RUA Jean Zay C99-02 is an experimental film about memories of distant or bygone places – about memory of architectural space and the imaginary drawn from it.
It is both a commemorative film, haunted by the history of the Jean Zay campus, and introspective, driven by my experience and my personal memory of that place.
RUA Jean Zay C99-02 is a dreamlike film about memories of distant or bygone places – or gradually fading out – about memory of architectural space and the imaginary drawn from it.
It is both a commemorative film (haunted by the history of the Jean Zay campus and the collective memory of that place) and introspective (driven by my experience and my personal memory of that place).
Formally, the film is openly experimental: hypnotic, kaleidoscopic special effects, unfocused footage refer to dreams or imprecise memories, perhaps imagined.
RUA Jean Zay C99-02 also borrows from the documentary genre: all the shots, documents such as the 16mm film found at the “Groupe d’Etudes Cinéma” are genuine and witness history of the halls.
R U A Jean Zay
RUA Jean Zay is the acronym for “Résidence Universitaire d´Antony Jean Zay”, from the name of the French minister of Education killed in deportation during Wold War II. This campus built in 1955 originally hosted 1580 single rooms and 490 apartments for couples, representing 25% of the social student accommodation available in the Parisian region.
Progressively neglected by its managers, the campus has been threatened many times with demolition by local and regional councillors. After having welcomed generations of students from the world around, it survives today thanks to the motivation of its residents.
This film is dedicated to these residents and to those who contributed to make the Antony students halls a better place to live.
Screenings:
- KINO #6, Horse Hospital, Bloomsbury (London) – 22/06/2009
- 312 Online – Oct. 2006
- Streaming Festival – Den Haag (Netherlands) – 12/05/2006
- Exposition “Accrochage 50” – les 50 ans de la Résidence Universitaire d’Antony – Espace Eugène Beaudouin (Antony, France) – 3 – 31/03/2006
- The Invited Cinema – Brixton JAMM (London) – 16/01/2006
- 7 Inch Cinema no.20 – French numero (Birmingham) – 27/09/2005