Still Film, the latest from experimental filmmaker James N. Kienitz Wilkins, unfolds as a unique exploration of cinematic detritus and a sharp critique of Hollywood filmmaking. Presented in the form of a staged deposition involving four unseen characters, the film is composed entirely of 35mm press kit photos spanning decades of Hollywood films from big-budget action blockbusters to family comedies. Wilkins, acting as the voice for the characters, orchestrates a playful trial of the moving image, exploring the effects of cinephilia and warning of the regressive artistic sensibilities that plague contemporary Hollywood and its reliance on intellectual property and unquestioned nostalgia.
Still Film is a New York Times Critics Pick. Robert Daniels writes, “Wilkins demands that we make new cinematic memories, lest we lose ourselves.”
In this event, filmmaker James N. Kienitz Wilkins will join moderator Tyler Morgenstern (Assistant Director, Carsey-Wolf Center) for a post-screening discussion of Still Film.
This event is free but a reservation is recommended in order to guarantee a seat. Reserve tickets: https://www.carseywolf.ucsb.edu/pollock-events/revisiting-the-classics-still-film/