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On a volcanic island, inhabitants are caught in an unending cycle: the threat of impending eruptions and the burden of past traumas loom over them. Some draw upon myth and religious beliefs to interpret their precarious situation, while others demonstrate resilience, rebuilding their villages from the volcanic rocks. Mirroring the ethereal atmosphere of the island’s landscapes, the film gradually takes on the appearance of the stories it recounts.


Director’s Statement: Aylin Gokmen

Spirits and Rocks: an Azorean Myth was shot on Pico and Faial, two Portuguese islands of the Azores archipelago that were formed by the eruptions of multiple volcanoes, some of which are still active. Eruptions and earthquakes have affected hundreds of victims and homeless people there, which caused a massive exodus. However, some chose to stay; one of their main reasons is an agriculture favored by the richness and fertility of volcanic soils. I wanted to represent this ambivalent relationship of people with an island that nurtures them while posing a constant threat to their lives.

 

In the Azores, the weather can go from one extreme to another in a matter of seconds; islanders often say that they experience four seasons a day. The light is constantly changing, the sun plays hide and seek with the clouds. This, in addition to the omnipresent risk of natural disasters, engenders a strong instability. This feeling can also be found in the inhabitants’ personal lives: an island is a place of transit, people continuously come and go. 


Most of those who leave never return; because of the geographical distance created by the ocean and the emotional distance created by the passing of time. I wanted to convey the weight of their absence in my film. Lastly, I used mythology and archives to represent an abstract, invisible level of reality: the collective memory of Azorean people.

  • Year
    2020
  • Runtime
    14 minutes
  • Language
    Portuguese
  • Country
    Switzerland, Portugal
  • Premiere
    Oregon
  • Director
    Aylin Gökmen
  • Producer
    Aylin Gökmen, Victor Candeias
  • Cast
    Hellen Torres (voice-over)
  • Cinematographer
    Marianna Vas
  • Editor
    Aylin Gökmen
  • Sound Design
    Sound: João Alves, Etienne Curchod
  • Music
    Thomas Geissl