From August 25 to September 10 2023 the Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters is back, the cultural event that takes place in the waters behind the island of Giudecca in the Lagoon of Venice. For the fourth consecutive year a floating stage visible from its own boat or from a floating platform, hosts a multitude of screenings and performances by international and local authors.
Likewise to the first three editions, Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters presents experiments related to moving images, raging between cinema and visual arts. The contents proposed over the years include techniques belonging to pre-cinema, such as the shadow theater and magic lanterns, silent films with live scores, film projections, performances with overhead projectors and the usage of digital technologies.
The 4th Edition of Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters investigates topics such as inhabitation, the relationship between the human and the non-human, and the anthropic impact on ecosystems. Following this line of continuity, with respect to the relationship with the other and the unknown, several authors explore the superhuman and the beyond.
The authors participating in the 4th edition are: Jennifer Allora & Guillermo Calzadilla, David Angeli, Federico Antinori, Rosa Barba, Emanuele Wiltsch Barberio, Marco-Augusto Basso, Pierre Bastien, Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, Giulia Maria Belli & Riccardo Giacomini, Nigol Bezjian, Anouk Chambaz, Jérôme Clément-Wilz, Clément Cogitore, Giulia Crivellaro, Reka Csiszér, Tacita Dean, Jonathas de Andrade, Louis De Belle, Diego Delas & Leonor Serrano Rivas, Vittorio De Seta , Cleo Fariselli, Robert Florey & Slavko Vorkapić, Fondo Fortuny, Jacques Giraldeau, Wang Haiyang, Shokir Kholikov, Pietro Lando, Axl Le, Sonia Levy, Isabel Lewis, Basim Magdy, Angelika Markul, Achille Mauri, Elena Mazzi, Samuele Molinari, Niccolò Moronato, Bill Morrison, Manuel Muñoz Rivas, Antoni Muntadas, Jean Painlevé, Hlynur Palmason, Estefania Peñafiel, Stefano Pilia, Sòfia Pozdniakova, Fossick Project, Géraldine Py & Roberto Verde, Man Ray, Lotte Reiniger & Giovanni Claudio Di Giorgio, Marco Aurelio Di Giorgio, Gabriele Tai; Sabla, Tiziano Scarpa, Fulvio Silvestri, James Stuart Blackton, Jan Svankmajer, Maryam Tafakory, Tengerton (Uuganbaatar Tsend-Ochir, Nasanjargal Ganbold, Yesun-Erdene Bat, Dalaijargal Daansuren), Denise Tosato, Mateo Vega, Zhou Wen, Nisreen Yaseen, Stefan Zeniuk & Tuba Joe Exley, Pietro Valente, Chen Zhou, Achille Zoni.
The participation of partners who have supported previous editions is reconfirmed:
TBA21–Academy’s – Ocean Space, presents two films that take us into the underwater world of the Venice Lagoon, Breathings of the moon (2002), by Diego Delas and Leonor Serrano Rivas and We Marry You, O Sea, as a Sign of True and Perpetual Dominion (2023), by Sonia Levy. The works are the result of indepth research conducted during the STARTS4Water residency in Venice in 2022 and have a meditative observation of phenomena in natural environments. The Pentagram Stiftung continues its selection of cinematic masterpieces and presents this year The Adventures of Prince Achmed (1926) by Lotte Reiniger, the first known animated feature made with the silhouette technique. The film, a fairy tale that triggers visions of the subconscious, tells stories from The Arabian Nights. Musically accompanied by the live performance of Giovanni Claudio Di Giorgio (violin), Marco Aurelio Di Giorgio (flute) and Gabriele Tai (cello). Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana - Pinault Collection participates with O Peixe [The Fish] (2016) by Jonathas de Andrade, a film about the relationship between species that documents a ritual of connection of an indigenous community within the animal world. Further, the Fondazione In Between Art Film presents a focus on the work of artist Rosa Barba with a screening of the films Inside the Outset: Evoking a Space of Passage (2021) and Subconscious Society, a Feature (2014). In these works, presented during two separate evenings, the author maps a series of mental and physical geographies through the exploration of archaeological remains of different eras. The Uzbekistan National Pavilion presents Sunday (2023) by Shokir Kholikov, a film that, through a dilated rhythm, describes the passage of time in the rural society of Uzbekistan and its dichotomy with modern life. The contemplative register of the film is in line with the concert of traditional Mongolian music by the ensemble Tengerton which is presented the same evening by the Redhero - BodhiDharma Foundation.
