Norman McLaren Programme 1 - Movement, Music & Conflict

A leading pioneer in animation and experimental filmmaking, Norman McLaren is the most honoured, innovative and influential filmmaker in the history of Canadian cinema and one of the leading film artists of the twentieth century. In a career spanning five decades, his playfully cerebral, stylistically adventurous and politically conscious films embraced a fusion of cinema, painting, music, dance, folk art and graphic design, while exploring the possibilities of film as art and art as film… Famous for experimenting with both the visual and aural possibilities of the moving image, McLaren’s films are marked by an internationalist social conscience, an insistence on exploring the malleability of the film form and a playful sense of humour. No matter how abstract they may at first appear, his films boast an engaging narrative structure that contributes to their timelessness and accessibility.
- Toronto International Film Festival

Norman McLaren believed movies were about movement. Music was also the foundation of many of his films. This programme shows some of the amazing ways McLaren developed filmic movement and how he achieved an astonishing musical expression. McLaren’s strong political beliefs are also on display. Rarely screened earlier, darker works as well as more exuberant films emphasise the breadth of his achievements. Titles include Spheres (1969), Narcissus (1983, Canon (1964), Hell Unlimited (1936), Keep Your Mouth Shut (1944), V for Victory (1941).

Event listed by Wellington Film Society

View their other events or contact promoter