“How have we become so deaf and so blind to the vital existence of other species, and to the animate landscapes they inhabit, that we now so casually bring about their destruction?” - David Abram,  The Spell of the Sensuous: Perception and Language in a More-Than-Human World

As the relentless drive of capitalism and hyper-stimulating technologies hijack our attention and drive us to what Byung-Chul Han has termed the “burnout society,” many of us have grown disillusioned about life on this planet. Constantly suffocated by physical and psychological manifestations of artificiality, the natural world can feel increasingly distant and meaningless. How can calls to save the planet be heard when so much of humankind feels disconnected from the nature they depend on to exist?

‘Visions Within Nature’ aims to explore the potential of cinema as a means to evoke a sensorial connection with our planet Earth and its living landscapes. Whether by illuminating the interconnectedness of all organic entities or conjuring the powerful forces of nature to evoke the cinematic sublime, the films selected for this program allow us to experience the natural world in a visceral way. These works offer an opportunity not to understand and conquer nature, but to feel and embrace it as a vital part of our existence. In short, they hold the potential to “renew our acquaintance with the sensuous world.” (Abram, p. ix-x)

Since 1970, April 22nd has been celebrated as Earth Day, a day in which millions of people across the globe come together to raise awareness on environmental issues. This program was prepared in the spirit of Earth Day with the hope that these films will each in their own way allow audiences to feel the presence of nature that surrounds us.

[Q&A]
* May 2nd (Fri) 18:00 Sweetgrass + Q&A with Co-Director Lucien Castaing-Taylor
* May 3rd (Sat) 15:30 Leviathan  + Q&A with Co-Director Lucien Castaing-Taylor
(Moderator: Programmer Young Jin Eric Choi)