Combo presents a live performance by Sabla, confirming its research and selection of artists in the world of experimental electronic music. The set is accompanied by a screening of Lorenzo Mason’s Sunsets in the Lagoon (over Marghera) (2023).
Also, the 2023 edition sees the participation of CIFRA, a new partner of Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters that presents the productions of five authors, including Clément Cogitore, Angelika Markul and Jan Svankmajer. The selection is completed by Chen Zhou’s The Story of Nanka Gulu and Iron Hawk (2021), which create a short circuit between epic narrative and technological development, and Time Laughs Back at You Like a Sunken Ship (2012) by Basim Magdy which investigates the conception of time and the formation of memories in human beings.
The fourth edition of Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters opens with two voices linked to the city. The first talk is by the Venetian writer Tiziano Scarpa, who chooses passages in prose and verse from his works on our relationship with spaces and objects: stories of crooked architects, hypnotic washing machines and other alienating experiences. This is followed by Moriyama-San (2017) by Ila Bêka & Louise Lemoine, an established artist-filmmaker duo that has made Venice its home. The documentary follows the daily life of Mr Moriyama, an urban hermit living in a small peaceful archipelago in the heart of Tokyo, designed specifically for him by architect Ryue Nishizawa. The next evening sees Tacita Dean’s 35mm film Paradise (2022), with music ‘Paradiso’ by Thomas Adès; an experimentation with light and color that brings back an abstract vision of the afterlife. The artist made the film as part of the set design for The Dante Project, a three act ballet co-produced by the Royal Opera House, London and Paris Opera Ballet, with Choreography by Wayne McGregor and Original Score by Thomas Adès. Paradise was inspired by the hues used in a series of watercolors which were painted by William Blake with the Divine Comedy as its subject. Galleria Michela Rizzo presents the works Video is Television? (1989) and On Translation: Celebracions (2009) by Antoni Muntadas, a Spanish artist who over the last 50 years has focused his research on the interconnection between social sciences and mass media. Chantal Crousel Consulting, partner in the previous edition, presents Sweat Glands, Sweat Lands (2006) and Under Discussion (2005), seminal works by Jennifer Allora e Guillermo Calzadilla. During the same evening, the performance Gilgamesh (2022) by Fossick Project (Cecilia Valagussa and Marta Del Grandi) reinterprets the Mesopotamian myth of the heroic figure of Gilgamesh through an analogue animation projected by the use of an overhead projector and live soundtrack. The Lago Film Fest presents Aqueronte (2023) by Manuel Muñoz Rivas, where a small ferry loaded with passengers becomes a suspended, unreal place.
On the same evening, Stefan Zeniuk’s stop-motion animation Hypnotic Urge, made for Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters and its soundtrack performed live by Tuba Joe Exley (bass tuba), Pietro Valente (drums), Stefan Zeniuk (reeds). A dark and inhospitable ecosystem is the terrain of Cleo Fariselli’s Your Storm Our Dew (2023), where a few objects identifying states of emergency give shape to disturbing creatures - at once foreign and familiar. On the same evening, the feature film Être Cheval (2015) by Jérôme Clément Wilz is presented, a poetic reflection on humanity, gender, life, love and nature.
After his performance at Serra dei Giardini in 2015, musician Stefano Pilia returns to collaborate with Microclima, opening the penultimate evening with the solo Spiralis Aurea, it continues with a new collaboration with the IOIC – Institute of Incoherent Cinematography, which has been promoting the art of contemporary live soundtracks for classic silent films since 2010, presenting a series of films by Jean Painlevé and Man Ray with new live scores by Víz, the electronic solo project of the singer and cellist Réka Csiszér. The Peggy Guggenheim Collection presents The Thieving Hand (1908) by J. Stuart Blackton set to live music by Fulvio Silvestri, trumpeter and funambulist newsagent at the foot of the Accademia Bridge. The Life and Death of 9413: a Hollywood Extra (1928) by Robert Florey and Slavko Vorkapić presented by The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) addresses with the help of sarcastic commentary the exploitative and dehumanized condition of Hollywood extras. On the final evening of the ninth of September, Microclima and French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici present a concert by French composer and experimental musical instrument maker Pierre Bastien and the films Gorgô (2021) and of the uncertainty that comes from dreams (2018) by Estefania Peñafiel.
