Mieke Bal at the Film Essay Studio
In March 2020, the vnLab’s Film Essay Studio hosted Mieke Bal, a prominent Dutch cultural critic and theorist as well as a filmmaker at the intersection of fiction and film essay. Mieke
Bal participated in a seminar and produced a 30-minute film essay “It’s About Time. Reflections on Urgency”. The film was made in collaboration with PhD students and students of the Film School.
The leading roles were played by Magdalena ?ak and Adrian Budakow, cinematography – Magdalena Bojdo and Alicia Devaux, editing – Aleksandra Rosset, production manager – Aleksandra ?lusarczyk, production cooperation – Magdalena Szymków.
production cooperation – Magdalena Szymków. In episodic roles appeared also the lecturers – Grzegorz Ma?ecki and Monika Talarczyk. “The film essay is a form that is constantly changing and evolving,” says the head of the Film Essay Studio, Dr. Kuba Mikurda, “it’s not about copying the films of Chris Marker, Agnes Varda, or – from among more contemporary filmmakers – Peter Mettler or Patricio Guzman. In our studio we wonder whether the film essay is a genre or rather an approach, a method of work. With each guest we try to answer this question both during the seminar and practically – by working on specific projects.”