John Cannizzaro
2021Beatrice of 9
John Cannizzaro
What began as an experimental film attempting to use poetry to understand and cope with a loss slowly evolved into a poetic film that uses experimentation as a means to discovery. ‘Beatrice of 9’ is a multi-layered, experimental documentary on loss, poetry, Dante, and Film making- a meditation consisting of nine short Cine-poems, an analysis of their content and composition, and ultimately a personal journey into the creative process. John Cannizzaro is a maker of experimental films and stop-motion animations – working primarily in Super8mm and 16mm film. Exploring such diverse themes as childhood, memory, dreams, religion, and film making, his films blur the boundaries between narrative, documentary, animation, and poetry.
Beatrice of 9
Critical Mass
John Cannizzaro
Shot on Super 8 and blown up to 16mm for a dreamlike effect, CRITICAL MASS is a strange, poetic vision of childhood. From its first vision sequence to its consequential conclusion, the film follows one boy's wanderings, both internal and external, as he tries to make sense of his world. Life, death, time and place become interchangeable when he happens upon a dead crow, a barren hilltop and a small boy who serves as a catalyst for his actions. CRITICAL MASS explores the power of childhood imagination that makes play become reality.
Critical Mass
