During one of my first curatorial gigs in 2007, I came into contact with the work of Melanie Shatzky and Brian Cassidy. I’ve been following them ever since. From their enigmatically pulsating The Delaware Project, to the affectively anthropologic God Provides, and the socially engaged The Patron Saints, I’ve always been fascinated by their seamless use of documentary and fiction strategies, and their ability to find genuine beauty in the most forlorn places.
The Delaware Project / USA, Canada / 2007 / 14 min / English
Francine / USA, Canada / 2012 / 74 min / English
In Francine, Cassidy and Shatzky’s feature debut from 2012, we follow a nearly silent woman, who has just been released from prison as she tries to make a place for herself in an anonymous American lakeside town. Taking a series of jobs working with animals, Francine turns away those who show an interest in her and instead seeks intimacy in an ever-growing brood of pets.
The Dutch premiere of Francine will be preceded by The Delaware Project, the duo’s multi-award-winning short that premiered at IFFR in 2007. The film centers on a young woman's fledgling sense of connection in a landscape that is undergoing rapid development.
Although both films are independent works, their truly singular signature resounds with clear indicators of their authors.
BRIAN M. CASSIDY + MELANIE SHATZKY
Wednesday 18 January 2017
doors open: 8.15 PM
tickets: WORM
address: Boomgaardsstraat 71, Rotterdam