When I began preparing the film in Budapest in 2000, I found myself surrounded by the remnants of the Soviets' Modernist Architecture. I was immediately captivated by these buildings – not because they were esthetically appealing – but because they embodied perfectly, not only their purpose, but also the ideology upon which they were built. They were not constructed to last but a few years, but rather to endure through millennia, corresponding to the expected lifespan of the regime. The fact that they still stood – solid, defiant even – while the empire had crumbled into dust, made them all the more appealing to me. I chose an abandoned water purification plant on the outskirts of Budapest as the setting for SWITCH CENTER. In conceiving of this film, I was inspired by Léger’s early avant-garde picture, LE BALLET MÉCANIQUE. In my film, the structure itself comes to life through the manipulations of the Bolex camera and the employees who still maintain the building. I wanted to make a tribute to the kind of futuristic pragmatism expressed by these buildings that are now being razed to allow space for shopping malls and corporate offices. – E.B.
2 PRINTS IN DISTRIBUTION
|
distribution format |
DCP on server (INTEROP 2K) |
|
screen |
1,37 - Standard (single screen) |
|
speed |
24 fps |
|
sound |
sound |
|
rental fee |
44,00 € |
|
distribution format |
Digital file on server (FHD) |
|
screen |
1,37 - Standard (single screen) |
|
speed |
24 fps |
|
sound |
sound |
|
rental fee |
44,00 € |
