Waterscape: Illusions

Waterscape: Illusions

16mm, color and b/w, sound, 52 min
In this self-reflexive film, Ann Deborah Levy's camera captures compelling images of a mysterious wilderness lake and its elegant swans. The water serves as a canvas on which upside-down reflections ...
Rental formats: 16mm, DVD NTSC

Stills

About

In this self-reflexive film, Ann Deborah Levy's camera captures compelling images of a mysterious wilderness lake and its elegant swans. The water serves as a canvas on which upside-down reflections of trees, clouds, and colors in the landscape are acted upon by wind and light to make an ever-changing painting. Against these images and painted illustrations, a woman making a film on swans serves as the focus for an exploration of perceptions of reality as filtered through the human mind in science, mythology, art, and documentary filmmaking; a meditation on illusion and reality. Off-screen voices personify the womans thoughts as she shoots her film and researches and shapes her script: the filmmaker reads from her shooting diary; young girls recount swan myths; a scholar discusses swan symbolism; and supposed 'experts' from across history debate whether swans really sing or not before they die. These distinct yet thematically related scenarios interweave throughout, but never intersect. They float like elements in a dream for the viewer to connect and interpret later on.

Films

  • Other films by this artist in our catalogue

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    Watercolors
    Experimental

    Watercolors
    Ann Deborah Levy

    color and b/w, silent, 13 min
    Rental formats: 16mm, DVD NTSC
    • Landscape / Architecture
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    Rain Painting
    Documentary
    Experimental

    Rain Painting
    Ann Deborah Levy

    HD, color, sound, 6 min
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Environment / Nature
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    Spectator(s)
    Documentary
    Experimental

    Spectator(s)
    Ann Deborah Levy

    HD, sound, 11.5 min
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
    • History
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Environment / Nature
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    ON THE TRAIN TO KUTNÁ HORA . . . AND BACK
    Experimental

    ON THE TRAIN TO KUTNÁ HORA . . . AND BACK
    Ann Deborah Levy

    HD, color, sound, 8 min
    Rental format: DVD NTSC
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Environment / Nature
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    Water Falls, New York City
    Documentary
    Experimental

    Water Falls, New York City
    Ann Deborah Levy

    digital, color, sound, 12.08 min
    Rental format: Digital file
    • Landscape / Architecture
    • Environment / Nature
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    Journey(S)
    Experimental

    Journey(S)
    Ann Deborah Levy

    digital, color, sound, 15.44 min
    Rental format: Digital file
    • Landscape / Architecture