The Stove NetworkAn Arts and Community Organisation
The Stove Network
This month we are joined by two filmmakers based in the region, to share some of their short works and host a joint discussion about their filmmaking processes and interests. These gently paced, meditative films hail from opposite parts of the world, and in meeting in Dumfries and Galloway can we explore their connections, similarities, and differences?
Óshlíð (River Mouth \\ Slope)
This film takes us on a journey along Óshlíð, an abandoned coastal road which is considered to be one of the most dangerous, and beautiful, in Iceland. Following the construction of a mountain tunnel in 2010, the road was closed and is now in the process of being rapidly reclaimed by both the mountain and the sea. The film delves into the stories of this road and its relationships with the people who maintained, travelled, and died upon Óshlíð. Through these voices it reflects upon a post-human landscape and the nature of mortality.
I am Time
A photographer is fascinated with the concept of time. He captures his self-portrait with a big clock and tries to frame moments visually. Shown at the Locarno Film Festival in 2016.
A Boring Film
An individual is in self-quarantine in a housing building that is under construction. But the place is so chaotic that he isn’t able to sleep. One day he goes over to the local zoo and attempts to sleep there.
After the films, we will be joined by both filmmakers for a Q&A style discussion.
Sarah Thomas
Sarah is a non-fiction writer and documentary maker with a background in anthropology. She is interested in dwelling deeply in a place, the stories we make and the relationships we have with the environments we live in. She has lived across the world in various locations from the Equator to the Arctic. Following the financial crisis of 2008, she lived in Iceland’s West fjords region for a number of years, bearing witness to a period of immense environmental and social change, about which she has written a memoir, The Raven’s Nest published by Atlantic Books in 2022.
Mahde Hasan
Mahde Hasan is an introspective and visually keen filmmaker from Bangladesh currently residing in Dumfries, Scotland. His short films I Am Time and Death of a Reader were presented at the 69th and 71st Locarno Festival. With Where is the Friend’s Home, he came first in the ‘movie of my life’ digital competition at the 70th Locarno Festival. In 2018, he participated in the Locarno Film Festival’s Open Doors Hub and received the CNC development grant for his debut feature Sand City. It was selected to NANTES PRODUIRE AUSUD 2018 and also chosen to participate in La Fabrique Cinéma de l’Institutfrançais 2019 at Cannes. In 2021, Sand City got the production grant from the Swiss fund Visions sud est. His latest short film, A Boring Film, was selected in the Pardi di Domani section at Locarno Film Festival 2020. His background also includes participation in two film residency programs: a two-month residency in Switzerland in 2018 and a five- week residency in Los Angeles in 2023, initiated by Film Independent.
Reel to Real Cinema is a monthly film space in the Stove Cafe, featuring an eclectic mixture of conversational films – from artist made shorts to feature length documentaries, locally made to international cinema. A space for discussion and thought-provoking films, you are welcome to join us after the film for a short discussion about the themes from this month’s selection. The Stove Cafe will be open from 5.30pm – 6:45pm with a special pre-film dinner option alongside hot drinks and cakes.
We’re committed to making your experience as enjoyable and accessible as possible. Please don’t hesitate to get in touch with any questions or specific requirements.
