www.bio-fiction.com SYNTHETIC FILMS BIOLOGY

BIO·FICTION Science Art 23 - 25.10.2014 - Vienna, Austria Film still from ‘Quasi Objects / Cinematic Environment #8’ by Lorenzo Oggiano (film 46)

2 3 Three years after the inaugural “ BIO·FICTION Festival, we are back celebrating the second Science, Art and Film Festival about synthetic biology. Once again our call for submissions triggered a lot of interest. Artists and designers, filmmakers as well as scientists sent us their ideas, visions and thoughts about synthetic biology and its societal ramifications as audio-visual content. While watching the100 film entries from 17 countries and four continents, our jury of nine was confronted with a spectacular diversity. It became quite clear that our award categories for “Fiction”, “” and “Documentary”

were by far not precise enough to label this wealth of reflections

in an adequate manner. From to pre-product placement, from affirmation to gamification, from gastronomic speciesism to economic autophagy, “ or from naïve de-extinction to planned bio-obsolescence, the final selection of 60 films in BIO·FICTION 2014 will remain a unique resource in providing narratives for possible futures.

Markus SCHMIDT & Camillo MEINHART Creators of BIO·FICTION

4 5 100 films submitted - 60 short-listed!

Awards categories and prize money: BIO·FICTION Film Jury: A. BIO·FICTION Award – Fiction – € 2000

B. BIO·FICTION Award – Documentary – € 2000 • Erich Berger (Curator and artist, Finnland) • Sebastian Harrer (Film director and festival organizer, Germany) C. BIO·FICTION Award – Animation – € 2000 • Jens Hauser (Curator and researcher, Denmark) D. BIO·FICTION Special Prize of the Jury – € 500 • David Kirby (Researcher and book author, UK)

Winners will be announced during the BIO·FICTION Gala and Award • Philippe Marlière (Bio-entrepreneur, France) Ceremony which will take place on Saturday Ocober 25th 2014 at 8pm at • Vitor Martins dos Santos (Researcher and film aficionado, Netherlands) the Museum of Natural History, Vienna (see program for details). • Robert Styblo (Film producer and director, Austria) We are proud to announce that 100 films from 17 countries in 4 contintents • Huib de Vriend (Social scientist and film aficionado, Netherlands) were submitted to the BIO·FICTION Science Art and Film Festival! In a first selection phase those entries were selected that fit the topic of • Katherina T. Zakravsky (Independent scholar of science and society, the festival and fulfilled minimal technical requirements. writer, performance and concept artist, developer, Austria)

Finally, 60 films were shortlisted and reviewed by an international jury who selected winners in 4 award categories (A-D).