Finally, the 2023 edition concludes on Sunday 10 September with music and performances by the Cosmogram record label. From afternoon to dusk, in a dimension of free listening and sharing, sound interventions by musicians gravitating around the Cosmo project follow one after the other, to arrive at sunset with the listening session Oceanis Tidings by Isabel Lewis, which closes the final day. The artist developed an intense relationship with Venice through The Soul Expanding Ocean #2: O.C.E.A.N.I.C.A. (2021), a collective performance commissioned and produced by TBA21–Academy and premiered at Ocean Space in Venice in 2021 within a month. Dancers who participated in the 2021 performance will contribute movement and gesture to the listening session performed by Isabel Lewis. Between 04.00 pm and 08:00 pm, the public can freely access the performance platform via a rowing ferry service.
The 4th Edition of Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters is realized thanks to the support of the partners TBA21–Academy’s – Ocean Space (2020-2021-2022-2023), Pentagram Stiftung (2020-2021-2022-2023), Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana – Pinault Collection (2020-2021-2022-2023), In Between Art Film Foundation (2021-2022-2023), The Uzbekistan National Pavilion (2022-2023), Combo (2022-2023), CIFRA (2023).
The local contributors for the 2023 edition are: Centro Studi e Documentazione della Cultura Armena, Peggy Guggenheim Collection, Cosmogram, Festival dei Matti, Festival delle Arti Giudecca e Sacca Fisola, Museo Fortuny – Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, GalleriaMichelaRizzo, Isola Edipo, Laguna B & We Are Here Venice, Libreria MarcoPolo, Master MOVIES Moving Images Arts – IUAV University of Venice, CIvicO Observatory on the House and Residence (OCIO), Rete Cinema in Laguna, Spazio PUNCH.
Also in this edition, national and international contributors are renewed and added with Chantal Crousel Consulting (Paris), Ekrani i Artit – Art House (Shkodra), Ephemera Festival of Intangible Culture (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), IOIC – Institute of Incoherent Cinematography (Zurich), Lago Film Fest (Revine Lago), Liceo Artistico “G. De Fabris” (Nove), MAO Museo d’Arte Orientale (Turin), The Museum of Modern Art (New York), Redhero – BodhiDharma Foundation (Ulaanbaatar), The Citadel Cinema Club (Beit Sahur), Unarchive Found Footage Fest (Rome), French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici (Rome).
Floating Cinema is further supported by the Fondazione Venezia, French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici, Redhero – BodhiDharma Foundation, The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation.
Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters is a project by Edoardo Aruta and Paolo Rosso presented by Microclima and co-curated with Alessandra Messali, its aim is to give shape to a collective vision and desire. The audience is invited to venture into the waters of the lagoon, creating an amphibious settlement in close dialogue with the natural elements. Previous editions have featured over 200 screenings, including feature films and short films, 35 musical and theatrical performances, the participation of 220 authors, and a network of over 50 local and international institutions, associa-
tions, museums, and festivals.
The complete program of Floating Cinema and the link for reservations will be available on the official website : www.cinemagalleggiante.it
Additionally the gastronomic offerings are curated by TOCIA! Cucina e Comunità, an interdisciplinary platform brought to life by its founder chef Marco Bravetti that involves chefs and cooks operating in the lagoon area and beyond to create a collective, popular, and sustainable culinary experiment, characterized by the use of low-impact local products found on the lagoon islands.
First and foremost the posters for the IV Edition of Floating Cinema were designed by Giuseppe Abate, Francesco Fidani, and Virginia Genta.
Last but not least the associations ASD Gloria Rogliani, Soralai, Canottieri Giudecca and Remiera Ponte dei Sartori provide rowing boats to ferry the public to Floating Cinema.
The event is part of Città in festa, Comune di Venezia.
Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters
IV Edition
from August 25 to September 10, 2023
Opening at 6:00 PM – Boarding at 7:00 PM – Program starts at 7:40 PM
Giudecca, Rio de Sant’Eufemia, Consorzio Venezia Sviluppo Ex “Cantieri Lucchese” Venezia
Reservations: Reservations are required for both private boats and pedestrians and can be made on the website www.cinemagalleggiante.it
How to get here:
By feet: get off at the Giudecca Palanca stop, turn right and enter the first Calle on the left, Calle lunga dell’Accademia dei Nobili, at the end of which (about 250 meters) is the entrance to the Consorzio Venezia Sviluppo Ex “Cantieri Lucchese”. Please arrive before 7.10 pm
By boat: Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters is located in the shoal area adjacent to the Giudecca island on the lagoon side, at the Rio de Sant’Eufemia exit. Arriving from the Zattere take the Rio de Sant’Eufemia, a canal located between the church of the same name and Harry’s Dolci, go directly to the platform from which the attendants direct to the moorings. Arriving from the Canale Retro Giudecca, Floating Cinema – Unknown Waters is located in the shallow area in front of Consorzio Venezia Sviluppo Ex “Cantieri Lucchese’’. Please moor before 7:40 pm
Presented by: Microclima
Concept: Edoardo Aruta and Paolo Rosso
Curated by: Edoardo Aruta, Alessandra Messali and Paolo Rosso
Partner: TBA21–Academy’s Ocean Space, Pentagram Stiftung, Palazzo Grassi – Punta della Dogana – Pinault Collection,
Fondazione In Between Art Film, The Uzbekistan National Pavilion, CIFRA e Combo
Additional support: Fondazione Venezia, Redhero – BodhiDharma Foundation, French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici, The Swiss Arts Council Pro Helvetia and Uzbekistan Art and Culture Development Foundation
Contributors: Centro Studi e Documentazione della Cultura Armena (Venice), Collezione Peggy Guggenheim (Venice), Cosmogram (Venice), Chantal Crousel Consulting (Paris), Ekrani i Artit – Art House (Shkodra), Ephemera Festival di Cultura immateriale (Friuli-Venezia Giulia), Festival dei Matti and Unarchive Found Footage Fest (Venice), Festival delle Arti Giudecca e Sacca Fisola (Venice), Museo Fortuny – Fondazione Musei Civici di Venezia, IOIC – Institute of Incoherent Cinematography (Zurich), Isola Edipo (Venice), Lago Film Fest (Revine Lago), Laguna B & We Are Here Venice (Venice), Libreria MarcoPolo (Venice), Liceo Artistico “G.De Fabris” (Nove), MAO Museo d’Arte Orientale (Turin), Master MOVIES Moving Images Arts – Università IUAV di Venezia, The Museum of Modern Art (New York), Osservatorio CIvicO sulla casa e la residenza (OCIO) (Venice), Redhero – BodhiDharma Foundation (Ulaanbaatar), Rete Cinema in Laguna (Venice), Spazio PUNCH (Venice), The Citadel Cinema Club (Beit Sahur), French Academy in Rome – Villa Medici
Logistical partners: Consorzio Venezia Sviluppo Ex “Cantieri Lucchese”, Cantiere Manin, TOCIA!, Famiglia Bognolo (renowned giudecca’s fishermen)
Engineering design: Nicola Ferrari – ST Servizi Tecnici s.r.l.
Stage construction: VoxelStudio
Technical support: Mattia Biadene, Alberto Favretto, Michele Mescalchin (VoxelStudio), Enrico Wiltsch, Lucio Serpani
Service video: TargetDue (Padova)
Production assistant: Sara Maggioni
Stage – Università Ca’ Foscari: Arianna Boffa
Illustration: Giuseppe Abate, Francesco Fidani and Virginia Genta
Graphic design: Elisa Calore
Website: Francesco Bevilacqua – tarranttabor.com
Ticket office: Est Coulon
Management and coordination in the water: Niccolò Bocenti, Andrea Vendramin Rowing boats for public transport: ASD Gloria Rogliani (Nicolò Lachin, Luca Targa), SORALAI
Shore management support: VENICE CALLS
Cuisine and co-ordination of collaborations: Marco Bravetti – Tocia! Comunità e Cucina
Video documentation: Tommaso Stefani
Photographic documentation: Riccardo Banfi
Thanks to: Ermanno Antonioli, Dulguun Batbold, Maria Ida Bernabei, Biennale College di Architettura (Unit 4 - tutors Guillermo Fernández-Abascal, Urtzi Grau Philippa Tumubweinee) Beatrice Bulgari, Barbara Casavecchia, Maria Malvina Borgherini, Capsule Shanghai, Marian Goodman Gallery, Gelateria Alaska, Kenneth Graham, David Hrankovic, Edoardo Lazzari, Lights on, Margherita Manili, Marine Pariente, Alessandro Rabottini, Markus Reymann, Cristina Da Roit, Alice Ongaro Sartori, Josh Siegel, Marco Stangherlin, Sam Stourdzé, KIDAM production, Todolì Citrus Fundaciò, Rontom Tschopp, Cleo Walker.
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Cover: Photography: Riccardo Banfi \ Credit line: Riccardo Banfi and Microclima 2022.
