Shown in Filmmakers 15-17.9.
Synopsis
Masks. Point of View. Screens. Distortions. Any resemblance to our society is entirely intentional.
Masked figures wander through a surrealistic world, their actions influenced by a central screen. Two groups form, the Diamonds and the Lashes, and tensions gradually increase.
In Verzerrung (Distortion), I tried to examine the effects of malicious influences on groups of people, without the use of dialogue; this was inspired by the video game, “We Become What We Behold.”
We filmed Verzerrung during the pandemic lockdown, and the use of masks was both a practical and an aesthetic choice. They created a feeling of stage theater or pantomime and gave us the opportunity to address the problem of group conflict universally without having to address any ethnicity, religion, or social class. It was particularly important to me not to support any preexisting prejudices.
The theme of “Verzerrung” or “Distortion” is carried visually throughout the film by our use of hand-developed Super-8 material. The surroundings of an abandoned train station increased the feeling of dereliction and isolation.
