I bumped in to this film at African Digital Art. Intrigued by the title. I decided to give it a go. It’s an experimental science film set in a Kenya which has just freed itself from the Chinese domination.
A group, or a tribe living in the outside of Nairobi has decided to break apart from the norm, and write new customs. They will organise themselves from the rules set by earth’s magnetic field changes.
The makers have not given the timeframe of when this happens but a general assumption is that it’s in the future. That is when you wonder why post China controlled Africa still has PIL plastic bags, Fresh Fry cooking oil, Coca-Cola etc. The buildings, the surroundings also look to ordinary. The open air market apart from having Chinese music playing in the background looks like what you would find in Toi market.
The tribes listen/observe the rituals nearly everywhere. You can notice a church like building with plastic chairs where they sit in silence and listen. And they listen for a tad bit too long. You get a feeling though it’s a short film, the scenes are overstretched. Repetition is also a factor which is evident in some scenes.
This tribe makes patterns, beautiful patterns from the sounds as they listen and interpret them. The make patterns from their clothes and display them. In the house, on the streets, on the large hollow somehow lifeless stadiums where the sky looks dull and ominous.
If you are a fan of experimental film this is a recommended watch.
Applied Theories of Expanding Minds from Crystal Beacon on Vimeo.
Minimalist Eric 