PAUL SHARITS

An expanded documentary about the man, his life, his work and how he went on to change the course of art history. Pulsating colours, flash frames, scratches, burning film, rephotography and audio permutations: Paul Sharits is to film what the likes of Pollock and Rothko are to painting. After studying visual design at Denver University in the early 1960s, Sharits became fascinated by 16mm film and the 24 frames passing in front of a projector’s bulb. He wanted to explore the space that exists between the viewer and the screen. However, although he received acclaim for films like Ray Gun Virus and T,O,U,C,H,I,N,G he never received the recognition he deserved and died in mysterious circumstances in 1993. He was a troubled character, plagued by the suicides of people close to him and a bipolar disorder. His films resonate with the violence of his illness.

François Miron has crafted a fascinating documentary on the man, interviewing family members, colleagues and avant-garde art specialists, delving into never-before-seen material. A film that effortlessly segues from Sharits’ films to interviews in a riot of flickering, psychedelic colour, using jumps cuts multiple screens and loops to tell the story of the man and his work.

James Galwey

Co-presented by RIDM and Mel Hoppenheim Cinema School (Concordia)