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The Pendant (2020)
Film, 22 min.
Breaking of a mirror initiates five different acts in five different places; exposing shades of magic, politics and systemic violence.
The harm social systems are designed to inflict, the enforced disappearances in Turkey during the 1990s, the border politics of the EU, manipulative storytelling and power struggles are evoked as the round Pendant attempts to become whole again with its gemstones scattered throughout the acts.
The Pendant in its entirety is a video installation, consisting of the film, the round pendant, the glass hammer and the original The Pendant Tarot Deck. The installation was first shown at the Gerrit Rietveld Academie graduation show in 2020, later in Galerie Ron Mandos the same year.
The project received the GRA Awards for Autonomous Arts 2020, selected by the jury Charl Landvreugd & Femke Herregraven.
"The level of sophistication in Mayis Rukel’s film installation is impressive. The overall quality of this bachelor student’s work would befit a master’s level. The jury feels it is a sign of professionalism that Mayis has surrounded himself with the right people (set designers, actors) to produce his film. The balance of his aesthetic dreamlike scenes with political messages, regarding EU border politics for instance, comes across with a certain absurdity that the jury appreciated. The wall opposite the screen shows his own tarot deck, which is inclusive, non-binary and non-hierarchical. It is part of the film, but it is also a new world that can lead to exciting new projects that the jury looks forward to."
Images below are by Michèle Margot & Franzi Mueller-Schmidt.
The Pendant (2020)
Written & Directed by Mayıs Rukel
Cinematographer Mostafa Heravi
Gaffer Ray van der Bas
Casper Brink
Ward Trommelen
Frans Dam
Charlotte Ha
Pınar Karaaslan
Amélie Onzon
Alexey Shkolnik
Ilija Surla
Chachi Telfer
Paul van den Berg
Sound Tumelo Maesela
Sound Design Mayıs Rukel
Soundmix Supervisor Rick Haring
Production Assistant
Patrick Walinga
Lucie Gérard
Vanille Ougen
Ariane Boot
Set Design
Silvia Martes
Mayıs Rukel
Production Design, Costume, Casting, Editor
Mayıs Rukel
Color Design
Mayıs Rukel
Ray van der Bas
Make Up Artist
Lucie Gérard
3D Design & Animation
Teun Grondman
Hand-drawn Animation
Mayıs Rukel
Graphic Design
Yuri Sato
Original Music
Patrick Walinga
Accessories
Rebecca van Wierst
Vanille Ougen
Transportation
Milan Transport
Made possible with the contribution of:
Tungsten Studio, M.C. de Visser Fonds, Fonds Kwadraat, Tülin, Osman & Ceren Kaygı, Rebecca van Wierst, Ger de Jong, Gerrit Rietveld Academie, VAV-Moving Image 2020
'SELECTED 2020 - Video Portraits'; concept & production by Vere van Hal and Bieneke Bennekers, the interviews conducted by Luuk Heezen and the videos filmed and edited by Rik Lauwen. Special thanks to the jury members GRA Awards 2020 for Autonomous Arts; Femke Herregraven and Charl Landvreugd.
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