Calgary Cinematheque presents a screening of:

The Human Surge

Thursday, February 09, 2017 @ 7:00 PM
Globe Cinema - 617 8 Avenue SW, Calgary, AB
$12 General | $10 Members/Seniors/Students | $40 5-Pack Punch Pass | $99 Season Pass

Eduardo Williams’ stunning debut feature takes us on a remarkable journey around the globe, spanning three continents. The Human Surge is structured in three parts starting off in Argentina (Buenos Aires) before moving to Mozambique (Maputo) and finishing its whirlwind global tour in the Philippine province of Bohol. In each of its three segments, the film depicts young people who are either trying to make ends meet by taking on different jobs or those who are in between jobs. Technology plays a key part in these different jobs and that also nicely ties in with the film's theme of exploring the impact of the internet and computers in our modern world. The film depicts an entire global cycle of jobs from manufacturing of computer parts all the way to how people use computers and the internet to earn money.

The internet and its wired/wireless network allows people to easily communicate around the world, thereby shrinking our planet. Williams has smartly used this network connectivity and shrinking of the world to depict jaw-dropping original cinematic transitions between the three parts. He has even managed to plug nature and its picturesque landscapes into our wired world. The end result is a film that is never short on movement, as it follows its characters through a network of paths, ranging from almost invisible paths to rugged larger-than-life trails.

Each path and subsequent journey is crafted with its own unique visual technique. The Argentine segment is filmed using 16 mm, while the images in Mozambique are filmed with an inventive mix of a Blackmagic pocket camera and 16mm, and a RED camera captures the tiniest details of the lovely Philippine environment. As a result, each segment has its own distinguishing colour palette and texture which matches the rhythm of the story. In keeping pace with its characters and the story, the camera is never static but hovers and wanders around its characters. In some sequences, the camera is freed from the confines of space and time thereby achieving movements that defy belief.

The end result is a film that takes us on a breathtaking journey of our non-stop, constantly shifting world. Winner of the Golden Leopard award in the Filmmakers of the present category at the Locarno Film Festival, The Human Surge signals the arrival of a talented new director.

Awards
2016 LOCARNO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL - WINNER (Best First Feature - Special Mention | Eduardo Williams, Golden Leopard - Filmmakers of the Present: Golden Leopard | Eduardo Williams)
2016 MAR DEL PLATA FILM FESTIVAL - NOMINATION (Best Latin-American Film, Latin-American Competition | Eduardo Williams)

The Human Surge is the fifth title in our CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA series. One-time opportunities to find rising masters and see critically acclaimed, under-exposed world cinema.

THE HUMAN SURGE | Dir. Eduardo Williams | 2016 | 100 min
Presented in Spanish, Portuguese, and Cuebano with English subtitles.

The CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA series showcases the best films from around the world made by rising masters and established auteurs. The series offers a rare chance to view critically acclaimed works by directors who are pushing the boundaries of cinema. Over the last two seasons, this series has screened works by directors from Brazil, Canada, Iran, Mexico, Philippines, Romania, South Korea, Taiwan, UK and USA. This season the series has already shown a Canadian/Norwegian co-production and a Chinese film. In early 2017, the series will feature critical works hailing from Japan, France, Iran, and Argentina. Plus, there is a final work yet to be announced.

Calgary Showtimes: Human Surge (El auge del humano) >

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