“ROOT | END” by Kevin Opsea

Root | End is an elemental process of braiding and rooting oneself to their center, their sense of self. Featuring dance artist Michaela DePrince, as they navigate their internal journey and interweave their personal narrative into this moving portrait.

Boston Ballet soloist Michaela DePrince performs original choreography by New York-based choreographer Rena Butler (Choreographic Associate of Gibney Dance) with original music by Grammy-nominated composer Andy Akiho, directed by Kevin Opsea with Creative Direction by Taiba Akhuetie.

The short film IN MEDIAS RUSH is an experimental cinematic journey into the depths of a manic mind. A poetic retro-sci-fi narrative unfolded in a string of unsettling tableaus that encapsulates the male protagonist’s ambiguous feelings about his birthday. While balancing between realities in his silent struggle with severe mental illness, we plunge into the film at a neatly orchestrated birthday party. The protagonist is accompanied by his girlfriend, and they are drinking cocoa on the couch in their mutual home. The setting breathes pure perfection, but through the voice over we sense that another reality is soon to be revealed. With one foot on the accelerator, he is heading towards the edge. The thematic focal point of IN MEDIAS RUSH is mental health problems among young adults, and the social/personal consequences related to the existing taboo on the subject. The film wishes to formulate an honest cinematic space in which words, sound, and image artistically interprets and articulates some of the perspectives related to especially bipolar, anxiety, and psychotic disorders. IN MEDIAS RUSH was nominated in the category 'Best Danish Short Film' at Copenhagen Short Film Festival in 2020. Original title: IN MEDIAS RÆS Directed by: Esben Persson -------------------- DK: IN MEDIAS RÆS IN MEDIAS RÆS er en filmisk rejse ind i dybderne af et manisk sind. En ung mand fejrer sin fødselsdag, mens hans tanker tordner afsted. Med en uvillig fod på speederen har han kurs mod kanten. FR: IN MEDIA RES IN MEDIA RES est un voyage dans les profondeurs d’un esprit maniaque. Un jeune homme fête son anniversaire tandis que ses pensées se multiplient. Malgré lui, il se dirige vers un point de non-retour. -------------------- Cast: Peter Alexander Bach & Amanda Overby Drew Director // Script writer // Set designer // Costume designer // Editor // Speaker: Esben Persson Photographer // Editor: Lasse Mølsted Producer: Latifa Lykke Ben Mabrouk Assistant producer: Cecilie Creutsberg Music composer: Martin Bejder Sound designer: Mads Hye Chief Lighting Technician: Rasmus Bruun Liboriussen VFX: Jonas Fonnesbæk Lodahl Colorist: Kristopher Paterson Graphic designer: Jakob Toft Kristensen -------------------- Shot on RED Monstro 8K with Lomo Squarefront Anamorphics.

credits

Director: Kevin Osepa @kevinisburning

Choreographer: Rena Butler @renabutler

Featuring: Michaela DePrince @michaeladeprince

Composer: Andy Akiho @andyakiho

Including: Vroni Martina @_v.martina_ Nadège Bwatou @deshkanye Joanna Donau @joanpepperoni

Creative Direction: Taiba Akhuetie @taibataiba @Keashldn

Cinematographer: Wouter Verberkt @wouterverberkt

Production Company: Heat @heatxheat

Producer: Luc de Kock @luc.de.kock

Assistant Director: Goldiie @goldiienl

Assistant Camera: Nick Vigue @nickvigue

Sound Designer: Martin Delisle @martin.delisle.sound.designer

Costume Design: Max Zara Sterck @maxzarasterck

Hair: Yara Forster @goldengiraffebeauty

Jewelry Design: Goldiie @goldiienl

Gaffer: Ralph Schoonenboom @the.magic.of.light

Editor: Stan Vriend @stan.vriend

Grading: Ruben Labree @rubenlabree

Studio: Pre Reserved Studio @prereserved

@films.dance
Creative Director: Jacob Jonas

Produced by @jacobjonasthecompany

Co-presented by @bam_brooklyn @harristheaterchicago @thesorayastage @stanfordlive


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