“A Study On Behaviour, Sequences Of Performangst”
Directed by: Mara Palena
Year: 2020
Duration: 4′59″
Film, Minidv, Colour, Sound.
“A Study On Behaviour” is a trilogy of short films, three video works that study the human behaviour particularly in the context of our society. They are a collaboration between British actor and writer Jessamine-Bliss Bell and the Italian artist and film-maker Mara Palena that together funded the independent film label called EXT. ANGST. They have a deep interest in making experimental films. They aim to make films that not only exercise their creative and human curiosity but that are relevant to their Individual physical and mental states in the context of their society. They are focused on uncovering the truth of the moment, explored through the actors performance often incorporating elements of Method Acting.
“A Study On Behaviour: Sequences Of Performangst” is a film that explores the feeling of anxiety and how we deal with it in social contexts. Essentially it is ‘how we feel’ vs ‘how we act’ and to what degree we perform to hide how we actually feel. We have taken the example of a day in an actor’s life but this can apply to anyone.
Mara Palena (b. 1988) artist, photographer, designer and filmmaker. Her aesthetic is strongly influenced by her training in the fashion industry, where she worked for the most influential fashion stylists. She works mainly with installations, videos, images often combined in the same body of work. Her films celebrate the collaboration between writers, poets and actors exploring identity in our contemporary society. Combining all her expertise visual arts, fashion and dance her films are planned with specific conceptual aims. Her work has been exhibited in several collective exhibitions, her first solo show was hosted by Twenty14 in 2016. Her work has been selected and exhibited during LA Photomonth 2017 and Lucie Foundation Los Angeles. Recently she had her solo exhibition Oikeiôsis, study of introspection, curated by Twenty14 and patroned by Casa D’aste Pananti at Pananti Atelier in Milan.
Jessamine-Bliss Bell Actor, writer. Jessamine is based between London and Paris. She studied acting at The Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in New York, completing their conservatory program. She has starred in a number of short and feature films including A Study On Behaviour, Sequences Of An Ordinary Day (Blow Up International Film Festival, Indie Visions Film Festival), Salt (NFTS), Backdraft II (Universal Studios), Trick Or Treat (Marbella Film Festival 2019, Evolutionary Films) TV appearances include Pure (Channel 4). Her next releases include Imogen (BFI, produced by Margo Mars and Alma Har’el) which will premiere at AMDOCS 2020 in Palm Springs and The Way We Were, a documentary fairy tale produced by Flare Film and Wim Wenders. Play readings include The Goodnight Girl and Platform Present’s This Is Our Youth by Kenneth Lonnergan at the Playground Theatre. Jessamine is the writer for Ext. Angst.
NOW SCREENING:
21.06 → 19.07
PAST:
02.06 → 20-06
PAST:
11.05 → 02.06
PAST:
16.04 → 11.05
PAST
21.01 → 15.02
Anna Maria Maiolino
Sotto Voce
2016
Video, sound
6’46”
Voice: Anna Maria Maiolino
Edition: Anna Maria Maiolino and Mateus Pires
Courtesy of the Artist and Galleria Raffaella Cortese, Milano