a physical ring

Mika Taanila's new experimental film called Fysikaalinen rengas features commissioned, previously unreleased soundtrack by Ø, a.k.a. Pan sonic member Mika Vainio. The film premiered at Tampere Film Festival's National Competition on the 5th of March, 2002. The film was also presented at Barcelona's Sonar festival, June 2002. A kinetic installation of A Physical Ring is exhibited at Kiasma, Helsinki, 6 September - 27 October, 2002.

Fysikaalinen rengas
("A Physical Ring")

2002, 35mm, 1:1,37
Duration: 4 min
Director: Mika Taanila
Music: Ø
Special effects cinematography: Jussi Eerola
Graphic design: Kirsi Andersson

Fysikaalinen rengas / A Physical Ring is a minimalistic found-footage film. It's based on raw material from an anonymous Finnish physical test that took place in the 1940's. The original purpose of the test remains unknown today.

"When Muybridge or Marey produced their first scientific films, they not only invented the technique of cinema but also created the purest aesthetics of it. This is the miracle of scientific film, its unfailing paradox. Only at the extreme end of profit-seeking utilitarian research, when aesthetic purposes as such are most sternly rejected, cinematic beauty will follow with supernatural grace."
(André Bazin, "The Beauty of Chance")

By careful editing techniques, inanimate research footage is assembled to a piece of kinetic fantasy. An integral part of the piece is the specially commissioned, haunting soundtrack by Ø (Mika Vainio of Pan Sonic).
NOTE! The flicker effects in the film might cause headache or migraine.

contact director: mtaanila@kuva.fi

mika taanila