Optimism

Forum Expanded 2018

Draw down the sun. Dig up the gold.

The urge to relieve a winter valley of permanent shadow and find gold in alluvial gravel is part of a long history of desire and extraction in the far Canadian north. Cancan dancers, curlers, smelters, former city officials, and a curious cliff-side mirrored disc congregate to form a town portrait. Shot on location in Dawson City, Yukon Territory.

by Deborah Stratman
with John Steins, Eldo Enns, Steve Badgett, Charles Stankievech, Simon Manson-Wood, Lance Blomgren USA / Canada 2018 English 15’ Colour & Black/White Documentary form

With

John Steins
Eldo Enns
Steve Badgett
Charles Stankievech
Simon Manson-Wood
Lance Blomgren

Crew

Written and Directed by	Deborah Stratman
Cinematography	Deborah Stratman
Editing	Deborah Stratman
Music	Charlie Chaplin
Sound Design	Deborah Stratman
Sound	Deborah Stratman, Steve Badgett
Production Design	Deborah Stratman, Steve Badgett

World sales

Pythagoras Film

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

Produced by

Pythagoras Film

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

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