“TRATAK 1 – Antars, the Ice Around the time” by Davide Carlini

One of the best values of cinema as an art is the fact that, through special effects, digital techniques and modern camera technology, you can try to give birth to the true essence of the imagination, the image-thought, the appeareance of the irrational.
For centuries man has tried to represent the innermost thoughts about universe, god, space and time, but only the 20th century, with its artistic and technological innovations, has given him the chance to actually create (and animate and move) images that were completely irrational, more intuitive than narrative.

“TRATAK 1 – Antars, the Ice Around the time”, first chapter of a series to come, explores the mind of Edam’s and his esoteric experience in the search for an inner – and outer – light.

The narration uses some of the techniques of the best directors of surrealist cinema like Bunuel or Brakhage and, through the use of multiple dissolve effects and overlapping images of geometries, vast lands, night sky, ice and clouds, it succeeds in creating a sense of transcendence as a symbol of research of a meaning in the darkness of doubt.

Editing is very clever and has some interesting techniques. The overlapping effect done in post-production creates an effective cinematography. The minimalistic voice with words inspired by sacred books suggests some paths to follow with our mind, looking for an interpretation of the movie.

As the first chapter is over we’re lost in the infinite space, waiting for the next chapter, for the next trip into the unknown…