Opening in the IFI on October 7th, The Quay Brothers meet Christopher Nolan sees two of the world’s most original filmmakers, identical twins Stephen and Timothy Quay, meet one of the most visionary directors of recent times. The twins, who have been making their distinctive blend of puppetry and stop-motion animation for over 30 years, have amassed an enormous cult following and many high-profile admirers, including Terry Gilliam.
A passion for detail, a breath-taking command of colour and texture, and an uncanny use of focus and camera movement make their films unique and instantly recognisable. Best known for their classic 1986 film Street of Crocodiles, they are masters of miniaturisation and their tiny sets create a landscape of long-repressed childhood dreams.
This hour-long collection of three new 35mm prints of their work, In Absentia, The Comb, Street of Crocodiles, alongside a brand new short from Christopher Nolan, Quay, reveals the inner workings of their studio.
Also opening exclusively at the IFI on October 14th is Robert Greene’s Kate Plays Christine, a documentary based on 29-year-old Florida-based television reporter Christine Chubbuck who, in July 1974, shot and killed herself live on air in the opening segment of her own talk show.
Stunning viewers and colleagues alike in an era when depression was barely acknowledged, let alone discussed, this harrowing event allegedly provided the inspiration for Paddy Chayefsky to write the Oscar-winning Sidney Lumet-directed Network (1976), which the IFI are screening on Monday October 17th as part of their Bigger Picture strand.
Kate Plays Christine is a rare and provocative accomplishment, discarding the tired biopic formula for a documentary re-enactment in which we follow actress Kate Lyn Sheil as she prepares to play Christine in a film that never materialises. A study not just of Chubbuck, but also of what it means to assume the mindset of someone so disturbed and out of reach.
Tickets for the The Quay Brothers Meets Christopher Nolan and Network go on sale today (Monday October 3rd). Tickets for Kate Plays Christine will go on sale Monday, October 10th online at www.ifi.ie or by calling the IFI Box Office on 01-6793477.