Mobile Cinema: The Rise of Cell Phone Filmmaking
Since its inception in 2005, mobile phone videos have evolved into a recognized art form, prominently featured at the Pocket Films festival held at the Forum des images, which presented over 150 films over a span of three days. The festival's 2010 iteration took place from June 18-20 and showcased 700 films. Esteemed artists such as Erik Bullot, Alain Fleischer, Pippo Delbono, and Mohamed Bourouissa have utilized this innovative medium. Noteworthy feature-length works include Joseph Morder's "J'aimerais partager le printemps avec quelqu'un" (May 7, 2008) and Jean-Charles Fitoussi's "Nocturnes pour le roi de Rome" (January 6, 2010). Delbono's "La Paura" was presented at the 2009 Locarno Festival, while Bullot's "The Pencil of Nature" exemplifies diary-like narratives. Benoît Labourdette highlights the artistic purpose behind mobile videos.
Key facts
- Mobile phone videos entered artistic creation in 2005.
- Pocket Films festival at Forum des images started in 2005, selecting 500 films in first year, nearly 1000 in subsequent years.
- 2010 Pocket Films edition: June 18-20, 700 films.
- Feature-length mobile films released: Joseph Morder's 'J'aimerais partager le printemps avec quelqu'un' (May 7, 2008) and Jean-Charles Fitoussi's 'Nocturnes pour le roi de Rome' (January 6, 2010).
- Pippo Delbono's 'La Paura' screened out of competition at 2009 Locarno Festival.
- Alain Fleischer preparing feature 'Le Monde vu de mes jouets'.
- Erik Bullot made four short films and wrote theoretical text 'Variations sur le mobile'.
- Benoît Labourdette is general delegate of Pocket Films.
- Rui Avelans Coelho's 'The Champion' won first jury prize in 2008.
- Richard Texier filmed Enki Bilal with mobile phone, capturing intimate moments.
- Erik Bullot's 'The Pencil of Nature' (20 min) combines images from Feb 2008 with self-reflective narration.
- Mohamed Bourouissa's 'Temps mort' (2008) documents prison communication via mobile phone.
- Erik Bullot's 'Visible Speech' films Tokyo metro users on their phones.
- Alain Fleischer's 'À contre-courant' explores reversal of habitual movement.
Entities
Artists
- Erik Bullot
- Alain Fleischer
- Pippo Delbono
- Mohamed Bourouissa
- Joseph Morder
- Jean-Charles Fitoussi
- Rui Avelans Coelho
- Richard Texier
- Enki Bilal
- Zao Wou-Ki
- Benoît Labourdette
- Stéphane Galienni
Institutions
- Forum des images
- Pocket Films
- Festival de Locarno
Locations
- Paris
- France
- San Francisco
- United States
- Berkeley
- Tokyo
- Japan
- Italy
- Portugal
Sources
- artpress —