Janie Geiser introduces Magnetic Sleep and Other Films

"Geiser [has] the rare ability to make children's toys and seemingly innocent objects resonate with the most unsettling, arcane, and adult fears. Better still, she gives voice to the reaches of the unconscious." –RES Magazine

One of the most distinguished and distinctive artists working in the field of experimental animation and film, Janie Geiser creates atmospheric worlds of mystery and poignancy out of found objects (old toys, doll houses, puzzle pieces) and original creations. (Geiser is also a renowned pioneer of avant-garde puppet theater.) This program offers a survey of her remarkable films, including episodes from her latest work, Magnetic Sleep (2009), an ambitious multipart story about a 19th-century female hypnotist. In it, Geiser uses live action, collage animation, rephotography, and painted elements to reinterpret the techniques of early filmmakers such as Man Ray and Maya Deren. (appr. 90 mins., 16mm and video)