Content/criticism
Of course, language is primarily there to be able to communicate with others. In addition, it is also an important element of one’s own identity. We grew up with our mother tongue and were influenced by it. It means home, it is part of us. But what if that language is connected to something we reject? Told about this very case Irina Rubina in her animated short film Contradiction of Emptiness. She herself is Russian and struggles to reconcile the language of her childhood with the attack on Ukraine. But she is also unfamiliar with German, the language of her adopted homeland, citing its cruel history. We don’t learn much more in the just over three minutes that the film lasts. Rubina outlines the situation without drawing any conclusions, let alone providing any answers.
And yet the work leaves an impression. This also has a lot to do with the pictures. These do not illustrate the texts presented in Russian and German, which were superimposed as a voice over. We see abstract places created using a board of nails technique that alternate between white, black and red. In terms of mood, the contribution is reminiscent of UNTIL Leipzig 2024 a little reminiscent of the surreal anime classic Angel’s Eggin which we stumble similarly lost through a war-torn world. The result may not go as far in terms of content as the topic would allow, but it is nothing more than food for thought. But it’s worth seeing what the filmmaker has put together here.
Credits
OT: „Contradiction of Emptiness“
Land: Deutschland
Year: 2024
Director: Irina Rubina
Script: Irina Rubina
