Bloom. Nature and Humanity @ Embassy of Italy

3000 Whitehaven St, NW,Washington DC 20008

21 September, 2022

Description

The Milano Design Film Festival arrives in Washington, DC with a selection of films dedicated to design, architecture and the relationship between humankind and the environment. “Bloom. Nature and humanity” showcases the works of European directors who explore a variety of themes such as biodiversity, forestry practices, technology, science fiction and research. Selected by Netherlands-based Italian duo Formafantasma, the initiative includes productions from Belgium, the Netherlands, Portugal and Switzerland and is introduced by a recorded conversation between Formafantasma and the Italian curator of the festival, Cristiana Perrella. These initiatives are presented by the Italian Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Embassy of Belgium, the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the Embassy of Portugal, the Embassy of Switzerland and New York University. The following titles are presented: QUERCUS A tree speaks to humans by reminding us what we have in common and what sets us apart.Are we the ones who have given shape to the forests or have the trees and their wood given shape to our world? Conceived as part of“Cambio”,a research project conducted by Studio Formafantasma on the macro dynamics that govern the timber industry, “Quercus” was produced by manipulating a Lidar scan of an oak forest in Virginia. Lidar technology uses lasers to scan and record large surface areas and has recently been adopted by the timber industry to selectively cut trees. In the film, it has been repurposed as a useful animation tool to consider humans from the perspective of trees. The voiceover is a monologue by philosopher and botanist Emanuele Coccia that questions the human inclination toward dominance over the planet, observing the degree to which humanity is dependent on the form and physicality of trees, as well as their indissoluble interconnection. Formafantasma - The Netherlands 2020, 12:08 minutes - In collaboration with Emanuele Coccia FLORES The entire population of the Azores archipelago is forced to move to the mainland due to an uncontrolled proliferation of hydrangeas that have colonized the territory and replaced the vegetation, making all activities impossible. Two young soldiers garrisoned on one of the islands move through this post- apocalyptic and at the same time sensual scenario, acting as a guide through the stories of those who are sadly forced to leave their beloved places and the innate desire to resist by inhabiting the islands. The film is shot as a documentary and unfolds between the story of the soldiers immersed in the hydrangeas and that of a honey-producing company founded by Dutch people who have sniffed out the huge opportunity of having vast lands filled only with flowers. The images thus become a nostalgic and political reflection on identity, on the importance of the places we live in, and on the roles we assume in our places of origin.Flores is an interesting piece of work, capable of arousing emotions. And it is accompanied by excellent photography. Jorge Jacome - Portugal 2017, 26:40 minutes DONNA HARAWAY Donna Haraway (Denver, 1944) is a thinker and researcher, a feminist and a science-fiction enthusiast. Her fame exploded in the Eighties when her studies on identity, gender, and technology marked the scientific and philosophical landscape, opening the door to a shocking and joyous feminism. The film is a cinematographic portrait of the time shared between the Italian-Belgian director Fabrizio Terranova and Donna Haraway in her home inCalifornia. A time full of words and suggestions in which the philosopher-scientist, author of the famous essayA Cyborg Manifesto, speaks in her own environment, with alternating discussions and images that highlight her overwhelming, playful and speculative sensibility.This is a rare portrait of an exceptional thinker who is remarkably comprehensible. She talks about intimacy, family constellations, inner states, which as she says: “Everything is political and everything is a collective affair.” Fabrizio Terranova - Belgium 2016, 81 minutes LOCATION : Embassy of Italy 3000 Whitehaven Street NW Washington, DC 20008 REGISTRATION AND PHOTO ID REQUIRED COVID POLICY: Valid Photo ID with proof of full Covid vaccination OR Covid antigen test (24 hours prior to the event for non-vaccinated people) are required and must be provided to the guard at entrance. Face masks are required while at the Embassy Please Join Our Mailing List   DOORS OPEN 30 MINUTES PRIOR EVENT START-TIME Due to COVID and safety regulations, we are not allowed to add extra seats to the auditorium or anyone to stand. A registration is not a guarantee of a seat as these are assigned on a first-come first-served basis. Doors close at event start-time. Once the event is full we will not accept wait list requests.   PLEASE NOTE: RESERVATIONS ACCEPTED EXCLUSIVELY THROUGH EVENTBRITE.COM. NO PHONE OR EMAIL RSVP AVAILABLE.