Bill Morrison - Decasia and Light is Calling
This radical, experimental masterwork feels like the first film, and feels like the last film.
Time Out New York
In anticipation of a major new collaboration for 2010 inspired by the mining culture of North East England, American experimental filmmaker Bill Morrison and Icelandic composer Jóhann Jóhannsson present a special performance of their established works at Durham’s Gala Theatre.
Part of BRASS: Durham International Festival 2009, Morrison presents Decasia: The State of Decay, a meditation on decay featuring an original soundtrack by Michael Gordon, and his short film Light is Calling, followed by a selection of contemporary classical composer Jóhann Jóhannsson’s arrangements.
Bill Morrison is an award-winning filmmaker whose films have been screened at festivals, museums and concert halls including the Museum of Modern Art, New York, Sundance Film Festival, Tate Modern and the Royal Festival Hall, London. His work includes documentary, fiction and found footage collages often accompanied by live music composed by some of today’s most acclaimed contemporary classical composers such as John Adams, Gavin Bryars and Steve Reich.
The 2010 work will weave together archive footage of local mining communities - Miners' Galas, brass band parades and scenes from everyday life - in a film by Bill Morrison set to a sound score by Jóhann Jóhannsson featuring a specially assembled group of regional and international musicians. The work will be presented live in Durham on 15 and 16 July 2010 before touring internationally.
The 2010 Forma commission for BRASS: Durham International Festival, developed in partnership with culture10, will form part of North East England’s world-class programme of festivals and events during 2010.
Morrison is committed to working with communities in Durham County and beyond to fully reflect the visual history of the local area and would like to encourage anyone who has relevant historical film footage to participate. Suitable subject matters include the Miners’ Galas and other brass events or parades, picnics, sports matches, dances and simple everyday activities like preparing and eating meals, going to school, work or church.
Initial inquiries should be directed to Steve McIntyre, Manager, Northern Region Film and Television Archive (NRFTA), on S.McIntyre@tees.ac.uk. Depositors will be sent a dvd copy of their material. The deadline for selecting material for the film is 15 October 2009, though the NRFTA always accepts footage for its archives at any time. Contributors whose footage has been used will be acknowledged in the credits.
Screening
14 July 2009 | BRASS: Durham International Festival | Durham, UK
Further information for presenters of Forma projects
