Contrary to popular opinion, experimental cinema does not have to be synonymous with austere formalism. John Smith is a case in point here: his work is marked by the kind of deadpan jokes which leave no-one unaffected - or undamaged. Numerous events and retrospectives celebrating the man and his films in recent years have confirmed his status as an essential name in British and international avant-garde cinematography.
Smith’s earliest productions, which date back to the 1970s, were strongly influenced by structuralism. Yet it is his unconditional love for the English language and the visual language which provide the real clues to decoding his oeuvre. The daily banality of human existence is another inexhaustible source of inspiration for Smith, who manages to look at even the most ordinary non-events from unexpected angles. In short, the man takes a wicked delight in transgressing the boundaries between documentary, fiction and experimental cinematography.
We have welcomed John Smith at Cinema Nova before, but this time we are proud to present a retrospective of his films side by side with those of his friend Avi Mograbi - a unique opportunity to have another look at a number of short films that have become classics in the genre as well as to discover some very recent productions, including an actual avant-premiere!
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