6 7 Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. Consultation THUR Ping Lu DE, 2013 03:50 11 System Synthetics / Maurizio Montalti NL, 2011 05:55 12 23/10/14 Bacteria to the Future / Sam Ireland UK, 2014 03:59 13 Bacteria Compass / Howard Boland, C-LAB UK, 2012 02:08 14 Travelling Research Kit / The Extrapolation Factory US, 2014 05:40 15 15:45 - 17:00 / Natural History Museum Protocell Technology FILM: BIOART / Shamees Aden & Sam J Bond UK, 2012 01:49 16 Preparing for Tomorrow Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. / Nathan Burr UK, 2014 06:29 17 BioArt, Art from the Laboratory I Wanna Deliver a Dolphin / Robert W. K. Styblo AT, 2011 55:00 1 / Ai Hasegawa JP, 2013 02:35 18 Bio Flaneur / Aleks Cicha UK, 2014 02:20 19 20:00 to 21:00 / Bellaria Cinema FICTION VISION 21:15 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. FICTION DESIGN Electrostabilis Cardium / Agi Haines UK, 2013 03:27 2 Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. Synbio Ads London Living Food / Benedikt Groß DE, 2012 01:36 3 / Minsu Kim UK, 2013 00:55 20 Synbio Ads Mintel Streichhölzer / Benedikt Groß DE, 2012 01:20 4 / David Hochgatterer AT, 2011 01:44 21 The Culturists Alien Fanfare / David Benqué UK,2014 02:09 5 / Jonathan Monaghan US, 2014 12:50 22 The Outline of Paradise Bioplastic Fantastic / Ursula Damm DE, 2012 04:06 6 / Johanna Schmeer UK, 2014 03:51 23 Black Gold Uncolour Me Courious / Tim Clark & Frank Kolkman UK, 2014 03:49 7 / Georgia Bondy UK, 2014 03:07 24 Quanticare A new way in Evolution / Amy Congdon, Jenny Lee, Ann-Kristin Abel UK, 2012 02:23 8 / Uwe Sleytr AT, 2014 03:41 25 Aflatoxin Biosensor Expanded Self / Ari Dwijayanti & Dimas Dwi Adiguna INO, 2013 03:09 9 / Sonja Bäumel AT, 2012 03:28 26 8 Exploring Indonesia Chlorotherapy 9 / Ari Dwijayanti INO, 2013 02:50 10 / Marie-Sarah Adenis & Hugo Kreit FR, 2014 03:58 27 THUR 23/10/14 10 mankind’s great philosophical questions. to approach anew and visions new aspects, technical its movement, BioArt the about tary Laboratory” is a groundbreaking documen the from Art “BioArt: process. the in forms art exciting and new creating lab, the in research for studio the in working traded have artists many techno-sciences of age the in that prise sur no as comes It multifarious. been always has science and art between relationship The screening. the after discussion Including Robert W. /55:00 2011 Styblo /UK, K. BioArt, Art from the laboratory 1 15:45 -17:00 /NHM THUR 25/10/14 THUR - - The ability to replicate and print cells in in cells print and to replicate ability The 2013 /03:27 /UK, Agi Haines Cardium Electrostabilis 2 questions on everyday life. everyday on questions high-level these of implications the to show aim clips Two short advertising? for display efficient an just suddenly becomes birds of aswarm and pixels, like DNA we treat if pens hap What worth? nature is much How life? to alter right the has Who Nature? owns Who like: Biology Synthetic of questions unsolved around project aspeculative is Ads” Bio “Syn /01:20 2012 Groß /DE, Benedikt Synbio Ads Mintel 4 life. everyday on questions high-level these of implications the to show aim clips Two short advertising? for display efficient an just suddenly becomes birds of aswarm and pixels, like DNA we treat if pens hap What worth? nature is much How life? to alter right the has Who Nature? owns Who like: Biology Synthetic of questions unsolved around project aspeculative is Ads” Bio “Syn /01:36 2012 Groß /DE, Benedikt Synbio Ads London 3 attack. heart a into going it’s recognizes it when heart the to current electric an discharge can that eel electric an from parts using organ fibrillating de is a Cardium Electrostabilis fitted: organ afuturistic such having for procedure surgical the shows film This species. different even or parts body different from cells using created Frankenstein-esque hybrid organs could be ever. -if naturally to evolve years of millions take we would that organs new to create together put be could functions various with cells different mean could structures complex 20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria FICTION: VISION FICTION: THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - 11 THUR 23/10/14 12 20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria FICTION: VISION FICTION: those who will profit most from their products. their from most profit will who those be well very may them saving in invest may who those course of but species, these saving of solution realistic amore provide may ogy biol synthetic in advances Scientific kilogram. per £6,000 at retails caviar sturgeon beluga the of purposes tradtional Eastern medicine, for qualities special to possess said is horn rhino’s black the while restrictions: fishing and bans hunting despite even to extinction hunted being currently are who species both geon, stur beluga the and rhino black African the ing sav for methods two proposes Gold” “Black /03:49 2014 /UK, Kolkman &Frank Clark Tim Black Gold 7 centers. urban to our light sustainable and natural providing wayof anew luminosity”, “sustainable of concept the explores film This andpromises capabilities of technoscience. the explores Paradise” of Outline “The training. flight special undergone have who by swarms danced and flown be could ads controlled, electronically being of Instead fireflies? like lighting but from swarming midges, glowing artificial from not produced are messages advertising if like look cities our would What /04:06 2012 /DE, Damm Ursula The Outline of Paradise 6 count. cell highest to the arace on embark ists Cultur the techno-immortality, of dream elusive the and research cell stem in progress Amongst of boundaries for science purposes. narcissistic the push and self, the of extension an as tures cul in-vitro recognise They “body-building”. of form anew as bodies their outside cells own their of culturing the up taken have who viduals indi wealthy of acommunity are Culturists The /02:09 Benqué /UK,2014 David Culturists The 5 THUR 23/10/14 THUR

