Dining Room or 'There is Nothing'

Written and Directed By David Earle. Camera by Øystein Mamen. Performed by Lea Porsager. Produced by Jannie Audebo. Sound design by Sturla Brandth Grovlen

A short film (1 minute 7 seconds), intended as a loop.

Film Download
Complete version of Dining Room film
(1min 7secs)

This short film flips back on itself. At exactly the midway point, the film begins to run backwards, and the sound repeats itself backwards with it. The character (Lea Porsager), speaks the three words backwards as the film goes forwards, so that they can be deciphered at the end of the film when they are played backwards.

When looped, there is no actual beginning or end, and no real sense of where the beginning and end actually are.

This piece was inspired by a personal paradoxical desire for empirical proof that there is nothing on the 'other' side of life.

I wanted to blur the distinction between the two states, and to state the paradox by showing someone who is coming back from life (or death), and denies its existence, thereby fulfilling the paradox.

Above. Lea Porsager being prepared for the film.

© 2004 David Earle