At this year’s festival, we pay tribute to the renowned filmmaker Kevin Jerome Everson with an extensive portrait. The artist, who was born in Ohio in 1965 and lives in Virginia, works with photography, printmaking, sculpture, and film, but is especially incredibly productive in the latter field: In his well over 150 films—ranging in length from one minute to eight hours, mostly shot on 16 mm and with handheld camera—he vividly captures the everyday life and working realities of African-American communities in the Midwest and Southern US.

VIENNA SHORTS will present two film programs and an installation together with Blickle Kino at Belvedere 21.

BLACK FIRE FILMS

Another focus will be Everson’s short films with Claudrena N. Harold, Professor of African American and African Studies and History. The two colleagues from the University of Virginia have joined forces to investigate and make visible the cultural life of black students and workers at the prestigious educational institution in the second half of the 20th century and into the 21st century under the label Black Fire.

In cooperation with the Austrian Film Museum, the artists will screen eight of their films as well as present their working methods in a master class, addressing research, production, aesthetics and the politics of collaboration.

In addition, Claudrena N. Harold will spend a month in Vienna as part of our Artist-in-Residence program with Q21 in MuseumsQuartier.

News 28.3.2023