with the film ‘Default’ . A video in which the disillusionment of younger generations is evident, skillfully making a statement: current political systems are not in touch with society, they seem absent and unable to address citizens’ needs. 

Also invited is American based Taiwanese artist Yu-Wen Wu with the film ‘Convergence I’ where creative expression makes minds travel to parallel universes, fractal shapes and marine landscapes, both realities merge through sudden interactions giving the impression that one creates the other and vice versa. 

For the Magic Lantern Show - Art Film Festival 2, we are pleased to announce that DJ Ikael will, as in 2012, compose an original theme based on the art films soundtrack. DJ Ikael is an Ecuadorian artist who studied in Buenos Aires, Argentina.