Premieres of Stephanie Barber's 'In the Jungle' and Amy Jenkins's 'Instructions on Parting' in New York

Two feature-length films debut in New York City this week, showcasing distinct personal visions. Stephanie Barber's 'In the Jungle' premieres at Anthology Film Archives on February 17 and 18, 2018, with a runtime of 63 minutes. This experimental work follows a botanical researcher, played by Cricket Arrison, who unravels amid lush artifice, incorporating text-forward narrative, cutout animation, and a sound collage of jungle and machine sounds. Barber, based in Baltimore, previously premiered 'Daredevils' at the New York Film Festival in 2013. The film includes 360-degree camera rotations and features M.C. Schmid of Matmos as a short-wave DJ. Amy Jenkins's 'Instructions on Parting' screens at the Museum of Modern Art on February 16, 2018, running 93 minutes. It documents Jenkins's experiences of loss and renewal, with footage shot in Utah and rural New Hampshire, voicemails, and diary notes, set to a cello score by Noah Hoffeld. Jenkins is known for video installations, and this film juxtaposes intimate moments, such as a positive pregnancy test and scenes of nature, with themes of death and transcendence. Both films explore personal narratives through innovative cinematic techniques.