The casual cinephile might associate the Department of Anarchy with avant-garde, transgressive, or underground cinema. It is all of those things and none of them. We like to think of Anarchy as an anti-genre.
Anarchy films are innovative in form and provocative in purpose. Some will make viewers feel as though they’ve been dosed with LSD. Others are a profound reflection upon the terrors and tragedies of the human condition. Still others are the darkest of comedies that may (or may not) include goblin fellatio.
Anarchy filmmakers are the black sheep of the cinematic herd. Their films are not produced for the entertainment industry. They are produced in spite of entertainment.
Slamdance Presents
Department of Anarchy: Short Cinema Assault Volume 1.
A maelstrom of underground short-form cinema orchestrated to provoke, intoxicate and disturb, streaming on the Slamdance Channel through April 7th.
The lineup includes:
Ape Sodom, dir. Max McCabe
Set during the decline and fall of the consumerist empire, a filthy garbage-picker is retained as a personal slave by a wealthy ultra-consumer still worshipping at the temple of a life he once knew.
Breaker, dir. Philippe McKie
In tomorrow’s Tokyo, the technologically-enhanced body of a young mercenary hacker is overrun by a sentient data weapon. Wanted, the parasitic A.I becomes her only ally as she is chased across the city by those seeking to salvage it.
Carnal Orient, dir. Mila Zuo
A cook serves exotic dishes to his impatient, hungry guests. Suddenly the arrival of a mysterious Asian woman re-ignites their insatiable appetite.
Dog in the Woods, dir. Christian Chapman & Paul Jason Hoffman
A downtrodden house dog escapes into the woods at night to follow the psychedelic temptations of the natural world.
Double Blind, No. 1, dir. Ian B. Anderson, Zenon Kohler, Ricky Marks, Jasper St Aubyn West, & Raoul Teague
Five VFX artists set out to test the theory that a fine-art technique relying on chance could be applied to a motion piece. With no script or storyboards, the artists collaborated on the shoot day, each with a few ideas for framing and action.
Gun Shy, dir. Sam Goetz
A police officer’s attempt to help a stranger in a public bathroom takes a turn for the worse, resulting in a disturbing inexplicable memory he’ll never ever be able to shake.
Gwilliam, dir. Brian Lonano
A recently released criminal is looking for a good time. He can forget his sins but he can never forget… Gwilliam.
Piggy, dir. Carlota Pereda
Overweight teen Sara lives in the shadow of a clique of cool girls holidaying in her village. Not even her childhood friend Claudia defends her when she’s bullied at the local pool in front of an unknown man. Finally, her clothes are stolen and she must get home wearing only her bikini. Her long walk home will mark the rest of her life.
Prizefighter, dir. Lyndon J. Barrois
A stop-motion animated Sportrait of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight champion of the world, depicting three pivotal days of his life.
Santa Ana, dir. Cesar Pesquera
Santa Ana elucidates the mysterious link between evil and the infamous Santa Ana Winds. The “”Red Wind”” originates inland and blows through the coastal Southern California. Legend has it that these extremely dry down-slope hot airs cause drastic mood swings among Angelenos, sparking tensions and uneasy wrathful human behaviors.
Vitamins for Life, dir. Grier Dill
An educational film about some lesser known vitamins.