Spirits and Rocks: an Azorean Myth

Synopsis

On a volcanic island, inhabitants are caught in an unending cycle: the threat of impending eruptions and earthquakes, and the burden of past traumas loom over them. Some draw upon myth and religious beliefs to interpret their precarious situation, while others demonstrate resilience, rebuilding their villages from the volcanic rocks. Mirroring the ethereal atmosphere of the island's landscapes, the film gradually takes on the appearance of the stories it recounts.

Director Biography

Aylin Gökmen is a Swiss-Turkish filmmaker who holds a B.A. in Arts from Lausanne University and an M.A. in Documentary Filmmaking from the DocNomads program. She is an alumna of other prestigious programs, such as the Aristoteles Workshop, the Salzburg Summer Academy of Fine Arts and the Zurich Film Festival Academy. Combining documentary and experimental approach, her works revolve around themes of memory, imagination and landscape, and have been screened internationally. In 2020, she founded “A Vol d’Oiseau”, a production structure dedicated to the development of various Swiss and international projects. She is also a contributor and co-curator of the Docs in Orbit podcast.