In the Future, They Ate from the Finest Porcelain
Fall Grant 2014 - Production Stage
Larissa Sansour / Short Experimental or Essay / Palestine, United Kingdom, Denmark, Qatar / 2015 / 28 min / Colour / Original Language: Arabic / Interests: Animation, Politics, History, Science Fiction
Synopsis
‘In the Future, They Ate from the Finest Porcelain’ resides in the cross-section of sci-fi, archaeology and politics. The project explores the role of myth in history, fact and national identity, and is a filmic counter-measure to the politicised archaeology used to justify confiscation of Palestinian lands. A resistance group buries deposits of porcelain that signify a civilisation of hi-tech Palestinians. When it is unearthed, this tableware will prove the existence of this fictional people. By implementing a myth of its own, the work becomes a historical intervention – the de facto creation of a nation. In a post-apocalyptic future, cargo spaceships loaded with porcelain begin their journey back in time, passing historical scenes and landscapes, finally revealing the porcelain cargo and accomplishing the intended revision of regional history.
Credits
- Director
- Larissa Sansour
- Screenwriter
- Soren Lind
- Producer
- Larissa Sansour, Ali Roche
- Production Company
- Spike Island (Main Production Company), Redeye Film (Production/Post-Production)
About the Director
Larissa Sansour is an artist and director born in 1973 in East Jerusalem, Palestine. In her recent works, she uses science fiction to address social and political issues. Working mainly with film, Sansour also produces installations, photos and sculptures.Her work is shown in film festivals and museums worldwide. She has exhibited her work at Tate Modern, MoMA, the Berlinale and BFI London Film Festival. Recent solo exhibitions include ‘Bluecoat’ in Liverpool, ‘Chapter’ in Cardiff and ‘Nikolaj Kunsthal’ in Copenhagen. Sansour currently lives and works in London, UK.
Awards and Festival History
Festivals
Dubai International Film Festival 2015 (WP)
Berlinale 2016, Forum Expanded
Rotterdam International Film Festival 2017, Picture Palestine: Minutes, Myth and Treason
ALFILM 2016