In December 2020 my friend Ben and I made a fascinating discovery. A bizarre phenomenon in a quiet neighborhood in the Appalachian Mountains of Western North Carolina revealed a surprising series of landscapes, forms, and celestial bodies hidden in plain sight. Our documentation of these events resulted in the experimental film Labyrinth Ion - Available Now.
I’ve long been fascinated by weird experimental documentaries and the release of this film was a great excuse to talk about some of my favorite films from the genre and why I think it’s an important one. You can watch “The Beauty and Chaos of Experimental Documentaries” now on my YouTube Channel.
I never quite imagined my first public foray into filmmaking (since I started my channel) would be with such a strange little film, but here we are. If you’re into this kind of thing I hope you enjoy! And if you’re not, keep your eyes peeled, I’ve got a few more projects in the works that are varying degrees closer to “traditional” films.
Until then, I’ll leave you with this quote from Simone Weil:
“The beauty of the world is the mouth of a labyrinth. The unwary individual who on entering takes a few steps is soon unable to find the opening. Worn out, with nothing to eat or drink, in the dark, separated from his dear ones, and from everything he loves and is accustomed to, he walks on without knowing anything or hoping anything, incapable even of discovering whether he is really going forward or merely turning round on the same spot. But this affliction is as nothing compared with the danger threatening him. For if he does not lose courage, if he goes on walking, it is absolutely certain that he will finally arrive at the center of the labyrinth. And there God is waiting to eat him. Later he will go out again, but he will be changed, he will have become different, after being eaten and digested by God. Afterward he will stay near the entrance so that he can gently push all those who come near into the opening.”