It’s very often asked if experimental films have form or narrative? At first glance it’s easy to dismiss an film without words, characters or a clear conclusion. However I believe that it’s through pattern, and repetition that form and narrative can be conveyed in films that are more abstract. For example in the film we watched today ‘We Have Decided Not To Die’ I think still has a narrative that runs through it, even if it wasn’t it’s intention. The act of framing the the film into three separate rituals gives us the impression of three acts, or in this case there are three different stories being told. Even the title seems to give the three protags causality they have all chosen not to die so it’s a way you can make sense of whats happening to each of the figures in the story, it also seems like the characters go from one state to another mimicking that of a journey. In class we came up with our own reasons as to what made this film narrative and non-narrative.
Narrative
-the film is broken up into parts to follow (each ritual)
-the characters seem to go from one state to another
-the title explains the will behind the three protags
-each part has an emotion low follow be an emotion high
Non Narrative
-visions of weird stuff happened, no representation, nothing is said
-whole piece is in a state of chaos
-lack of conclusion
-characters are props, no motivation
Although I agree with a lot thats said here, but I still believe that just because there seems like there’s nothing literal going on a narrative can still be conveyed in ways that’s abstract, because there are many different ways of story-telling. Even though it’s not clear it still shows the journey of three different people who are choosing not to die.You can view the film here.
We Have Decided Not To Die from Sion Roberts on Vimeo.
