Experiencing Interruptions?

If Any

A one-minute poem film that offers a meditation on time, memory, the spectral, the animistic, and the presence and absence of faith. Directed, written, filmed, read, edited, and produced by Adam E. Stone. Filmed in Carbondale, Illinois, August and September, 2020. Painting by Saribenne Evesong (1931-2009). Text of poem:

Only spirits, if any, stay forever,
the corporeal always pivot away.

A raucous goodbye, or a misunderstanding,
"Good luck, old friend!" or "Good riddance, old fool!"

I pedal faster, to a hum on a breeze,
a flutter along a long-darkened hallway.

I name the ghosts, as if I can still see them,
a crush ... a friend ... an inspiration.

You called me silly, poked at my gloom,
said "There's no such thing as being alone!"

And even today, I want to believe you,
but I fail every test, again and again.

Use "CC" button on Vimeo to enable closed captions in English. Download web vtt file from Vimeo when downloading film.

HD Apple pro res 422 version available for download upon request.

Copyright 2021 by Adam E. Stone. All rights reserved.

  • Adam E. Stone
    Director
  • Adam E. Stone
    Writer
  • Adam E. Stone
    Producer
  • Adam E. Stone
    Key Cast
    "Poem reader"
  • Joti Locker
    Production Assistance
  • Adam E. Stone
    Cinematographer
  • Adam E. Stone
    Editor
  • Saribenne Evesong
    Original Artwork
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short, Other
  • Genres:
    Poem film, Film poem, Video poem, Videopoetry, Poetry film, Experimental film, Microshort, Short film, One-minute film
  • Runtime:
    1 minute
  • Completion Date:
    January 2, 2021
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • MicroMania Film Festival 2021 Winter Series
    Buffalo, New York (online, limited access)
    United States
    February 28, 2021
    Official Selection and Award Finalist
  • Life Screenings International One Minute Film Festival
    Clermont, Florida (online, limited access)
    United States
    April 10, 2021
    Florida online premiere
    Official Selection
  • Logcinema Art Films Festival
    Pomona, California
    United States
    April 20, 2021
    California Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Mister Vorky
    Ruma, Serbia
    Serbia
    June 11, 2021
    European Premiere
    Official Selection
  • MalatestaShort Film Festival
    Cesena, Italy
    Italy
    November 12, 2021
    Italian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • KinoDrome: International Motion Picture & Screenplay Festival
    Cleveland, Ohio
    United States
    September 26, 2021
    Ohio Premiere
    Official Selection and “Poetry Driven Experimental Film” category Honorable Mention
  • Minute Madness Toronto
    Toronto, Ontario (online, limited access)
    Canada
    December 28, 2021
    Canada Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Festival Angaelica
    Pasadena, California (online, limited access)
    United States
    December 21, 2021
    Official Selection
  • Simply Indie Film Fest
    Edmond, Oklahoma
    United States
    February 25, 2022
    Oklahoma Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Shiver International Film Festival
    Smiths Falls, Ontario
    Canada
    February 25, 2022
    Finalist
  • REELpoetry 2022
    Houston, Texas
    United States
    February 26, 2022
    Texas Premiere
    Official Selection
  • 27th Annual Twin Rivers Media Festival
    Asheville, North Carolina
    United States
    April 9, 2022
    North Carolina Premiere
    Official Selection
  • DELETE TV
    Vienna, Austria
    Austria
    December 7, 2022
    Austrian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Walthamstow International Film Festival
    London, England
    United Kingdom
    June 12, 2022
    United Kingdom Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Wales International Film Festival
    Swansea, Wales (online, limited access)
    United Kingdom
    September 15, 2022
    Wales Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Shawna Shea Film Festival
    Worcester, Massachusetts
    United States
    September 22, 2022
    Massachusetts Premiere
    Official Selection and "Best Mobile Device Short" Award Winner
  • Brainwash Drive-In/Bike-In/Walk-In Movie Festival
    Doyle, California
    United States
    August 26, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Adam E. Stone

Adam E. Stone's latest feature film is the poetic essay film "Atmospheric Marginalia" (2022). His films have been featured at approximately 200 prominent, well-curated festivals worldwide, and have won numerous awards. Short poem and essay films include "Bridge" (2024), "form" (2024), "as the night" (2023), "Tyranny of the Unafflicted" (2023), "If Any" (2021), "Awake" (2021), "Specks and Flashes" (2020), "Elegy for Unfinished Lives" (2020), "an entombing(dis)entombing" (2020), "Declarations" (2019), and "Gods Die Too" (2018). Previous short dance films include "Do Not Forget the Lost" (2019), "Summer Friend: A Ballet Film" (2016), "Resting Places: A Ballet Film" (2015), and "Janet: A Silent Ballet Film" (2014). He also is the writer, producer, and co-director of the feature-length fictional essay film "Abstractly You Loved Me" (2013), and is one of the co-producers of, and conducted many of the interviews for, the feature-length documentary "Black Hawk Down: The Untold Story" (DVD 2019). In 2012, Stone wrote and produced the spoken-word ballet "A Life Unhappening," which is about the impact of one woman's Alzheimer's disease on three generations of her family. In 2010, he wrote, directed, and produced the DVD novel "Cache Girl Saves the World: A Novel in Visions." He is also the author of three conventional print novels: "Xamon Song" (2006), "Kingston Fugue" (2007), and "The New Harmonies" (2009).

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