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    [EFF19S3] Session 3: Still/Here + Sun Song

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF19S3] Session 3: Still/Here + Sun Song. Birkbeck College, University of London.

    Description

    28 March 2019, 20:25, ICA Cinema

    Christopher Harris’s moving portrait of urban decay in St. Louis, Missouri, is accompanied by Joel Wanek’s love letter to musician Sun Ra.

    Films: still/here, Christopher Harris, USA, 2000, 16mm, 60 minutes, English
    Shot in 16mm black and white, still/here (2000) is a meditation on the vast landscape of ruins and vacant lots that constitute the north side of St. Louis, Missouri, an area populated almost exclusively by working-class and working poor African Americans. The film explores the vestiges of a once-thriving community through evocative imagery of derelict cinemas, fading billboards and abandoned domestic spaces, asking the viewer to reflect on the causes of this decay. Through a complex interweaving of the area’s musical, social and cultural history alongside “a series of visual and aural breakdowns, erasures, contradictions and gaps”, Harris reflects on the destruction of a community and the wider politics of class and race in American society.

    Sun Song, Joel Wanek, USA, 2013, digital, 15 minutes, English
    Accompanying still/here is Sun Song (2013), directed by Joel Wanek, who worked on the cinematography of Harris’ film. Focusing on Durham, North Carolina, and inspired by jazz musician Sun Ra, Wanek employs the city’s transit system as a microcosm of race relations in the wider state.

    Following the screening there was a discussion between Christopher Harris and film curator and writer Karen Alexander.

    Previews


    1 - EFF19S3 Q&A (EFF19S3 still here Chris Harris Karen Alexander 28 Q&A 28-3-2019 (59 minutes).MP3)

    Collection Method

    The Essay Film Festival, active since 2015, presents a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.

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    Metadata

    Dataset Title:

    [EFF19S3] Session 3: Still/Here + Sun Song
    Creators:

    Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew
    Dataset Contributors:

    ContributionNameEmailORCID
    CollaboratorMcCabe, Janetj.mccabe@bbk.ac.ukORCID logohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2916-9876
    CollaboratorYapp, Emmaeyapp01@student.bbk.ac.ukORCID logohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2646-6066
    CollaboratorFreeman, Nicolasnicolasfreeman@outlook.comUNSPECIFIED
    Subjects:

    Birkbeck Faculties and Schools > Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences > School of Creative Arts, Culture and Communication
    Data collection method:

    The Essay Film Festival, active since 2015, presents a global range of contemporary and restored essayistic works. The events are now archived here for research purposes.
    Collection period:

    FromTo
    28 March 201928 March 2019
    Statement on legal, ethical, and access issues:

    All film stills were provided by participating artists.
    Depositing User: Emma Yapp
    Date Deposited: 01 Sep 2026 10:21
    Last Modified: 01 Sep 2026 10:21
    Publisher: Birkbeck College, University of London

    Export / Share Citation

    Cite as: Temple, Michael and Barrington, Matthew (2023): [EFF19S3] Session 3: Still/Here + Sun Song. Birkbeck College, University of London.

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