A lot of things have changed, have been shaken up and re-evaluated in 2023.
For us, it was the first truly post-pandemic year and the restart in the workplace was intense. It was also a year marked by adaptation to a new order of things: a war in Ukraine that drags on, a political panorama that excites the extremes, a climate crisis that smokes up Montreal and New York for weeks. And then there were also personal trials and challenges, the details of which I will spare you. But it was also a great year, it wasn't all darkness, far from it!
This is why we are starting 2024 with the desire to resume creation where we left off, with a few adjustments that we hope will allow us to finance our efforts. Here is the state of Notre Cinéma Maison at the start of 2024.
The Zeitgeist has changed
The spirit of the times has completely changed since the start of the pandemic and the war in Europe. And now, with Hamas and Israel, things are not getting any better.
Living in a world that is rearming itself and splitting into geopolitical blocs has become a reality and we can expect that this state of affairs will continue for a few more years at least.
The climate crisis is entering its acute phase, with fires and heatwaves breaking records every summer. Consensus is being established but actions are slow to come, because our societies are built on fossil fuels and do not know how to get out of this conundrum quickly.
Population movements towards the countries of the North are increasing sharply and people from the North are starting to want to lock the borders, with all that this produces politically in terms of the rise of right-wing populist parties.
Artificial intelligence is accelerating its development and we can expect major impacts on our society.
Social media has become a drug for many and we are finally starting to recognize its perverse effects. As Ian Bremmer would say, “America is letting algorithms raise its youth. »
The Zeitgeist project will therefore also evolve. Will he be more pamphleteer? Possibly.
New projects
Nastia continues her research and creation work in digital installation arts at the University of Montreal. She is developing her installation project entitled Fear of the Motherland, a project whose research she had the pleasure of presenting at an international conference. We host on the site a video montage that is part of this project.
For my part, I have been working since the end of November on a feature film script titled Neuve. I finished the treatment (prose text which tells the story) last week and I have to rework it in order to pitch it to producers next month.
Nastia and I are also working on writing and publishing a book which tells the story of the birth of Kino movement and which seeks to express the unique blend of community, mutual aid and cinema that is its trademark.
A much needed adjustment
For 2024, Nastia and I are giving priority to artistic projects that seem both urgent and have the potential to be funded. Being paid for some of our efforts is essential to being able to devote significant time to artistic endeavours. The book on Kino will have its crowdfunding campaign in February, and the feature film project Neuve will be put in front of producers to find support for the scriptwriting stage.
Your support during this time of change is precious. I thank you all for being there, your presence really makes the difference!