non-places
In sharp contrast to the rich, poetic monologue of Amber City, the stark, minimalist narrative of Karen Kirza's and Brad Butler's film, non-places, provides a montage of intimate stories and memories. In the anonymity of this particular city, lives are fraught with difficult and sometimes brutal choices: abortion, adoption, marriage, death and violence. An ostensibly voiceless narration (presented as sub-titles) becomes a poignant internal monologue of painful memories, resounding in the quiet, desolate scenes of underground train stations, street corners, subways and other public domains, non-places tells stories of the anxieties that exist in the city, the fear of loneliness and the possibility of displacement. The film world created here is akin to a sub-conscious state, a site where the imagination dictates the journey. ("I just walked through it all like walking through a film").