The Exploding Head: Sound and Trauma in Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Memoria
Film screening and discussion with Michel Schöpping, Marina Borovaya and Etienne Kallos.
What is the role of sound in film? How can sound be a sign of personal trauma? In the Conservatoire’s New Music Lab, with its tremendous sound system we explored these questions focussing on the amazing 2021 Jury Prize winner at Cannes Film Festival:
Memoria by Apichatpong Weerasethakul, 136 mins
A film about a woman visiting Bogotá who is woken one morning by a loud ‘bang’. This haunting sound dispels her sleep for days, calling into question her identity and guiding her from recording studios to secluded jungle villages in an attempt to find its source.
What did the event look like? Sound designer Michel Schöpping joined us in person to give an introduction into the role of sound design in filmmaking. After the screening of Memoria we took a break with some food and drinks, before hearing Michel’s reflection on the film. Next, we welcomed two online guests from Athens and Tromsø – Etienne Kallos and Marina Borovaya. Etienne talked about his relationship to the film as a filmmaker, and Marina spoke about her research into acousmatic sound and trauma in Memoria. We ended the evening with a discussion and Q&A.
Thanks to everyone for joining!
