Moments I Saw In Red

'Moments I Saw In Red' is an experimental short film that explores the relationship between trauma, synaesthesia, and art. Shot on 8mm film, the film follows the story of a person with PTSD and synaesthesia who is recounting their memories associated with the color red.

Synaesthesia is a rare neurological condition, whereby the senses get crossed and one might perceive things like colors or sounds while seeing or hearing other things. For the protagonist of 'Moments', their memories of crossing Calais, a school crush, and realising their trans identity all get "filed" under the colour red.

The film's unique use of 8mm film, original music, and a spoken word voiceover guides the audience through the protagonist's journey, as they meditate on their experiences and find a way to heal through artistic expression.

  • Penn Balint
    Director
  • Penn Balint
    Writer
  • Yana Larkhanidi
    Key Cast
    "X (on screen)"
  • Penn Balint
    Key Cast
    "X (voice)"
  • Penn Balint
    Producer
  • Penn Balint
    Cinematographer
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    2 minutes 24 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    April 7, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    500 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Super 8
  • Aspect Ratio:
    4:3
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Queer Vision Film Festival
    Bristol
    United Kingdom
    July 6, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Grrl Haus Cinema Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    September 2, 2023
    German Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Darkroom Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    September 23, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Queer Film Festival Munich
    Munich
    Germany
    October 12, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Oska Bright Film Festival
    Brighton
    United Kingdom
    March 14, 2024
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Penn Balint

Penn Bálint (they/he) is a Hungarian multidisciplinary artist settled in Devon. Penn founded The Yoko Situation, an art collective centering trans- and disabled narratives. 'Moments I Saw in Red' is their first film.

Penn is currently in post-production for their next short, 'Soviet Fantasia', which blends queer culture, dance, folklore and synth-pop and was commissioned by Exeter Phoenix. He was also selected for the BFI New Voices Scheme in 2023, during which he will receive mentorship to develop a new script.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

'Moments I Saw In Red' is an extremely personal film to me. I thought a lot about my own experiences of emigrating to the UK and coming to terms with my identity as a trans person when writing.

A lot of the movement in the film is improvised, interspersed with symbolic shots that allude to the fractured nature of living with PTSD. Half spoken word- half rap, the soundtrack is meant to provide a hypnotic order to the pieces of memory - representing the wholeness of the person who holds them.

I hope that viewers of the film walk away with a sense of the beauty that can be created in spite of- and because of the neurodiverse mind's experience of trauma.