By guest contributor Caitlyn Downs
The Fantasia 2021 Radical Spirits shorts block showcases six films that focus on belief systems and ancestral connections, using genre as a gateway to the unique nature of spirituality and ritual. Often complex and frequently contested, these films all offer powerful representations of concepts frequently difficult to put into words.
First in the line up is A Sip Of Water, an animated piece from filmmaker Cho Hyuna which seeks to explore the role of Shamanism (and by extension, the Shaman) in Korean culture. While the beauty of the animation more than justifies its place, it is notable here in the closing moments of the film that explains how the voice and images of Shamans were not used in the film because they are regarded as unlucky within Korean culture. This lends the animation further power as the world of the Shaman becomes an ultra-colourful, liminal space in which it is possible to step into the metaphorical shoes of otherworldly figures. The separation from the Shaman from the muted every day experience highlights how they exist on the edges of society, a watchful, protective yet excluded presence.
That sense of figures existing outside of the everyday, but able to directly aid people continues in At Last, The Sea. Ana Karen Alva Medina’s short opens on a horrific scene, set in the 1700s, in which a woman is held against her will. Seemingly temporarily saved from sexual violence by the arrival of her period, the film is a powerful representation of ancestral strength and comfort. Matriarchal power is framed as elemental, embodied through water as the prisoner finds an inner strength. The water motif throughout builds, balanced between the potential for care, restoration and destruction in a short that contains a quiet, but nonetheless potent power of the flow of generational knowledge and trauma.
In a similar way to A Sip Of Water, the next film, Nicholas Tory’s Lifeblood uses animation to detail what it cannot show in live action. In this case, it concerns the exploration of Aboriginal spirituality and connection to the land, sky and trees. The short carefully sets out that this is not representative of the belief of all First Nations people, acknowledging the variety of practices and viewpoints, narrowing its approach to the area of Bourke in New South Wales. It’s a meditative, sweeping journey that offers a view of an evolving landscape, serving as a portrait of the connection between people, the land and the intersection of the modern world. Nardi Simpson’s delicate tour guide-like reading over the images really allows the beauty of the work and its importance to take centre stage.
Mergen is a film from Kazakhstan that foregrounds that sense of identity immediately, utilising a piercing soundscape set against a snowy setting. The film foregrounds its protagonist, a young boy forced to defend his family when his warrior father leaves home and features a sympathetic and assured performance that impresses. Counteracting moments of tension, well-timed choreography with soul-searching, emotive material, there is a lot to fit in, even with the film’s runtime almost reaching 30 minutes. The clear identity and absorption into a situation that sustains a sense of threat throughout is a real strength.
The last film in the block takes things full circle with another, more abstract view of a Korean Shaman. This is an energetic, dialogue-free representation of the Gud rite with a focus on colour that evokes the rhythms of ritual, infused with a thumping soundtrack. Taking on the qualities of a frenetic sketch rather than a narrative format, this is six minutes of enthusiastic and compelling mark-making and shape-shifting that is difficult to look away from.
My personal favourite of the block came in the form of Snake Trail, a deeply emotive portrayal of finding security in superstition when society doesn’t offer a space for you. Yuan’er Chen plays Mona, a grief-stricken young girl forced to confront her illegitimacy after her mother passes away. From her helpless position, she clings to the powerful conviction that her mother should be buried within seven days. Superstition dictates that this allows the deceased to return to the home. The importance of this event leads Mona to work with her elderly grandmother on an alternative solution. The film unfolds into an enormously touching experience, full of beautiful sentiment, using animation in some sections to help visualise the concepts.
Even if you aren’t a believer yourself, the Radical Spirits selection offers an eye-opening portrayal of ritual, belief and how they can bring comfort and strength to those who do believe. The mix of the otherworldly as well as past and present tensions make this a fascinating block that offers insight into how people adapt stories, including oral traditions into their daily lives and particularly in times of hardship. These shorts all find the human experience within the context of the fantastic, offering lessons and insight along the way.
You can find out more about the Radical Spirits block at the Fantasia webpage.
Many thanks to Caitlyn Downs for this feature. You can read more of Caitlyn’s work at her own page here or check out her contributions to Horrified Magazine here.