------UK, 2012 /02:23 2012 UK, Abel / Ann-Kristin Jenny Lee, Congdon, Amy Quanticare 8 the possibilities. to explore wellplaced is planet, the on region diverse biologically most the in located nesia, Indo and applications, innovative of number amazing an brings biology synthetic of ment making bullet-proof vests. The vast develop in used be can that silk astrong produces it and agoat, it’s but Spiderman, like just It’s goat? spider about heard ever you Have 2013 /INO, /02:50 Dwijayanti Ari Exploring Indonesia 10 proposal. project 2013 Team Indonesia’s iGEM the illustrates animation This creased. de significantly be would exposure aflatoxin by caused cases cancer of number the that means this terms practical In known. stances sub carcinogenic most the of one foods, in contamination aflatoxin detect would sensor bio The biosensors. aflatoxin cell whole of creation the including applications, of range awide for potential the has biology Synthetic 2013INO, /03:09 / Adiguna Dwi &Dimas Dwijayanti Ari Aflatoxin Biosensor 9 ised healthcare. disease monitoring and completely personal and advancing treatment, highly sensitive care market: revolutionising cancer detection health future the in stone acorner as biology graduate science team, envisioning synthetic under by an competiton 2012 iGEM in the for developed ideas on based been has success the world’s leading healthcare provider. Its been consistently has “Quanticare” company imagined the future, the into years 40 Over

20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria FICTION: VISION FICTION: THUR 23/10/14 THUR

------13 THUR 23/10/14 14 20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria FICTION: VISION FICTION: provides a possible answer. apossible provides Bacterium the Brian animation, charming this In computers? bacterial we make Could tions? connected to build communicating popula be could bacteria intelligent artificially if What /03:59 2014 /UK, Ireland Sam Bacteria to the Future 13 fungal organisms. different between symbiosis anew encouraging of our plastic-addicted lives, by ingenuously poses a vision for reversing the consequences pro film The ecosystem. our of aspect every which cannot and degrade subsequently affect and development of synthetic/toxic materials world’s strong dependence on the production modern to our areaction is Synthetics” “System cycle? natural the of part to become waste, our organisms to allow our man-made materials, micro- with collaborate we could if What /05:55 2011 /NL, Montalti Maurizio Synthetics System 12 andhealth mathematicians. experts practitioners, IQing of place in consult simply can end-users which machines living short, in future events and to indicate current situations, to prophesy serve which devices, teria-based two speculative“Consultation” bac presents world”. new a“brave embracing we are whether asks film this machines, living using and ing by construct future asustainable promise to seems biology synthetic where aworld In 2013 Lu /03:50 /DE, Ping Consultation 11 THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - - “Bacteria Compass” illustrates a novel way anovel illustrates Compass” “Bacteria /02:08 2012 /UK, C-LAB Boland, Howard Bacteria Compass 14 properties that living organisms offer. organisms living that properties dynamic the integrate material, as used when therefore, can and living, the and non-living the between gap the blur Protocells materials. of nature the of understanding our change dramatically could protocells of study The /01:49 2012 UK, / JBond Aden &Sam Shamees Protocell Technology 16 most. it need who bodies those for -especially everybody for box, the of out Immunology, DIY them: of one is Kit” Research “Travelling The applications. technical developments into realistic future present to extrapolate seeks Factory” tion “Extrapola the studio, design avirtual Being /05:40 Factory 2014 /US, Extrapolation The Travelling Research Kit 15 matter. living as it ing see and visible readily not is that something with interacting awayof wonder: of sense a invokes also but applications, of array ing afascinat suggests only not real-time in cells influencing of ability This to amagnet. pass a com wayas asimilar in to react bacteria E.coli enables particles nano magnetic of use The real-time. in bacteria with interacting of 20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria

