VANAh

In a world where society and the technology propelling it are hurtling towards the future, what becomes of those of us who remain anchored in the past? When personality and privacy are rendered worthless, and your only currency is your mind, body, and data? And do these questions even hold significance when you can upload your relatives’ consciousness into microwave ovens or genetically engineer the perfect potato?

Embark on a journey with two individuals grappling with these concepts in this art film, tinged with elements of science fiction and dark comedy.

The narrative unfolds in the near future. Our technological capabilities have unlocked a larger world and other dimensions. New races and forms of life, crossbreeds, clones, hybrids, and autonomous robots are now a reality. And the ability to teleport from one dimension to another is old news, provided you have the right license installed in your corpus.

Following the discovery of the “new space,” a major political war erupted. The state, as we know it, has been minimized to a small faction. And one private actor, in particular, has won large shares of the planet’s infrastructure, maintaining strict control over who and what enters and exits the stratosphere. This has naturally resulted in a division of zones on Earth, with an accompanying fee for travel and residence. A strong liberal philosophy was born, benefiting all, provided your finances and goals align with the conglomerate’s vision. This control happens automatically as all communication, thought frequencies, and everything else imaginable are closely monitored and logged under the premise “Your safety is our highest priority.”

As a result, Earth has become a pit stop on your intergalactic journey. From being a lush, beautiful blue planet to one of the rest stops you wouldn’t want to linger at any longer than absolutely necessary.

When survival options narrow, creativity in unsympathetic methodologies rises. And when development and education are self-funded, societal understanding and horizons expand very slowly. Prejudices, respect, and understanding for others and other things become insular. The separation and segregation between the individual and other life forms widen, creating vast chasms of alienation, hatred, and incomprehension. These are already known issues, they just haven’t been resolved in this near future.

VANAh – The Firm: My Cinematic Debut. A film I wrote, directed, shot, and edited. This piece has unlocked countless opportunities, Won 1st prize awards in festivals in Paris, Milan, London and Florence. And has been showcased at numerous film festivals in Berlin, Amsterdam, Stockholm, London, and Newport, Rhode Island, USA.

One summer, Thor Wang (character Rolf), Oliver Valbo Franck (character Valdemar), and I went out on a guerilla filmmaking journey. We filmed several difficult scenes in the countryside in and around North Zealand, Denmark, construct big sets, and create props. It was a supercharged journey of filmmaking, where every conceivable challenge was amplified. Yet, we tackled them one by one, pushing through the production phase. Post-production was a long, arduous pull. Numerous scenes needed editing, and an expansive soundscape had to be crafted. Here, the musical genius and sound design creator, Niklas Brandt Katborg, brought this production to fruition.

A heartfelt thanks to all who participated: Rolf: Thor Wang, Valdemar: Oliver Valbo Franck, Speaker: Jonathan Otskov, Dancer: Kiva Brynaa, Birgit: Janne SV Johannessen, Sound design and Music: Niklas Brandt Katborg.