École Normale Supérieure - Filming the words

23 March 2012. Published by Benoît Labourdette.
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Itinerant projection of short films in the buildings of the École Normale Supérieure (Paris).

In the context of the dynamics of participatory creation “Filming the words”, that I have set up in 2011 with the Délégation générale à la langue française et aux langues of France Ministry of Culture, I proposed a travelling screening of films made in this framework, in the buildings of the École Normale Supérieure in Paris : very old buildings, very modern, interior, exterior... diversified supports as cases for unique films.

This event was organized thanks to Carole Desbarats, then Director of the superior normal school communication pole, and with the assistance of Clément Postec, my collaborator on the project.

Portfolio

Films in a neighborhood... Since 2011, we’ve been offering traveling screenings of short films in a neighborhood or building. These screenings, which require no prior installation, are carried out using a “pico-projector” (a portable video projector that appeared in 2010). This is “mobile projection”, on the walls of a city or neighborhood. Exploiting this still-new technology for moments of encounter between artworks, places and people.

These screenings provide audiences with an exceptional experience, rediscovering the magic of projection and giving everyday places a totally unexpected dimension. These itinerant screenings are very playful propositions, offering spectators beautiful, original and creative cinema experiences.

This proposal can be approached in the form of a workshop: a group of spectators builds the screening and runs it. They prepare a program of films, designed to be screened on the walls of their neighborhood, at night, in public. The choice of films or excerpts, then the choice of locations to show these films, the speeches, the meaning of this meeting, the way the neighborhood was invested, the way the screening was prepared in collaboration with the residents, the rehearsal time, notably technical, reinforce everyone’s involvement.

Travelling screenings took place at: Festival Via Pro Mons, Festival d’Avignon, École Normale Supérieure, Festival des scénaristes, Agglomération d’Évry, Maison des métallos, Festival Travelling Rennes, Passeurs d’images Île-de-France, Musée de l’Homme, ALCA Bordeaux, Festival War on Screen, Les Lilas, Saint-Denis, Fontenay-sous-Bois, Mitry-Mory, Saint-Michel sur Orge, Ivry-sur-Seine...