Chromatic Aberration is a film installation which explores the early technologies of colour filmmaking drawn from the archives of George Eastman House, Rochester, New York. Featuring vibrant close-ups of eyes from fledgling archival experiments in colour film, Chromatic Aberration turns the cinematic lens in on itself: from the prosthetic recording eye of the camera, to an evocation of the abstract inner screen of one's eyelids.

Satz has drawn inspiration from a scene in Powell and Pressberger's 1946 film 'A Matter of Life and Death', where the transition from the reality of colour to the black and white of the afterworld is conveyed from the viewpoint of David Niven's eyelid, from inside the body, behind the eyes. Early 1920s colour film footage - mainly tests shots featuring members of George Eastman's family as well as Hollywood stars of the time - is shot in such a way so as to reveal the inherent chromatic fringing, distortion and misalignment. Using specialist equipment at the BFI National Archive, London, the footage is reworked through the use of extreme close-up and magnification, honing in on the eyes. The installation evokes an imagined abstract colour world, a flickering eyelid trapped in a mechanical peephole. The eye shimmers between dreamy reverie, curiosity, terror, defiance and awe, recalling the blurry effect of looking at a bright light followed by the image-burn on the retina, a series of after-colours under and onto the closed eyelid. Chromatic Aberration is a film installation which explores the early technologies of colour filSoundtrack composed by Scanner.rge Eastman House, Rochester, New York. Featuring vibrant close-ups of eyes from fledgling archival experiments in colour film, Chromatic AbeDP Tim Sidellnematic lens in on itself: from the prosthetic recording eye of the camera, to an evocation of the abstract inner screen of one's eyelids. Sound Recordist Gernot Fuhrmann Special thanks to James Layton and Ryan Conrath at George Eastman House; David Gurney, Ulrich Ruedel, and Kieron Webb at the BFI National Archives. Satz has drawn inspiration from a scene in Powell and Pressberger's 1946 film 'A Matter of Chromatic Aberration was commissioned by Tyneside Cinema with the participation of George Eastman House, and support-in-kind from the BFI National Archive. Commissioned and curated by Elisabetta Fabrizi. afterworld is conveyed from the viewpoint of David Niven's eyelid, from inside the body, behind the eyes. Early 1920s colour film footage - mainly tests shots featuring members of George Eastman's family as well as Hollywood stars of the time - is shot in such a way so as to reveal the inherent chromatic fringing, distortion and misalignment. Using specialist equipment at the BFI National Archive, London, the footage is reworked through the use of extreme close-up and magnification, honing in on the eyes. The installation evokes an imagined abstract colour world, a flickering eyelid trapped in a mechanical peephole. The eye shimmers between dreamy reverie, curiosity, terror, defiance and awe, recalling the blurry effect of looking at a bright light followed by the image-burn on the retina, a series of after-colours under and onto the closed eyelid.

Soundtrack composed by Scanner.

DP Tim Sidell

Sound Recordist Gernot Fuhrmann

Special thanks to James Layton and Ryan Conrath at George Eastman House; David Gurney, Ulrich Ruedel, and Kieron Webb at the BFI National Archives.

Chromatic Aberration was commissioned by Tyneside Cinema with the participation of George Eastman House, and support-in-kind from the BFI National Archive. Commissioned and curated by Elisabetta Fabrizi.

Aura Satz, 'Chromatic Aberration' film still, 2014

Screenings:

21 Jan - 1 Feb 2015

Screening as part of the 44th International Film Festival Rotterdam

22 - 26 April 2015

Screening at EMAF, European Media Art Festival, Osnabrueck

13 May 2015

Mini-retrospective screenings at DIM CINEMA, at The Cinematheque, Vancouver

5 - 13 June 2015

Screening as part of Vanguard Competition at Filmadrid, International Film Festival, Madrid

18 - 27th June 2015

Winner of Best Vanguard Film Competition in Lima Independiente International Film Festival 2015, Lima

4 - 12 July 2015

Screening as part of Experimental Competition in 23rd Curtas Vila do Conde International Film Festival, Lisbon

7-18 October 2015

Screening as part of FNC Lab Competition at the 44th Festival du Nouveau Cinema, Montreal, Canada

16 October 2015

Screening as part of the 59th BFI London Film Festival BFI Southbank, NFT3, London

27 October - 1 November 2015

Screening as part of the Fascinations Competition at the 19th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival, Jihlava, Czech Republic

12 - 17 November 2015

Screening as part of the International Competition at the 17th International Film Festival Bratislava

11-17 November 2016

Screening as part of the 18th International Film Festival Bratislava, 'Lexicon-Colour' section