The Years Will Run Like Rabbits/ nagwa rahman

Above are a selection of images taken from a experimental film/tests which have eventually morphed into a short film titled ‘Bette Davis’.

I created the images by meshing together archive footage of vast American landscape, skylines and pioneer filmmaker/illusionist George Melies early silent films on top of portraiture of dis-formed photographs of old Hollywood starletts such as Ava Gardner , Hedy Lamaar and Vivian Leigh. 

Statue of a girl holding a bird in front of an out of focus take away shop.

Last June I attended a preview screening for Mike Mills’s second feature film ‘Beginners’ starring Ewan McGregor and Melanie Laurent. After the screening Mike Mills and Melanie Laurent sat down for a Q&A at the Ritzy in Brixton.

I really enjoyed the film , it was quite beautiful and it perfectly captured the feeling of how exciting a new romance can be. The beginning (no pun? intended) was no doubt the strongest part and if the rest of the film could have matched this , it would have perhaps been one of the finest films of 2011. Towards the end of the film I found myself drifting off , it  it could have really been cut down.

The Q&A was great , I got to speak to both Mike Mills and Melanie Laurent at the end. I spent quite a bit of time talking to Mike Mills about his artwork for Air and Sonic Youth as well as his music videos and his wife Miranda July’s work and her upcoming film (at that time) ‘The Future’ which I was really excited about seeing. He told me she was in Australia promoting the film and would be heading to London after to do promotion and a couple of Q&A’s …what a lovely green jumper.

Lighting Test for ‘Bette Davis’ short film.

Director/Producer – Nagwa Rahman

Dialogue written by – Sion Eirug

Cinematography – Damien Carlisle , Paddy McGowan and Steven McHugh

Editor – Nagwa Rahman

Sound Design – Nagwa Rahman

 Assistant Director – Sion Eirug

Production Assistant – Joseph Radonich

Assistant Sound Mixer – Mike Harris

Sound Recordist – Joseph Radonich

Make Up Artist – Jasmine Orrey

‘Bette Davis’ lighting tests