Seeing films is also a physical experience, bringing into play my body in new and disturbing ways.

We need to be physically separated from a film in order to watch it. Even the first row in a cinema must retain a minimal distance from the screen, in order to allow the film to be seen. However, in cinema I remained on a designated seat. But with today’s mobile devices not only the films are changing place but also my place before them, resulting in new things to be seen and others suddenly disappearing.

This video essay is an experiment with and meditation of these shifting distances, how they implicate us and our bodies, and how they allow for new critical distances and analytical immersions.

Inspired among other things by sitting too close to the computer screen, by François Jullien’s philosophy of the in-between, and the work of Alice Lenay (intraface.net).

With sound design help by Cormac Donnelly.

And with many thanks to all the participants of the conference „Video Essay. Techniques and Methods“ Paxmontana Dec. 2022