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Thursday 8.3.2001
City Films with a New Beat
Cities in Motion features two screenings of experimental city films compiled by the British artist Ian Helliwell. The series began with Helliwell's interest in city visions and city sounds.
Since 1992, the young filmmaker has produced and developed experimental music, super 8mm films, installations, electronic instruments and light-show works. Underground music plays a part in the renewed, abstract expression of these city films.
Cities in Motion: Carnival in Rio
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Ian Helliwell has commissioned soundtracks from pioneers of new experimental music for the short super 8 mm films seen at the Soundtracks for the City -screening. Music is performed by Op:1 Bastards, Ektroverde, Tele:funken, Raum and Kaleidophon. This film travels through the streets of London, in the carnivals in Rio, in Las Vegas and in the exotic Japan.
In the other Cities in Motion screening, the viewer of City Visions will be taken on a tour to several metropolises: Paris, London, New York, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Toronto, San Francisco, Geneva and Tokyo.
From the city visions filmed by different photographers during 1947 - 1999, Ian Helliwell has created timeless works that have an urban beat. The films are modern studies and visions of cities that can be identified by their landmarks. The experimental music lends wings to the constantly changing view of the city.
For instance, the city films feature Arne Sucksdorff's impressionistic account of Stockholm from 1947 and Daybreak Express, a story by D.A. Pennebaker of a train trip in New York, from 1953. The music consists of Duke Ellington, Modern Jazz Quartet and some electronic music from the 1990s.
Ian Helliwell lives and works in Brighton. He is a filmmaker, composer and collector. Punk spirit, music, light-show work and recycled material are typical of this self-taught artist.
Ian Helliwell has compiled 24 short films during 1994 - 2000. The films have been screened at Lux Cinema, the London scene for experimental films, at Helliwell's hometown Brighton and at the Avanto Festival in Helsinki last November.
Soundtracks for the City -screening 8 March at 7 p.m. The Studio in the Tampere Hall.
City Visions -screening 9 March at 7 p.m. The Studio in the Tampere Hall.
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