Paris de Light

Journey into Spots of Light in Paris with homage to Eugène Atget. Shot digitally in black and white in 2017-2018 with a homemade pinhole "lens". Concept, camera, editing, and soundscape by Edward Levinson.

  • Edward Levinson
    Director
    Tokyo Story, Manhattan Mashup, Kyoto-Five Ways
  • Edward Levinson
    Writer
  • Edward Levinson
    Producer
  • Dédé Macchabée
    music
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 14 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    January 23, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    2,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    Japan
  • Country of Filming:
    France
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital DSLR w/ pinhole body cap
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Black & White
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • European Cinematography AWARDS (ECA) AMSTERDAM

    Semi-Finalist
  • Asian Cinematography AWARDS (ACA)

    Finalist
  • Experimental Forum 2020

    Honorable Mention
Director Biography - Edward Levinson

Edward Levinson is an American fine art and editorial photographer specializing in pinhole photography and living in Japan since 1979. He extended his visual quest into film (digital capture) in 2012. His short "Tokyo Story" received an Honorable Mention for “Best Cinematography” from the LOS ANGELES FILM REVIEW INDEPENDENT FILM AWARDS 2015. It also received awards from the "Open Door Showcase" and "Best Shorts Competition". “Tokyo Story” was chosen as an Official Selection and was screened at [AVIFF Cannes 2018] "Manhattan Mashup" received an Award of Recognition in the Experimental Category from The IndieFEST Film Awards on Oct 30, 2017. "Kyoto - Five Ways has was an Official Selection at Tokyo Lift-Off Online Film Festival 2019 and received an Honorable Mention at “Experimental Forum” a film festival competition in Los Angeles. His photo book "Timescapes Japan" received First Prize Award in one of the book categories of the "Prix de la Photographie Paris 2007". His memoir, "Whisper of the Land", was published in 2014 by Fine Line Press and he has published two books of essays in Japanese with Iwanami Shoten. A small photo book "Moments in the Light" was published in 2017, commemorating his photo exhibition, which was part of the Month of Photography in Tokyo. 2019 photo book publications include "Spots of Light - Tokyo", "Mind Games", and "Silhouette Stories" (Solo Hill Books) as well as "Balloon on Fire", his book of haiku and photos (Cyberwit.net).

“Tokyo Story” has received the following Awards (as of July 2016):
- Honorable Mention for “Best Cinematography” from the Los Angeles Film Review Independent Film Awards 2015 and “Official Selection” for 2015.
- “Official Selection” Award from “Open Door Short Film Showcase” 2015 in the category “Experimental” and also receives a “Golden Key Award”.
- “Award Of Recognition” from “Best Shorts Competition” 2015
- “Official Selection” and Screening at “Tokyo Lift-off Film Festival” 2016
- “Official Selection” and Screening at "AVIFF Cannes" 2018
My second short "city" film Manhattan Mashup" won an "Award of Merit" from the IndieFEST Film Awards
My third short "Kyoto Five Ways" was an Official Selection at Tokyo Lift-Off Online Film Festival 2019 and received an Honorable Mention at Experimental Forum a film festival competition in Los Angeles.

My fourth short “city” film “Paris de Light” was selected: Official Selection Paris Lift-Off Fim Festival 2020; as a monthly “Finalist” for the Asian Cinematography AWARDS (ACA) - final Winner to be announced later in June. The same film received an Official Selection and Honorable Mention from the Bridge Fest Film Festival, a monthly online contest. It also received an “Honorable Mention” from Experimental Forum, “an international film and video art festival showcasing experimental films…. from around the globe.” and was an Official Selection at the Bridge fest 2020 monthly online film festival and received an Honorable Mention in the Short Film category for May 2020.
(Awards and Selections as of June 4. 2020)

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

In this film I journey through Spots of Light in Paris with homage to Eugène Atget. Shot digitally in black and white in 2017-2018 with a homemade pinhole "lens". Concept, camera, editing, and soundscape by Edward Levinson. In the mode of what to I call 'Poet of the Street', "Paris de Light" is part of a trilogy of short films poetically describing three of the world's magnet cities: Paris, New York, and Tokyo. My homage to the Kyoto's spiritual traditions in another short, "Kyoto - Five Ways", is a variation on this genre series. Please feel free to contact me for further information, password protected link access, or any of my photographic and film projects. Other films in the trilogy: "Tokyo Story" and "Manhattan Mashup" are also listed on Filmfreeway as is "Kyoto - Five Ways"