Last Things

Forum Expanded 2023

Evolution and extinction from the point of view of rocks and various future others: Last Things introduces the geo-biosphere as a place of evolutionary possibility, where humans disappear but life endures.
Catalysed by two novellas by J.-H. Rosny, joint pseudonym of the Belgian brothers Boex who wrote sci-fi before it was a genre, the film takes up their pluralist vision of evolution, where imagining prehistory is inseparable from envisioning the future. Also formative were Roger Caillois’s writing on stones, Clarice Lispector’s “The Hour of the Star,” Robert Hazen’s mineral evolution theory, the symbiosis theory of Lynn Margulis, Donna Haraway’s multi-species scenarios, Hazel Barton’s research on cave microbes, and Marcia Bjørnerud’s thoughts on time literacy.
In one way or another, these thinkers have all sought to displace humankind from the centre of evolutionary processes. Passages from Rosny and interviews with Bjørnerud form the film’s spine. Stones are its anchor. We trust stone as archive, but we may as well write on water. In the end, it’s particles that remain.

by Deborah Stratman
with Valérie Massadian, Marcia Bjørnerud France / USA / Portugal 2023 French, English 50’ Colour

With

Valérie Massadian
Marcia Bjørnerud

Crew

Director	Deborah Stratman
Screenplay	Deborah Stratman
Cinematography	Deborah Stratman
Editing	Deborah Stratman
Sound Design	Deborah Stratman
Sound	Simon Apostolou
Producers	Deborah Stratman, Anže Peržin, Gaëlle Boucand

Produced by

Pythagoras Film

http://www.pythagorasfilm.com http://www.pythagorasfilm.com

Stenar Projects

Elinka Films

http://www.elinkafilms.fr/ http://www.elinkafilms.fr/

Photos

Deborah Stratman

Deborah Stratman, born in 1967 in Washington D.C., USA, is a Chicago-based artist and filmmaker. She has exhibited internationally at major biennials, art institutions, and film festivals. Stratman is the recipient of several awards, fellowships, and grants. She teaches at the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Filmography

1990 My Alchemy; 7 min. My Alchemy; 7 min. Upon a Time; 10 min. Upon a Time; 10 min. A Letter; 7 min. A Letter; 7 min. Possibilities, Dilemmas; 10 min. Possibilities, Dilemmas; 10 min. the train from la to la; 8 min. the train from la to la; 8 min. In Flight: Day No. 2,128; 2 min. In Flight: Day No. 2,128; 2 min. Palimpsest; 3 min. Palimpsest; 3 min. Waking; 7 min. Waking; 7 min. Iolanthe; 5 min. Iolanthe; 5 min. On the Various Nature On the Various Nature From Hetty to Nancy; 44 min. From Hetty to Nancy; 44 min. the BLVD; 64 min. the BLVD; 64 min. Untied; 3 min. Untied; 3 min. In Order Not to Be Here; 33 min. In Order Not to Be Here; 33 min. Energy Country; 15 min. Energy Country; 15 min. Kings of the Sky; 68 min. Kings of the Sky; 68 min. How Among the Frozen Words; 1 min. How Among the Frozen Words; 1 min. It Will Die Out in the Mind; 4 min. It Will Die Out in the Mind; 4 min. The Magician’s House; 6 min. The Magician’s House; 6 min. Butter and Tomatoes; 4 min. Butter and Tomatoes; 4 min. The Memory; 2 min. The Memory; 2 min. O’er the Land; 52 min. O’er the Land; 52 min. Kuyenda N’Kubvina; 40 min. Kuyenda N’Kubvina; 40 min. FF; 3 min. FF; 3 min. Shrimp Chicken Fish; 5 min. Shrimp Chicken Fish; 5 min. Ray’s Birds; 7 min. Ray’s Birds; 7 min. …These Blazeing Starrs!; 14 min. …These Blazeing Starrs!; 14 min. A Throb; 1 min. A Throb; 1 min. Village, silenced; 7 min. Village, silenced; 7 min. The Name is not the Thing The Name is not the Thing Musical Insects; 7 min. Musical Insects; 7 min. Immortal, Suspended; 6 min. Immortal, Suspended; 6 min. Hacked Circuit; 15 min. Hacked Circuit; 15 min. Second Sighted; 5 min. Second Sighted; 5 min. The Illinois Parables; The Illinois Parables; Xenoi; 15 min. Xenoi; 15 min. Siege; 7 min. Siege; 7 min. Optimism; 15 min., Optimism; 15 min., Vever (for Barbara) Vever (for Barbara); For the Time Being; 7 min. Laika; 5 min. Last Things · 1991 · 1992 · · · · · 1993 · · · 1994 · 1995 · · of Things; 25 min. · of Things; 25 min. 1997 · 1999 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · · · 2009 · 2010 · · · · · · · 2011 · · · 2012 · · named; 11 min. · named; 11 min. 2013 · · · 2014 · · · 2016 60 min., Forum Expanded 2016 · 60 min., Forum Expanded 2016 · · 2017 · 2018 Forum Expanded 2018 · Forum Expanded 2018 2019 · 12 min., Forum Expanded 2019 2021 · 2023

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023