Phantom Islands & Inside @ ECRÃ, Brazil

Two recent feature films from Experimental Film Society (EFS) will screen as part of the Festival ECRÃ in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil this July. Phantom Islands (Rouzbeh Rashidi) and Inside (Vicky Langan / Maximilian Le Cain) are in many ways complimentary films that mirror each other in several aspects. Both are wordless, delving back into the origins of cinema to conjure portraits of characters and couples immersed in psychic breakdown within vividly rendered Irish landscapes. Both present extremely fragmented narratives that blur inner and outer worlds, and are driven by intensely atmospheric visuals and soundtracks. And both rely on boldly physical performances that owe as much to performance art as to screen acting.

ECRÃ Festival is an experimental film festival that arose from the desire to question the film industry and its “primordial elements” and to give space for filmmakers to experiment freely in audiovisual production. It takes place between July 17th and 22nd at the Cinemateca do MAM Rio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.