In spite of their stylistic idiosyncrasies, both filmmakers strive to reach beyond basic filmic semiology in search of a sort of a transcendental “realism,” a synthesis of modern ethnography and materialist aesthetics—aesthetics that permit film’s physical attributes (grain, end flares) their due import. Their collaborative feature, the experimental documentary A Spell to Ward of the Darkness, is a fascinating blend of their respective methods that simultaneously honors their individuality.
Drew Hunt
December 05, 2014