FICTION: VISION FICTION: THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - - 15 THUR 23/10/14 16 20:00 Cinema to 21:00 /Bellaria FICTION: VISION FICTION: when what’s visible? invisible becomes spheres public in privacy of understanding our in change anything Will uncovered. is humans and spaces of data biological visible in where afuture about speculates and ology bi synthetic and microbiology of fields by the inspired is flm short This surfaces. city’s the on taken scans sample bacteria through ries sto modern uncovers who future, the in set equivalent, modern his is “BioFlaneur” The stories. and relationships new discovering urban explorer who around wanders the city, an is century the of 19th flaneur Parisian The /02:20 2014 /UK, Cicha Aleks BioFlaneur 19 species conservation. for changer agame becomes transspecicism Inspecies. times of human overpopulation, between borders the to break us enable Rapid developements in life could sciences /JP, Hasegawa Ai 2013 /02:35 I Wanna Deliver aDolphin 18 them. to propagate how on instructions step-by-step and lichen creating for recipe easy an including to prepare: today do we can what explores movie the end, Towards that photosyntheticharnessing plant properties. as now, such from 25 years lives everyday our on have will biology synthetic that impact the on speculates Tomorrow for Preparing /06:29 2014 /UK, Burr Nathan Preparing for Tomorrow 17 THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - What if food were consumed alive, as a as alive, consumed were food if What 2013 /00:55 /UK, Kim Minsu Living Food 20 also witty animation. witty also yet and graceful slick, this into seamlessly incorporated are life of forms new surreal and ATMs Flying culture. consumer contemporary to fiction science from meanings: cultural contains multiple levels of historical and vessel alien the architecture, baroque part flesh, Part spacecraft. afantastical of sion inva majestic the chronicles Fanfare” “Alien /12:50 2014 /US, Monaghan Jonathan FanfareAlien 22 sonant and then again tonal. dis and nervous tones, distorted with tion anima the provides soundtrack the flames, the of Instead blooming. once and withering once plants, to simulate used are white, and burning matches, monochromatic in black lessly Flame clips: simple deceptively two these in interpretation of worlds entire are There Hochgatterer /AT,David /01:44 2011 Streichhölzer 21 stomach-churning at the same time. living, moving, created things, beautiful and are dishes film, this In mouth? our in tions hyper-sensa create or cutlery our with play to able was food if What character? fictional 21:15 to 22:30 Cinema /Bellaria FICTION: DESIGN FICTION: THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - - - 17 THUR 23/10/14 18 21:15 to 22:30 Cinema /Bellaria FICTION: DESIGN FICTION: unforeseeable. entirely is evolution an such that underlines also film the development, human of future the to imagine tries it While future. the from fossils as presented are which skulptures by utilizing biology, by synthetic up sped is that evolution an explores which piece, experimental an is clip This species. new entirely of creation the towards brings ogy biol synthetic even with the more capacities conceivable, hardly is organisms living of development future the predicting possible, by using fossils has become increasingly forms life of evolution the retracing Whereas /AT,Uwe Sleytr /03:41 2014 A new way Evolution in 25 danger. toxic that with deal can which bacteria, modified genetically of creation the in biology synthetic of role the explores also short The to humans. products Waste Dye Azo of dangers the to conceptualise order in performances and images vivid utilizes which film, experimental an is Curious” me “Uncolour /03:07 2014 /UK, Bondy Georgia MeCourious Uncolour 24 photosynthesis. artificial by powered are and processes biological through minerals and protein fat, sugar, fibre, water, vitamins, produce items The survive. to needed nutrients all by producing system food current the complement or replace that products seven presents film The lematic. prob become soon may sources food tional to tradi access where aworld in sustenance, “Bioplastic Fantastic” imagines the future of /03:51 2014 /UK, Schmeer Johanna Fantastic Bioplastic 23 THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - The subject of Sonja Bäumel’s film “Expand film Bäumel’s Sonja of subject The /AT, Bäumel Sonja /03:28 2012 ExpandedSelf 26 compatible with the momentum of human life. human of momentum the with compatible is that areality in biology synthetic anchor which interpretations, sensual offers film The to deliver appropriate therapeutic substances. plants become able to diagnose diseases and modifications, genetic Through exploration. this of support ideal the be will world, medical to the related historically Plants, interesting. to biotechnologies access become highly easy future, the in issue amajor become will to care access Because transistors. DNA ogy: technol arealistic on based medicine pian uto of type anew explores “Chlorotherapy” /03:58 2014 FR, / &Hugo Adenis Kreit Marie-Sarah Chlorotherapy 27 we are. who and skin human the of ception per our to challenge attempt an is time same the at view, which of point aesthetic an from bacteria the to explore order in body own her used has Bäumel Here, body. human the of surface the on living bacteria of universe invisible the and skin human the is Self” ed 21:15 to 22:30 Cinema /Bellaria FICTION: DESIGN FICTION: THUR 23/10/14 THUR - - - - 19 THUR 23/10/14 20 Film stillfrom ‘UncolourMeCourious’byGeorgia Bondy(FilmNo24) Film stillfrom ‘TheCulturists’byDavidBenqué(FilmNo5) Film stillfrom ‘Protocell Technology’ byShameesAden&SamJBond(FilmNo16) Film stillfrom ‘IWanna DeliveraDolphin’byAiHasegawa(FilmNo18) 21 FRI

24/10/14 21:45 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema ANIMATION

Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr.

