Vianne Sheikh | 12/16/2022
Whiff of quaking aspen is an Experimental film, a cinema poetry , and or cinéma vérité exploring themes of memory, dreams, and trauma. Experimental film not only experiment of many aspects of filmmaking but to encourage the viewer to live through the experience of complex emotions the characters are going through. It explores themes of memory holding traumatic facts and traumatic events, sound patterns, smells, existentialism questions, dreams, lost civilization, and everything else in between.
This is a specific open ending style experimental film where it will leave the forthcomings, the consequences or the interpretation of the events and the story shown in the film up to the judgements of the viewer as many might not relate to the experience or find it confusing. It explores many themes that are born in the director’s/ writer’s vision and the characters themselves. It is the autumnal phase of the characters' lives in all these aspects of the memory through symbols, metaphors and movement of silent suffering, of an injured heart, of pain, grief and finally hope.
Characters:
Vianne- As Kishar, Akkadian meaning "the Earth Goddess"
Ryan- As the choreographer
Anjouan - As the kid
What is Whiff of Quaking aspen?
Whiff? brief or faint smell of something
Quaking? shaking of a leaf
Aspen? a tree that is also called many other names such as Onondagas. I met this tree while on a trip hiking Mount Elbert the highest summit in the rockies in 2020 and then when i constantly wanted to make something that relates to this tree as it is a delight of color, movement, and sound. And it trembling leaves that tremble in even a slightest breeze which are a metaphor for the feelings Kishar trying to convey.
How is Whiff of quaking aspen is political?
This film is not about politics per sa, is about the political incidents that are memories in the writer's mind and its impact throughout generation every day until today. The memories as a child and it blurry remains as an adult.
If you are interested to watch the film contact the filmmaker
at izdiharsheikh1992@gmail.com
