Ecoprocessing film
I've always been interested in exploring alternative ways to develop film, so that I could integrate a specific quality of slowness, imperfection, and handcraft into my filmmaking practice.
After learning from the best (Echo Park Film Center's co-founder Lisa Marr, artist and filmmaker Dagie Brundert) I assisted artist Leah Clare Michaels during her residency at Cultivate Project and gradually began eco-processing my own rolls and assisting a few friends in the process.
I've developed b/w film using caffenol, and other recipes with rosemary, sage, oleander flowers, and food scraps. I usually develop Super 8 b/w film (Tri-X) but I'm currently in the process of learning how to apply similar methods to the development of 35mm film/still photography. I've tested multiple fixers, including eco-friendly fixers and homemade fixers made of water and salt.
In 2023, I curated two workshops (for Unza Lab in Milan and Pianeta Fresco in Parma) focused on slow filmmaking: after delving into the practice of using a Super 8 camera as a literal extension of one's own (poetic) eye, we explored the surrounding areas and played with the cinematic medium. The filming session was followed by a developing session that resulted, in total, in 3 rolls of developed film. I used coffee and rosemary as the main ingredients for my recipes, adapted from instructions received/recipes written by Lisa Marr and Dagie Brundert.
