Melissa Ferrari

Relict: A Phantasmagoria

Relict: A Phantasmagoria is an experimental documentary performed with antique magic lanterns and hand-drawn animation. Invoking the history of magic lantern phantasmagoria as an exercise in belief and perception, Relict considers the zeitgeist of pseudoscience, fake news, religion, and documentary ethics—all collapsed into contemporary cryptozoology. Reviving the lantern’s historical role as a tool for scientific lectures and adapting modern cryptozoological lore to handmade lantern slides, Relict wanders through histories of documentary animation used to visualize and legitimize monstrous creatures.

kino lau: many bodies

kino lau: many bodies is a performance of live music and projections that aims to bridge the ancient and the contemporary, the tangible and the ethereal, creating a multisensory journey that resonates with diverse and modern audiences. This immersive experience is a harmonious convergence of two distinct artistic forms: magic lantern projections and ambient drone metal merged with traditional Hawaiian chants.

Fathomless

This mind-expanding experimental collage explores psychiatry's history, as well as the ways in which the field is developing and advancing to treat high-risk individuals before the point of no return. Combining luminous lab images with animation, Fathomless takes us on a complex journey to uncover the secrets of the mind.

Phototaxis

“Phototaxis” draws parallels between Mothman, a prophetic and demonized creature in West Virginia lore, and Narcotics Anonymous, the main treatment program in West Virginia’s addiction epidemic.

Phototaxis

“Phototaxis” draws parallels between Mothman, a prophetic and demonized creature in West Virginia lore, and Narcotics Anonymous, the main treatment program in West Virginia’s addiction epidemic.

From the Dizziness of Freedom: The Philosophy Vessel

This film is a visualization of the strategies that people incorporate to find meaning in their lives inspired by the mythology and functions of mazes and labyrinths throughout history.