Perennially amusing oddball Crispin Glover is in town; a cadre of film-makers will attempt to create a biopic of Dublin in just 72 hours; and the algorithms behind Disney's Tronwill be explained. When it comes to film festivals, Darklight in Dublin is experimenting like no other, writes Donald Clarke.
IT IS perhaps paradoxical that a festival set up to celebrate the experimental fringes of cinema should become something of an institution. But, since its inception in 1999, the Darklight Festival has grown into one of the most intriguing and eclectic events on the arts calendar. This year's jamboree, which begins next Thursday and runs until the following Sunday, once again offers a healthy combination of terrifyingly avant-garde and brazenly accessible entertainment.
Who better to serve as official guest of honour than the perennially amusing oddball who now goes by the name of Crispin Hellion Glover? Best known for his eccentric performances in River's Edgeand Back to the Future, Crispin Glover spends much of his time doing equally peculiar things as a writer, painter, musician and film-maker. The great man will be offering a live performance of his Big Slide Showand will present screenings of his bizarre films What is it? and It is Fine. Everything is Fine!
Darklight, which, this year, welcomes a new programme director in Derek O'Connor, has always been concerned with making new work as well as exhibiting existing material. This year, Lenny Abrahamson, director of Adam and Paul, will be joining a cadre of fellow film-makers in an attempt to fashion a cinematic portrait of Dublin in just 72 hours. The resulting piece will be screened at the closing night of the festival. It's a cracking notion that should bring audiences and film-makers together in a collective orgy of creativity.
Elsewhere, there will be a special focus on Warp Films, the experimental British spin-off from Warp Records, taking in a masterclass by Paddy Considine. The acclaimed actor will be discussing Dog Altogether, his directorial debut, and will present a screening of Shane Meadows' great Dead Man's Shoes.
The current regime at Darklight has worked hard at delivering a busy variety of contrasting events. The festival features a look at videogame history at Filmbase in Temple Bar; a season of 15-second films at Smithfield's luscious Light House; and, also at Filmbase, a YouTube Lounge that will invite guests to mash-up videos from the unavoidable file-sharing site.
It should be quite possible to zip happily between the venues - events will also be taking place in Meeting House Square and the IFI - without realising that Darklight also sees itself as an industry affair. The festival will, however, be hosting a series of symposia aimed at exploring pressing issues in digital media and related areas. Items up for discussion include Privacy versus Publicity in the Virtual World, Web 3.0: Where Next for the Internet? and Decoding Viral Marketing. Questions that were once the preserve of nerds in basements now determine the advance or retreat of multi-million dollar industries. So it might be as well to take note of what is being said.
If all that sounds too highbrow, then you may wish to take the brood to the Family Workshop, where parents and children can experiment with computer animation or hop along to the somewhat sinisterly titled Uncle Conzo's Cartoon Lounge at the IFI. Given the average age of digital wizards, the infants may well be exhibiting at Darklight before the decade is out.
You may, of course, prefer to avoid any strenuous activity and spend the weekend staring at other people's work. Happily, Darklight, for all its thrusting innovation, still allows punters the opportunity to slump passively in their seats. Ponder how the digital future looked in the digital past by attending an IFI screening of Disney's pioneering feature Tron. Professor Ken Perlin, a top computer boffin, will be on hand to take the audience through the algorithms. The programme does not clarify whether Light Cycle parking is available.
The Darklight Festival runs from next Thursday June 26th until Sunday June 29th. See www.darklight.ie
