BRATTLEBORO — The Backlot Cinema Series continues on Friday, July 9, when Epsilon Spires will screen the 2020 feature-length documentary Epicentro and the 1977 animated short Powers of Ten in the parking lot of the historic First Baptist Church, 190 Main St.
Epicentro is a vivid journey through modern-day Cuba, where, event organizers write, the legacy of Spanish and American imperialism - including its current incarnation in the form of the tourist economy - have scarred a nation still grappling with its history and its place in the world.
“The film does such a good job of critiquing different methods of foreign intervention, including media, while celebrating the Cuban people's creative resiliency,” Jamie Mohr, programming director of the Backlot Cinema Series and creative director of Epsilon Spires, said in a news release.
She added that the film “has the beauty of a travelogue while existing on the forefront of documentary ethics, with a strong awareness of 'the gaze' and its impact on cultural identity.”
A central theme of Epicentro is the power of storytelling and the implications of who is allowed to shape history, including the meta issue of a European filmmaker documenting the joys and struggles of the Cuban people.
“Director Hubert Sauper has an incredibly conscious approach to filmmaking, in that the process is a collaborative exchange with his subjects,” Mohr says.
Sauper has made two other films about the manifestations of colonialism, including Darwin's Nightmare, which was nominated for an Oscar in 2006. In 2020, Epicentro was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for World Cinema Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
Refreshments for the evening will be provided by Moon and Stars, an organization in Vermont's Upper Valley.
Moon and Stars makes artisanal arepas, a staple food in Colombia and Venezuela consisting of a ground corn patty that can be either filled or topped with foods like cheese, beans, eggs, and vegetables.
It uses heirloom varieties of corn that support regenerative farming practices.
The evening will open with the short film Powers of Ten, which takes viewers on a journey from a picnic on the shore of the Great Lakes to the outer reaches of the galaxy before zooming back in to explore life on a cellular level, all in increments of a meter multiplied by a factor of 10, every 10 seconds.
The animation was created for IBM by Charles and Ray Eames, a married couple famous for their contributions to modern architecture and design.
Audience members are encouraged to bring blankets, pillows, and chairs to make themselves comfortable during the screening. Restrooms will be available throughout the evening. In the event of rain, the screening will take place in the sanctuary of the church.