FILMS

This poetic documentary follows the volunteers who enact sacred Jewish funeral rites.

Director's Statement: "I have been working with sand for more than twenty-five years and have always loved the haunting, delicate quality of the image. Very fine sand is spread onto a lightbox, over which is positioned a camera. By varying the thickness of the sand using fingers, brushes, and knives, I can create a full range of tonalities and produce a sepia-toned painting. It is a process that, like music, can only move forward. There is no going back to correct mistakes. Every action leaves a trace, a visual echo in the sand, as each moment erases the previous. The poetry of this technique—ephemeral and constantly at risk of dissolving into chaos—makes it the ideal way to contemplate the fragility of life and time." —Benny Zelkowicz