A broad window – serving as the «real projection screen» – documents every moment, every second, minute and hour live. By supplementing the «real cinema» with soundtracks from film history, familiar and supposedly well-known places can be experienced in a whole new way and discovered anew from different, subjective viewpoints. The screenplay and plot of the films are shaped according to the principle of «planned chance». Even passers-by moving around in the selected location – the «screen» – become the lead actors in the viewers‘ individual films.
As art critic and publicist Reinhardt Stumm puts it, «The imaginary and the real flow together in a way that we have never experienced before».
Real Fiction Cinema knows neither linguistic nor cultural boundaries. It addresses passers-by, tourists, art enthusiasts, families and school groups alike. All visitors experience Real Fiction Cinema differently as their own individual film, depending on which impressions they connect with the location «shot», the film music and the light and weather conditions at the time. The project started in November 2010 in Zurich before visiting Berne. Now it‘s Basel‘s turn to play host. The intervention has so far wowed over 30,000 visitors.
Since 20 May 2011, the project in Basel has featured three free-of-charge cinemas: at Aeschenplatz, Claramatte and Petersplatz. It will acquire additional significance in the run-up to Art 42 Basel: during the international art fair, life in Basel is transformed. The colourful goings-on outside the exhibition centre are sure to provide moments to enjoy on the silver screen, which is why Real Fiction Cinema is open for an extra hour in the evenings – until 19:00 – during Art Basel, from 13 to 19 June.
From Basel, Real Fiction Cinema travels to Locarno (29 July – 28 August), where it will also feature in the Festival del film Locarno.
Real Fiction Cinema‘s three mobile screens are each 12 metres long by five wide and 2.7 metres high.
The rooms are organized like «real» cinemas and provide room for 23 people on comfortable chairs. The cinema architecture was designed by the Basel-based LOST Architekten.
Duration of exhibition:
Friday, 20 May to Sunday, 19 June 2011
Admission is free of charge
Opening hours:
Tuesday-Sunday, 11:00-18:00
Closed Mondays
Opening hours during Art 42 Basel :
13-19 June, 11:00-19:00 daily
Cinema locations:
Aeschenplatz, 4052 Basel
Claramatte, 4057 Basel
Petersplatz, 4051 Basel
Competition:
A specially conceived notebook encourages cinema audiences to record their impressions of the project in a creative way. A jury will then assess all the entries and award prizes to the best offerings. Details are available at www.realfictioncinema.com.
Documentation/photos:
Professional documentation including high-resolution photos is available under «Media-Downloads» at www.realfictioncinema.com.
Interview requests:
The artist and/or the curator of the project will be happy to arrange interviews.
Further information:
Klaus Littmann, tel. +41 (0)76 370 63 23, info@klauslittmann.com,
Rea Eggli, tel. +41 (0)79 667 79 22, re@egglieggli.com
more about Real Fiction Cinema, Switzerland 2010-2012 / China 2015-2016