Macrostructure / Eric Schockmel UK, 2013 04:58 35 20:00 to 21:30 / Bellaria Cinema Bioluminiscent Streetlamps FICTION NARRATIVE / Steven van Eekelen NL, 2013 02:22 36 Reinventing the Dodo Film / Steven van Eekelen NL, 2013 03:08 37 / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. Copy & Clone / Louis Rigaud FR, 2010 03:15 38 Beastliness / ES, 2011 09:11 28 / Deborah Kelly AU, 2011 04:30 39 I wish my life Cytoplasmic Playgrounds

/ Joachim Huveneers BE, 2014 15:05 29 / Markos Kay UK, 2013 01:10 40 FRI 24/10/14 Eugene Pet Genesis / Catalina Hoyos-Restrepo US, 2014 16:05 30 / Ingrid Hulskamp, Pras Gunasekera, Ting Lin, Amy Chin UK, 2011 02:35 41 Vermin Bio-Logic / Adi Gelbart DE, 2011 23:09 31 / Maurizio Montalti NL, 2014 05:44 42 Talking Life KATERED / Bâr Tyrmi & Rafael Linares ES, 2012 10:21 32 / Howard Boland, C-LAB UK, 2011 00:55 43 Hybris Proteo / Arjan Brentjes NL, 2014 06:22 33 / Johanna Hoffmann-Dietrich DE, 2013 07:10 44 The Arsehole Gene Life Spectrum / Eric Romero UK, 2013 06:48 34 / Paloma Dawkins CA, 2014 01:00 45 Quasi-Objects / Cinematic Environment #8 / Lorenzo Oggiano IT, 2012 04:32 46

22 23 FRI 24/10/14 FRI 24/10/14 20:00 to 21:30 / Bellaria Cinema 20:00 to 21:30 / Bellaria Cinema FICTION: NARRATIVE FICTION: NARRATIVE 31 28 Vermin Adi Gelbart / DE, 2011 / 23:09 Decapoda Shock Javier Chillon / ES, 2011 / 09:11 Three creatures mysteriously appear on earth. At first they harmlessly wander the “An astronaut returns to Earth after a fatal ac- fields. But then they start using giant veg- cident on a distant planet,” states the official etables as components in enormous organic synopsis of this short film, which describes machines. What is the purpose of these ma- nothing and suggests everything. Science- chines, and what do the creatures want from fiction in 70s b-movie style, with comic-book us? In “Vermin”, Gelbart takes us on a fun and elements, a revenge plot, and wailing guitars, dissonant, psychedelic Sci Fi B-movie trip. your clue word is “decapoda” an order of crustaceans. Prepare yourself for a hilarious, 32 gripping and unexpected 9 minutes! Talking Life Bâr Tyrmi & Rafael Linares / ES, 2012 / 10:21

In an indeterminate future, the elderly can 29 be monitored via living devices containing I wish my life genetically modified bacteria. Wrapped in a Joachim Huveneers / BE, 2014 / 15:05 watch like device, they serve to monitor and warn their patients in every day life: reminding Sara, a beautiful young woman, lives together them to take any pills they may have forgotten with an older man. Weekly, two mysterious and watching over their health status. Sup- men come by to monitor her behaviour and plied by a company with a monopoly, it will characteristics as compared to the the week not be easy to get rid of the device.

before, and whether there has been any FRI 24/10/14 progress. But when Sara is alone in her old- 33 fashioned room, filled with retro objects, she Hybris always listens to the same song that calms Arjan Brentjes / NL, 2014 / 06:22 her. She’s dreaming about another life. In a 1960s talk show a scientist discusses the future possibility of indefinite human life. In 30 the meantime we see his memories of a short love affair. Creating a mixture of animation, Eugene photorealism and visual aesthetics from the Catalina Hoyos-Restrepo / US, 2014 / 16:05 60s, Brentjes takes us on a nostalgic journey into the past to explore our future. Eugene Bennett is a geneticist who has an obsession with the strength of his genetic 34 family tree. He counsels couples on whether The Arsehole Gene it’s safe to reproduce while trying to protect his own bloodline from incompatible genetic Eric Romero / UK, 2013 / 06:48 material. That is until his younger brother After years of investigation, a group of Euro- brings a girl to Thanksgiving dinner hoping to pean scientsts have discovered that the vulgarly build up the courage to propose to her before called “arseholes” are actually people suffering Eugene scares her away with his attempts to from a genetic mutation that conditions their collect her DNA. behaviour. This discovery has opened a door 24 that allows us to end the unfair stigmatization 25 this group of patients have been subjected to. Because arseholes... are just sick people. FRI 24/10/14 FRI 24/10/14 21:45 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema 21:45 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema ANIMATION ANIMATION

35 38 Macrostructure Copy & Clone Eric Schockmel / UK, 2013 / 04:58 Louis Rigaud / FR, 2010 / 03:15

Inspired by science and video games, Macro- The development of biotechnologies, will also structure is the first episode in a micro-series lead to a fundamental change in industrial entitled “What If You Created Artificial Life And production. “Copy and Clone” discusses an It Started Worshipping You”. We are taken on a extremely serious subject with a side order 3D animated journey through a world inhabited of humour: the animation displays the effects by synthetic life forms and the self-aware ma- of biotechnologies on animal food industries chines who manufacture, control, and recycle through the window of a computer. What hap- them. pens when the “copy and paste” commands of our devices step into real life?

