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Preface to a History film image; man sitting outdoors next to pack of alpacas

Preface to a History

Northern Lights

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World Premiere

How do we navigate the space between everything we think and feel and know, our consciousness of the world at large, and our deep, debilitating suspicion that we’re small, irrelevant, and inadequate? Especially if we can’t even put that dilemma into words? Vlad is a musician — at least in theory. His partner, Sophy, is a young architect and a step or three ahead of him. But she’s struggling and he’s trapped in his own head. Their relationship seems to be petering out but a sojourn on Pender Island brings an opportunity for communication.

This 60-minute experimental feature — a collaboration between directors Devan Scott and Willa Harlow Ross and actor/co-scenarists Vlad Fedulov and Sophy Romvari — applies minimalist dramatic techniques (lengthy takes, spare and elliptical dialogue scenes) with rich, fulsome cinematography and a sophisticated sound mix — featuring extensive quotations from audiobooks and podcasts — to explore the destabilising modern dichotomy between interior and external selves.

 

Oct 3 & 5: Q&A with directors Devan Scott & Willa Harlow Ross and actor Vladimir Fedulov

 

Presented by

Media Partner

   

Directors
Cast

Sophy Romvari, Vladimir Fedulov

Credits
Country of Origin

Canada

Year

2024

Language

English

Film Contact
Links
18+
61 min
BC Spotlight Drama Q&As at VIFF Women Directors
Sad Hill Media

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Producer

Devan Scott, Willa Harlow Ross

Screenwriter

Devan Scott, Willa Harlow Ross, Sophy Romvari, Vladimir Fedulov, Paige Smith

Cinematography

Devan Scott

Editor

Willa Harlow Ross

Devan Scott headshot; Preface to a History director

Devan Scott

Devan Scott has worked as a cinematographer, colourist, educator, and occasional director for ten years. As a cinematographer, his work has screened around the world at TIFF, Locarno, Busan, and the Criterion Channel among many others. As an artist on the autism spectrum, he aims to find new ways to better represent the sensory and emotional experiences of neurodivergent individuals. He holds a BFA in Film Production from Simon Fraser University, teaches at UBC and Emily Carr, and hosts the podcasts Film Formally and How Would Lubitsch Do It. His colour work can be found at Moving Image Agency.

 

Willa Harlow Ross headshot; Preface to a History director

Willa Harlow Ross

Willa Harlow Ross has been working in film and video since co-founding Sad Hill Media in 2009. Her work behind the camera and the keyboard is always focused on finding fresh, gripping new approaches to filmmaking. As well as on-set direction, Willa participates in the screenwriting, shotlisting, editing, and sound design stages of the process. She also maintains a practice of written work, and her articles and video essays have been published by outlets such as VIFF Blog and MUBI Notebook.

 

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