Texas
A western diplomat has been captured by supposed insurgents and is condemned to death in a country with some resemblance
to an occupied Middle-Eastern nation. The country is never named. The protagonist has been captured by supposed insurgents
and is condemned to death. His thoughts and the interior landscapes he occupies - comprise the narrative. This unnamed
diplomat, in his isolation, tries and fails to affirm the purpose of his being in this unnamed country. This room was ours to take,
he tells himself, and so was Vietnam. But his thinking as we follow from his narration soon blurs as he begins to conflate
historical chronologies. He comes to terms with his insignificance and recognizes his role as a catalyst in his government's
manipulative narrative, rationalizing their atrocities.
While the five stages of grief are normally associated with the loss of those we love, in Texas, the protagonist has a dual relation
to grief. He must come to terms with his impending execution and his involvement, his collusion, in a conflict that has ceased to
make sense. The five chapters are organized around his deteriorating condition. He attempts to rationalize his complicity
(Denial), as he lashes out against the audacity of his captors (Anger). His rage waning, he attempts to ingratiate himself to his
custodians, “perhaps you’ve not seen my wingspan, he explains” (Bargaining). Ignored, negotiations soon give way to despair
(Depression), as he slowly comes to terms with his own insignificance (Acceptance).
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Oleksiy BuyanovDirector
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Claudio GaudioWriter
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Richard UnderhillFilm Score
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Project Type:Experimental
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Runtime:18 minutes 40 seconds
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Production Budget:4,000 USD
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Country of Origin:Canada
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Country of Filming:Canada
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Language:English
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
I am a Ukrainian-born, Canadian filmmaker. My passion as an artist revolves around storytelling and its inherent connection to the human experience. I believe stories have played a critical role within our species in moulding, shaping, and understanding our nature as people. We learn from stories, we express ourselves through stories and we are exposed to a vast array of experiences through many forms of storytelling. As we keep telling each other stories, we learn to live and understand what it means to be human. With this said - I have worked on numerous award-winning dramas, all of which explored these concepts revolving around human nature and social issues. Being an immigrant from Ukraine - I take great influence from a key aspect of Soviet cinema - ‘Soviet Montage’. The idea is that stories can be shaped and reshaped through the manipulation of images and their order, as well as inputting visuals which may trigger emotions or reception of images in a different way. This strategy of manipulating storytelling has always played a critical role in my work, and I am always keen to explore how editing can impact and accentuate a film.