36 39 Bioluminiscent Streetlamps Beastliness Steven van Eekelen / NL, 2013 / 02:22 Deborah Kelly / AU, 2011 / 04:30

“Her husband thought the shining trees were Beastliness synthesises traditional handmade spooky. Awful christmas days now seemed to photomontage with digital animation into last the whole summer.” Synthetic biology will a dalliance with predatory, reckless sirens. offer a world of possibilities. One of these is de- The film wants to witness horizonless, post- veloping light emitting trees that could serve as species-specific possibilities, as we tango into FRI 24/10/14 a sustainable alternative for street lamps. This the farfetched future, propelled by unchecked animation paints a picture of what a future with hungers. Miraculous conceptions are ordinary, bioluminescent street lamps could look like. death is deferred, biology is no longer destiny. Gender imperatives mate, proliferate and mutate.

37 Reinventing the Dodo 40 Steven van Eekelen / NL, 2013 / 03:08 Cytoplasmic Playgrounds The last accepted sighting of a Dodo was in Markos Kay / UK, 2013 / 01:10 1662. Gone for over 350 years, its extinction is generally viewed as a flagship example of In the incredibly dense yet invisible world of the human-induced extinctions. What if we recre- cytoplasm in biological cells, complex interac- ated the Dodo again? Could it be the start of tions can be thought of as a playful dance a moral redemption of sorts, after centuries of between macromolecules, minerals, ions and destroying biodiversity in uncountable ways? proteins. Leaving behind tradtional scientific im- This highly entertaining animation explores agery, this animation interprets actual complex what could happen if the Dodo were to be molecular events as forms and movement in a 26 resurrected. playground. 27 FRI 24/10/14 FRI 24/10/14 21:45 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema 21:45 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema ANIMATION ANIMATION

41 44 Pet Genesis Proteo Ingrid Hulskamp, Pras Gunasekera, Ting Lin, Johanna Hoffmann-Dietrich / DE, 2013 / 07:10 Amy Chin / UK, 2011 / 02:35 “Proteo” is inspired by proteins’ “Pet Genesis” deals with the future of syn- complex geometry and beauty as well thetic biology in the pet market. Given the as their origin. In this piece, a burst of extremely common practice of pet breeding, particles forms a mini-universe, which would pet synthesis present only one logical gives rise to a convoluted molecule of step forward? Would the ability to pick and protein. Its dynamic, molecular “dance choose certain features or characteristics of life” fitting ends the way it began: in lead to the creation of a perfect pet? With its a chaotic cloud of atoms. subtitle, “a dystopian view on synthetic selec- tion”, the film takes a cautious approach.

42 Bio-Logic 45 Maurizio Montalti / NL, 2014 / 05:44 Life Spectrum Paloma Dawkins / CA, 2014 / 01:00 How do biological entities and digital al- gorithms relate to each other? How could “Life Spectrum” is a journey through a beauti- the study of such interaction be visualised? ful and strange living landscape. As an ab- And what would be the applications and stract animation, it relies only on shapes and the implications which could derive from colours to take us on this adventure. Colorful such a study? “Bio-Logic” is the product of and kaleidoscopic, its fluidity of movement FRI 24/10/14 a two-day workshop, utilising a fascinating manages to evoke a sense of wonder. living protagonist: Physarum polycephalum, commonly known as slime-mold - a hybrid lving organism that are neither plants, animals nor fungi. 46 43 Quasi-Objects / KATERED Cinematic Environment #8 Howard Boland, C-LAB / UK, 2011 / 00:55 Lorenzo Oggiano / IT, 2012 / 04:32

