Imagine Fantastic Film Festival 2023 podcast series explores the 2023 festival theme - Fantastic Alchemy. The series consists of four episodes, which correspond with 4 elements of alchemy that we find especially relevant to us nowadays - Narrative, Identity, Technology, and Substance. In this episode, we explore the topic of SUBSTANCE focusing on the materials that the alchemical process feeds off, and in particular the substance of film itself. We are joined by César Velasco Broca is a Spanish experimental filmmaker known for his highly eccentric works that fuse alchemical symbols with magic, and Karel Doing an independent artist, filmmaker and researcher who created a unique method of developing film using plants and photochemical emulsion called “phytography”.

IMAGINE PROGRAMME  MENTIONED IN THE EPISODE:

- Phytography: The alchemy of plants and photographic emulsion workshop with Karel Doing | 29 October (LAB111 Kapel)

- Screening of the Cult Shorts Programme including: Alegrías Riojanas, dir. César Velasco Broca | 27 October (LAB111 2) & 29 October (LAB111 2) & 2 November (LAB111 2)

- The guided Tour of Alegrías Riojanas Exhibition hosted by César Velasco Broca | 29 October (LAB111 Downstairs)

- “The Magic of Alchemy” event at Allard Pierson Museum featuring the talk by Peter Forshaw, viewing of the alchemical texts from the collection, and including: Alegrías Riojanas, dir. César Velasco Broca | 22 October (Allard Pierson Museum)

- Screening of Vase De Noces + discussion with César Velasco Broca, dir. Thierry Zéno (Fantastic Alchemy: Substance) | 29 October (LAB111 2) & 31 October (LAB111 1)

Films

- Alegrías Riojanas (2023), dir. César Velasco Broca

- In Vivo (2021), dir. Karel Doing

- Dark Matter (2014), dir. Karel Doing

- Liquidator (2011), dir. Karel Doing

Books

- Jean Cayrol, Alain Resnais, Muriel, Edition du Seuil 1963