Retreat

In a post-apocalyptic collage of existing and staged images, the futuristic and audiovisually immersive 'Retreat' conjures up a violent world of rising temperatures and social unrest. A world shrouded in smog and tear gas, where a black-clad underground army suppress their rebellion through a dance performance, which takes place both above and below the ground that they have gathered to defend. 


 

Artist Joeri Verbesselt has created a piece of performative 'cli-fi' for both gallery and cinema, which turns contemporary imaging technologies that were originally developed by the military against themselves in an alarming call for social and environmental change. The bits of recognisable sounds that seep into this otherwise dialogue-free and abstract work bear witness to the fact that its basis in real protests - in many different languages - is also its greatest power. 

 *Please note that the film contains stroboscopic effects.

Director, Editor, Writer｜Joeri Verbesselt

Director of photography｜Samuel Esselinckx

Sound designer, Sound editor, Composer｜Jérémy Bocquet

Choreographer｜Wan-Lun Yu

Assistant director｜Annigje Peters

Assistant camera｜Camille Sultan

Costume designer｜Alix Stessel

Sound mixer｜Jorn Plucieniczak

Graphics and titles designer｜Marli Fourie

Colour grading｜Samuel Esselinckx

Production manager｜Jelrik Hupkes

Driver｜Pieter De Vocht

Performer｜

Patricia Schellekens, Leen Smolders, Brigitte Coosemans, Mamadou Wague, Eimi Leggett,
Robson Ledezma, Mariana Miranda, Oscar Cassamajor, Chang-Hung Chung, Mei-Ning Huang,
Wai-Lok Chan, Cheng-An Wu, Felix De Koninck, Matthijs De Bruyn,Lene Bijnens, Steven Couturier, Eva Heuts, Vicky Verbesselt, Katrien Rooseleer, Lukas Weber, Tom Verbeeck, Stijn Verbeeck, Yi-Chen Pai, Pieter De Vocht, Jelrik Hupkes, Bernd Brié, Wan-Lun Yu




Realised with the support of deAuteurs and Cinecrowd

LUCA School of Arts, Campus Sint-Lukas Brussel

(logo deAuteurs, logo LUCA, logo Retreat, logo Dystopian Optimism)

Joeri Verbesselt © 2024