film070 welcomes First Cut

On 12 November, we’ll meet again — and this time, we’re excited to welcome First Cut!

First Cut is a platform for screenings and conversations around independent/radical/experimental films by emerging artists and calls for transformative films that stem from socio-political inquiries. First Cut was founded by Cyan Bae, Hattie Wade and Cristina Lavosi.

For this screening, the focus will be on participatory filmmaking as both a method of collectivising and an artistic practice. Here, the participants and community members not only shape what’s captured on camera but also how the films are realised, either by filming themselves, writing together, or improvising performances. We will watch together 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird (2020) by Ana Vaz, Buurthuis 2 (2023) by Josefin Arnell and Cloud Forest (2019) by Eliane Esther Bots.

Ana Vaz’s 13 Ways of Looking at a Blackbird turns the camera into a tool for inquiry and collective expression among students; Josefin Arnell’s Buurthuis 2 transforms a Dutch community centre into a playful critique of wealth and social change through collaboration with local residents; and Eliane Esther Bots’ Cloud Forest invites young girls to reimagine history through storytelling and performance. These three films explore different interpretations of what participatory filmmaking can be when many hands and voices shape it together.

Stop by after the screening for a collective discussion with First Cut. See you there!