INCITE—Programme Two (PART 1)

With the use of stop-motion and hand-drawn animation, artists could make films without the large crews that are necessary for commercial filmmaking. If an artist wanted to comment on social issues, this approach allowed him or her to do so directly and relatively more easily. This two-part programme features Southeast Asian experimental animations which provoke, incite and address critical issues in society. The line-up includes films by renowned Indonesian filmmaker Gotot Prakosa, the legendary Philippine animator Roxlee, and Tadhana, the first full-length Philippine animated film directed by Nonoy Marcelo.

Part 1 and Part 2 of this programme are ticketed separately, with different screening times and venues.

 

PART 1: SHORT FILMS OF GOTOT PRAKOSA AND ROX LEE (M18)

There will be a post-screening dialogue with Indonesian artist and curator Rizki Lazuardi at the Sat 16 Jul session.

 

A = ABSOLUTE, Z= ZEN

By Gotot Prakosa

Indonesia | No dialogue | 1983 | 9 min 35 sec | 16mm transferred to digital file | PG

In this film, Gotot Prakosa draws a connection between the values and visions of Buddhism as it is practised in Borobudur, Indonesia and the spirit of Zen Buddhism in Japan. He combines his original illustrations with images of other works of art and photography to reflect on society’s consumerist habits.

 

Gotot Prakosa (b. 1955, Indonesia; d. 2015, Indonesia) was a painter, filmmaker and author. For much of his adult life he was based in Jakarta, where from 2008 to 2012 he was Dean of the Faculty of Film and Television at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts. Gotot’s work is noted for its sensitivity, light-heartedness, perceptiveness, and often irreverent humour, making him a completely original, yet unpretentious talent. In addition to his numerous minimalist short films and books on experimental filmmaking, Gotot worked on innovative projects with other Indonesian artists, such as performance artist Sardono W. Kusumo and writer-director, Eros Djarot.

THE GREAT SMOKE

By Rox Lee

Philippines | No dialogue | 1984 | 7 min | Super 8mm transferred to digital file | NC16 (Some Sexual References and Disturbing Scenes)

Shot in his garage, Rox Lee’s first solo film is a biting satire on nuclear destruction, comprising found footage, collage, and animated drawings. Violence, sickness, death and perversion are imaginatively conveyed through Lee’s pen. The film was made during the Cold War, conveying the anxieties of nuclear power at a tense time in history.

 

Roque Federizon Lee, also known as Rox Lee (b. 1950, Philippines), is a Filipino animator, writer, cartoonist, painter, musician, and filmmaker. The co-creator of iconic Filipino comic character Cesar Asar, he is a pioneer of independent film animation in the Philippines. His early works shot on Super 8 film are now considered classics of the underground film movement of the 1980s, and his manifesto, “The 12 Commandments for Independent Filmmakers,” continues to inspire Filipino filmmakers today. In 2010, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Animation Council of the Philippines Incorporated (ACPI), and in 2020 he was awarded the FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Lifetime Achievement Award for Alternative Cinema.

GENESIS GENESIS

By Gotot Prakosa

Indonesia | No dialogue | 1981 | 11 min 7 sec | 16mm transferred to digital file | Exempted from classification

Inspired by Indonesian mythology, Gotot Prakosa explores class differences with the use of stop-motion animation. He uses decorated eggs, apples and yams to stand in as characters in this two-part film.

Gotot Prakosa (b. 1955, Indonesia; d. 2015, Indonesia) was a painter, filmmaker and author. For much of his adult life he was based in Jakarta, where from 2008 to 2012 he was Dean of the Faculty of Film and Television at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts. Gotot’s work is noted for its sensitivity, light-heartedness, perceptiveness, and often irreverent humour, making him a completely original, yet unpretentious talent. In addition to his numerous minimalist short films and books on experimental filmmaking, Gotot worked on innovative projects with other Indonesian artists, such as performance artist Sardono W. Kusumo and writer-director, Eros Djarot.

NON-KB (A FILM ABOUT FAMILY PLANNING)

By Gotot Prakosa

Indonesia | No dialogue | 1979 | 1 min 29 sec | 16mm transferred to digital file | NC16 (Some Mature Content)

Painted hearts and penises flicker about in a frenetic dance of desire and sex, set to the frantic melodies of Flight of the Bumblebee. Responding to the Indonesian government’s Keluarga Berencana (KB) films about family planning, Gotot Prakosa provides an alternate view to this issue.

Gotot Prakosa (b. 1955, Indonesia; d. 2015, Indonesia) was a painter, filmmaker and author. For much of his adult life he was based in Jakarta, where from 2008 to 2012 he was Dean of the Faculty of Film and Television at the Jakarta Institute of the Arts. Gotot’s work is noted for its sensitivity, light-heartedness, perceptiveness, and often irreverent humour, making him a completely original, yet unpretentious talent. In addition to his numerous minimalist short films and books on experimental filmmaking, Gotot worked on innovative projects with other Indonesian artists, such as performance artist Sardono W. Kusumo and writer-director, Eros Djarot.

ABCD

By Rox Lee

Philippines | No dialogue | 1985 | 5 min | Super 8mm transferred to digital file | M18 (Some Sexual Scenes)

In ABCD, Rox Lee advocates for a new and personal take on the alphabet, utilising every letter to convey whimsy, humour and socio-political critique. This Super 8mm film was made quickly, and its distinctly unpolished appearance gives it a level of honesty and sincerity to the issues that Lee felt were plaguing society at the time.

Roque Federizon Lee, also known as Rox Lee (b. 1950, Philippines), is a Filipino animator, writer, cartoonist, painter, musician, and filmmaker. The co-creator of iconic Filipino comic character Cesar Asar, he is a pioneer of independent film animation in the Philippines. His early works shot on Super 8 film are now considered classics of the underground film movement of the 1980s, and his manifesto, “The 12 Commandments for Independent Filmmakers,” continues to inspire Filipino filmmakers today. In 2010, he was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Animation Council of the Philippines Incorporated (ACPI), and in 2020 he was awarded the FAMAS (Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences) Lifetime Achievement Award for Alternative Cinema.

Recommended
Films
Recommended
Films
Recommended
Films
Recommended
Films
Back to top