Is it possible to grow large bacterial colo- “Quasi-Objects” is an on-going art project nies and then use them to illustrate biologi- consisting of 3D generated videos and prints, cal states such as stress caused by food a practice of “organic re-design” that aims scarcity? As part of a larger project, in which to contribute to the debate of an up-coming Howard Boland and C-LAB explore this post-natural ecosystem: Life as something question, “katERed” purposefully introduces that is not exclusively located within a body, red fluorescence in order to align cultural but rather immanent in any complex system, understanding of colours with the concept of human or non-human. stress, such as flushed skin in stress situa- tions, or red as an “official” alert colour. 28 29 THUR 23/10/14 21:15 to 22:30 / Bellaria Cinema FICTION: DESIGN

Film still from ‘Living Food’ by Minsu Kim (Film No 20) Film still from ‘Bioplastic Fantastic’ by Johanna Schmeer (Film No 23)

Film still from ‘Travelling Research Kit’ by The Extrapolation Factory (Film No 15) Film still from ‘Decapoda Shock’ by Javier Chillon (Film No 28)

30 31 SAT 25/10/14

09:00 to 09:55 / Bellaria Cinema 11:30 to 13:00 / Bellaria Cinema DOCUMENTARY I DOCUMENTARY III

Film Film / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr.

Tracked Down by Our Genes Zero Park / Gilbert Charles & Philippe Borrel FR, 2007 54:22 47 / Sascha Pohflepp DE, 2013 11:22 54 Public Misunderstanding of Science / Bruce Gilchrist UK, 2011 06:20 55 10:00 to 11:00 / Bellaria Cinema Daughter Cell DOCUMENTARY II / Kristina Korsholm US, 2014 04:33 56 DIYSECT: Learning in Public Film / Mary Tsang & Benjamin Welmond US, 2013 15:32 57 / Director Country/Year Duration Film nr. Soluble Structures / Yuki Yoshioka JP, 2014 14:32 58 The Perfect Humus History of the Automobile / Marcello Mercado DE, 2010 16:26 48 / Scott Dorsey US, 2011 05:02 59 Stress-O-Stat Puppet Earth / Laurens Roorda & Thijs Molenaar NL, 2012 07:28 60 / Howard Boland, C-LAB UK, 2011 03:22 49 Simply Complex / Duguid Cameron UK, 2013 09:34 50 East End Journey / Lindsay Goodall UK, 2013 09:17 51 Inorganica / Valerie Mellon UK, 2013 15:48 52 New Mumbai 32 / Tobias Revell UK, 2012 09:17 53 33 SAT 25/10/14 SAT 25/10/14 SAT 25/10/14 9:00 to 11:00 / Bellaria Cinema 10:00 to 11:00 / Bellaria Cinema DOCUMENTARY I+II DOCUMENTARY II

47 49 Tracked Down by Our Genes Stress-O-Stat Gilbert Charles & Philippe Borrel / Howard Boland, C-LAB / UK, 2011 / 03:22 FR, 2007 / 54:22 “Stress-o-stat” is a living artwork that visu- After the human genome was mapped in 2003, ally captures stress in bacteria as light. While scientists began trying to crack the deepest se- synthetic biology tends to postulate a machine- crets of our identity. On the basis of the analysis like language onto the living, as something of one hair or one cigarette butt, geneticists programmable, paradoxically this short film claim that they are able to tell if a person is of explores a more complex convergence be- Jewish, African or Asian heritage; to know his tween life and machine: the machine controlling skin colour, his risk for cancer… Now, private the bacteria becomes life-like and the bacteria, laboratories offer genetic tests for individuals engineered through synthetic biology, machine- curious to know about their distant ancestry or like. their predisposition for certain illnesses. This new field also attracts police interest: genetics is becoming an investigation tool for profiling. Is our freedom in danger? 50 Simply Complex Duguid Cameron / UK, 2013 / 09:34

The attempt to grasp the complexity of the genome goes hand in hand with the technology 48 we can use for it. What can now fit on a memory stick would once have been too much for The Perfect Humus thousands of computers. Can we deal with the Marcello Mercado / DE, 2010 / 16:26 data and what does it tell us about ourselves? “Simply Complex” makes clever use of beautiful Information culled from digital archives, such as stop motion, creating a film that is just as its title the human genome DNA code, satellite feeds, suggests, both simple and complex. and various data banks, comprise the cultural fertilizer that “The Perfect Humus” proposes in a series of installations and clips. Speakers which blare parts of the human genome to trees 51 and plants, worms bedded on and fed with a QR Code of a Ronald Reagan speech, strange East End Journey sounds and bewildering information. Mercado Lindsay Goodall / UK, 2013 / 09:17 approaches evolution in a novel way, almost from a direction of alchemy or cargo cult, thus A journey across Glasgow’s life expectancy sta- questioning the meaning of and connections tistics to the East End, where the city is blighted between information stored in a variety of by some of the lowest life expectancies in the media. world. Could the cause for it lie in our genes? Or is it perhaps much simpler than that? “East End Journey” presents a touching and sensitive look at the ways in which social inequalities are played out in our health and life expectancy.

