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The Universe in a Grain of Sand film image; man builds metal frame of kayak

The Universe in a Grain of Sand

Spectrum

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North American Premiere

How do we make sense of the world around us? How do tools shape our perception of nature? This search for understanding is immersed in an astounding array of human ingenuity and innovation, from Leibniz’s 17th century binary systems to the art of M.C. Escher; from the diverse boat-building techniques of First Nations peoples to the latest advances in quantum computing. Featuring a dazzling integration of artwork and experimental cinema – Picasso to Hilma af Klint to Stan Brakhage – interwoven with mathematicians and scientists striving to understand the innermost depths of the universe, we’re sent on a breathtaking journey through the known world.

The second feature from award-winning filmmaker and renowned physicist Mark Levinson (Particle Fever), The Universe in a Grain of Sand explores the synergistic intersection of art and science. Levinson maps out revolutions in analog and digital technology as they lead to increasingly complex artistic endeavours and stretch the boundaries of human perception, celebrating the transcendent power of the scientific imagination.

 

Sept 27 & Oct 1: Q&A with director Mark Levinson

Sept 29: Q&A with director Mark Levinson; artist Kristen Roos; and George Dyson

Director
Credits
Country of Origin

USA

Year

2024

Language

English

Film Contact
Content Warning

Flashing/strobing lights

18+
73 min
Documentary Q&As at VIFF
MusterMark

Book Tickets

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Credits & Director

Executive Producer

Andy Aaron, Mark Podlaseck

Producer

Mark A. Levinson

Screenwriter

Mark A. Levinson

Cinematography

Claudia Raschke, Howard Shack, Alan Jensen

ANIM

Ksawery Kirklewski

Editor

Mark A. Levinson, Melody London, Danya Abt, Michele Zarbafian

Original Music

Robert Miller

Mark A. Levinson headshot; The Universe in a Grain of Sand director

Mark A. Levinson

Mark A. Levinson is the director of the award-winning documentary Particle Fever (2013). Before embarking on a film career, Levinson earned a PhD in physics. In the film world, he first became a specialist in sound editing, working on over 40 feature films, including The English Patient and The Talented Mr. Ripley. He is the director of The Bit Player (2018) and the fiction film Prisoner of Time (1993). Levinson won the inaugural Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication.

Filmography: Prisoner of Time (1993); Particle Fever (2013); The Bit Player (2018)

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