A screening of works by Cristóbal León , Joaquín Cociña and Antonia Giesen
doors: 8:45pm
The Hyperboreans - Actress and psychologist Antonia Giesen decides to film a script revealed by a voice within the mind of one of her patients. Seeking collaboration with the filmmaking duo León & Cociña, they craft a crossroads of theatre, science fiction, animation and fabulated biopic, populated by parallel worlds and haunted by the shadow of a Chilean Nazi writer as a demonic figure. [Chile 2024 Dir: Cristóbal León y Joaquín Cociña 71’00]
Notebook of Names - A cinematic memorial, designed to echo the names and memories of the underage victims of forced disappearance during the military dictatorship. [Chile 2023 Dir: Cristóbal León y Joaquín Cociña 8’00]
The Hyperboreans begins with a washed-out, blurry TV screen, emphasising the filmmakers' obsession with the power of images. This collagistic fairy tale, infused with Carl Jung’s ideas and the occult, uses stop-motion, Brechtian theatre, and silent film to explore Nazism's disturbing legacy in Chile. Filled with peculiar humour and existential dread, The Hyperboreans is a masterful yet unsettling work of art. It weaves together themes from Chilean history, the occult, right-wing conspiracy theories, and Jungian psychology. Directors Cristobal Leon and Joaquin Cocina expertly unify these elements into a deeply entertaining experience. Mind-blowing!
Directors Cristóbal León and Joaquín Cociña are a Chilean stop-motion animator duo based in Santiago, collaborating since 2007. Their experimental films reinterpret Latin America's religious symbolism and magical rituals, employing techniques like photography, drawing, sculpture, dance, and performance. They have won numerous awards and their films have been selected for festivals, cinemas, museums and international biennials. They have directed music videos for the likes of PJ Harvey, The Smile, and Camila Moreno. They premiered their first feature film The Wolf House at the 68th Berlinale, where they won the Caligari Award. The film has since been screened at over 100 festivals, receiving more than 12 awards and mentions.
For more information about the London International Animation Festival please visit https://liaf.org.uk/