34 35 SAT 25/10/14 SAT 25/10/14 SAT 25/10/14 10 to 13.00 / Bellaria Cinema 11:30 to 13:00 / Bellaria Cinema DOCUMENTARY II + III DOCUMENTARY III

52 55 Inorganica Public Misunderstanding Valerie Mellon / UK, 2013 / 15:48 of Science Bruce Gilchrist / UK, 2011 / 06:20 Evolution of life on earth took billions of years. Now a Glasgow scientist is trying to For nine intense days “Laboratory Life”, an create a new type of life from rocks and met- open laboratory project, opened its doors als. If he succeeds he will have answered two to the general public. As part of this project, of sciences biggest questions: how did life on visitors were invited to draw, doodle or notate earth start? And could there be life on other freely while listening to a scientific discourse planets? on synthetic biology. The product is “Public Misunderstanding of Science”: an animated flm, which illustrates poignantly how well 53 (or not) a general public can connect wth New Mumbai specialised scientific information, language Tobias Revell / UK, 2012 / 09:17 and protocol.

“New Mumbai” chronicles the fictional 56 journey of a documentary filmmaker to the Dharavi slums of India, to film a strange Daughter Cell phenomenon involving genetically engineered Kristina Korsholm / US, 2014 / 04:33 mushrooms. Created in Amsterdam, the mushrooms were taken to India by a gang, “Daughter Cell” looks at the developments in in the vain hope that they could be used as protocell research and its impact on society. narcotics. The collective drive and expertise International model and actress Kristina Kor- of the refugees managed to turn these fungal sholm does not merely present the work of a samples into a new type of infrastructure scientist in this documentary. She also takes providing heat, light and building material for us on a journey to her father, Steen Rasmus- the refugees. Dharavi rapidly evolved its own sen, who abandoned her at a tender age to micro-economy based around the mush- pursue his life’s work: The creation of life. rooms.

54 57 Zero Park DIYSECT: Learning in Public Sascha Pohflepp / DE, 2013 / 11:22 Mary Tsang & Benjamin Welmond / US, 2013 / 15:32 “Zero Park” is a narrative film that focuses on a fictitious landscape in northern California. “Learning in Public” features several commu- Here, the flora and fauna have been restored nity biolabs, members of the do-it-yourself to their natural state of wilderness, and the biology movement as well as performance viewer is faced with nature’s beauty. Yet, the artists across the US and Canada. What longer one listens to the voice of the narra- these groups have in common is the notion tor, the more it becomes apparent that what of public amateurism: hacking not only hard- on first glance looks like a natural landscape, ware, but also ideas and life; open experi- may in fact be artificial. mentation and learning together. 36 37 SAT 25/10/14 SAT 25/10/14 11:30 to 13:00 / Bellaria Cinema DOCUMENTARY III NOTES:

58 Soluble Structures Yuki Yoshioka / JP, 2014 / 14:32

During her investigations of the basic mecha- nisms of life, a scientist is confronted with ir- regular samples of radioactive water from the Fukushima area. To her surprise she discov- ers that the water not only has memory, but a defined, hereditary structure. Can water be alive? And what could this mean to us?

59 History of the Automobile Scott Dorsey / US, 2011 / 05:02

In this alternative Universe, which seems to be quite close to ours, classic footage explores the history of the auto- mobile. But reality is, even if only by a few degrees, slightly different.

60 Puppet Earth Laurens Roorda & Thijs Molenaar / NL, 2012 / 07:28

We set out with a small team of biologists, naturalists and filmmakers and ventured deep into the forest of Little Barrier Island, New Zealand. What we found was beyond our expectations. A secluded valley inhabited by a distinctive biodiversity of animal, fungal and plant life, never before seen.

38 39 SAT 25/10/14 NOTES:

BIO·FICTION FESTIVAL TEAM:

Dr. Markus Schmidt (Producer)

Camillo Meinhart (Co-producer)

Jens Hauser (Curatorial advisor)

Sonja Schachinger (Production assistance)

Sandra Youssef MA (Hosting)

Birgit Marie Schmidt MA (Communication)

Producer:

Sponsor:

40 41 Film still from ‘Quasi Objects / Cinematic Environment #8’ by Lorenzo Oggiano (film 46)

42 43 www.bio-fiction.com