Beastly Places

Tongue, Teeth , Flesh , Fur.

There is a problem in the building.

 A vermin problem. And it needs fixing. 

My RCA graduation film, Beastly Places, is an abstract narrative animated short which contemplates in part the complex entanglings of human-animal relations in our shared spaces.

It developed as a personal and original response to two seemingly unconnected subjects: firstly, an event that happened at my home – a shared residential building in East London, and secondly, from researching the concept of anima mundi whilst writing my dissertation during the summer of 2016. 

***All Persons Fictitious Disclaimer Applies.*** 

Teaser - Beastly Places

Eco-feminist Thriller - Beastly Places is a meditation on woman-nature interconnectedness and the call for individual critical thinking in reaction to the mob-like enthusiasm for eradicating perceived threats to established power structures.

Credits: Original Music - Joshua Pacey ; Sound Design - Kate Balchin ; Sound Mix - Luke Elliot ; Production Assistant - Benjamin J.Tulloch

BEASTLY PLACES - FULL VERSION 

Research and Development

Pitch / Presentation

The project was partly inspired by a chain of emails between the neighbours of my East-London multi-dwelling residence – unable to agree on what to do about the foxes who visit our shared garden. At the time, I was surprised by the desire of my fellow neighbours, to kill the foxes and the unexpected violence contained within their emails. This was at direct odds with my own perception of their visits, and the personal connection I felt with nature, the environment and animals-beings.

Development

As the project developed – I noticed how the circumstances which took place at my home, could be seen as a microcosm of the wider world. The film does take a particular perspective, but the camera gently steers the viewer through these points of view,and rather than offering a solution, allows them to consider many different things in our lives – how do we humans live together in the city, with animals, with the natural world, with existing gender hierarchies. In moments like the scene shown above, I imagined the camera as nature - 'a loving eye that must look, and check and question.' (Warren 2000:29) Warren, Karen J. 2000. Ecofeminist Philosophy: A Western Perspective on What It Is and Why it Matters. Latham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.