SURVIVOR MANIFESTO – THE ART OF MAKING KIN

Experimental film | documentary, 11 min
Screenplay, director, cinematography, editing: Dan Dansen

Starring Joshua Lerner, Zafira Vrba Woodski, Dan Dansen

What if we lived in a society in which people who harmed and people who were harmed could heal simultaneously?

“Survivor Manifesto – The Art of Making Kin” is a video essay on survivorhood in which trauma survivors cast a wild vision of a utopian society.

The experimental film unfolds a hypnotic undertow that pulls the spectator into a journey from despair to self-love. The documentary narrates dealing with trauma as a sophisticated skill. Poetic and multi-layered imagery of traveling create a metaphorical space in which narration and imagination melt into a unique story. Different voices of trauma survivors tell about a survivor collective they have formed and they invite the viewers to join them. They encourage an emotional journey to the viewer's very own abyss. Trauma is often related to speechlessness and isolation, but the film provides collectivity and the idea that healing is a continuing process. The film creates the restlessness that is typical for surviving through imagery and music. But it also makes clear that the transition from surviving to living is characterized by hope: the chorus of survivors shares their skills and their ideas on dealing with violence, the art of making kin and on queer love.

“Survivor Manifesto” is a political essay that will change your perspective on trauma.


Interview with Dan Dansen at the 26th Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival on Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin by Andrea Slováková


Interview “A love letter to the world” with Dan Dansen at the 3rd Filma. Feminist Festival on Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin by Timur Vorkul


06.09.2024: Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin was awarded as the Best Experimental Film at FICLAPAZ - La Paz International Film Festival

UPCOMING

September 2024

La Paz, Bolivia
02.09-05.09.2024
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at FICLAPAZ - La Paz International Film Festival as part of the experimental film program
At Edificio Multicine, Nº 2631, Av. Arce, La Paz, La Paz, 3929, Bolivia


March 2024

Berlin, Germany
16.02.-08.03.2024
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin as part of the exhibition Creativity of Slowness.
At GISELA - Freier Kunstraum Lichtenberg, Giselastraße 12, 10317 Berlin, Germany
Tuesday to Friday 12p.m.-4p.m., Thursday 12p.m.-6p.m., until 8.3.2024.


February 2024

Berlin, Germany
29.02.2024
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at Sinema Transtopia as part of the program Being Part, curated by YAYA Screens.
8:00 p.m. screening with Q&A
At Sinema Transtopia, Lindower Str. 20/22, Haus C, Berlin, Germany


Berlin, Germany
16.02.2024
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin as part of the program Creativity of Slowness.
6:00 p.m. screening
At GISELA - Freier Kunstraum Lichtenberg, Giselastraße 12, 10317 Berlin, Germany
Tuesday to Friday 12p.m.-4p.m., Thursday 12p.m.-6p.m., until 8.3.2024.


December 2023

Bogotá, Colombia
10.12.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 21st Bogoshorts Short Film Festival as part of the International Experimental Film Competition
8:00 p.m. screening with Q&A
At the Cinemateca de Bogotá - Saal 3, Carrera 3 No. 19-10, Bogotá, Colombia


Kyiv, Ukraine
08.12.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 3rd Filma. Feminist Film Festival as part of the offline screening The Art of Healing
06:30 p.m. screening
In cooperation with FemSolution, Podil district, Kyiv, Ukraine


Bogotá, Colombia
07.12.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 21st Bogoshorts Short Film Festival as part of the International Experimental Film Competition
3:00 p.m. screening with Q&A
At Centro Ático, Universidad Javeriana, Calle 40B No. 6 - 23, Bogotá, Colombia


Lviv, Ukraine
03.12.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 3rd Filma. Feminist Film Festival as part of the offline screening The Art of Healing
05:00 p.m. screening
At Bilkis, Opilskoho Str. 8, Lviv, Ukraine


Ukraine, online
27.11.2023 — 10.12.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 3rd Filma. Feminist Film Festival as part of the Online Programms The Art of Healing


November 2023

30.11.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 3rd Filma. Feminist Film Festival as part of the offline screening The Art of Healing
06:30 p.m. screening
At the Artsvit Gallery, Krutohirnyy Uzviz, 21А, Dnipro, Ukraine


Poznań, Poland
18.11.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 15th Shortwaves Festival as part of the short program The Art of Making Kin
6:00 p.m. screening
At Pawilon, Ewangelicka 1, Poznań, Poland


Melbourne, Australia
13.11.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 33rd Melbourne Queer Film Festival as part of the program Out-There Shorts
09:00 p.m screening
At Village Jam Factory Cinema, 500 Chapel Street, Melbourne, VIC 3141


September 2023

Regina, Canada
14.09.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 19. Queer City Cinema as part of the short program Screening 1
7:30 p.m. screening
At Regina Public Library Film Theatre, 2311 12th Avenue – Lower Level, Regina, Canada


July 2023

Cologne, Germany
01.07.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at Bonanza Fest Cologne as part of the program The Art of Making Kin
6:00 p.m. screening
At Altes Pfandhaus, Kartäuserwall 20, 50678 Cologne


June 2023

Bochum, Germany
23.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at Bochum Pride as part of the program Survival and Desire
7:00 p.m. screening
At endstation.kino, Wallbaumweg 108, Bochum


Berlin, Germany
17.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 17th XPOSED Queer Film Festival as part of the short program How to get more followers
6:00 p.m. screening with Q&A
At Moviemento, Kottbusser Damm 22, Berlin


Leipzig and Halle/Saale, Germany
17.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin as part of the exhibition of membra(i)nes, the 12th Gender Studies Association Annual Conference
At the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, Wächterstraße 11, 04107 Leipzig, 1:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. and at Burg Galerie Halle, Schleifweg 8 a, 06114 Halle, daily 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.


Leipzig and Halle/Saale, Germany
16.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin as part of the exhibition of membra(i)nes, the 12th Gender Studies Association Annual Conference
At the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, Wächterstraße 11, 04107 Leipzig, 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. and at Burg Galerie Halle, Schleifweg 8 a, 06114 Halle, daily 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.


Leipzig and Halle/Saale, Germany
15.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin as part of the exhibition of membra(i)nes, the 12th Gender Studies Association Annual Conference
At the Academy of Fine Arts Leipzig, Wächterstraße 11, 04107 Leipzig, 2:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. and at Burg Galerie Halle, Schleifweg 8 a, 06114 Halle, daily 2:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.


Berlin, Germany
09.06.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 4th Videoaktion of attaqu(e)r le visible
07:00 p.m. screening as part of the program Projection I
At Raum für drastische Maßnahmen, Oderstr. 34, Berlin-Friedrishain


April 2023

Berlin, Germany
28.04.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin and "The Crisis Keeps Me Going" as video installation at the Berlin Gallery Weekend as part of the serial INTERVENTION
9:00 p.m. - 11:59 p.m. screening as loop
At ZF Projektraum, Harzer Str. 91, Berlin, Germany


Dortmund, Germany
21.04.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 40th International Women's Film Fest Dortmund | Cologne
4:00 p.m. screening as part of the section desired! film lust & queer
At Schauburg, Brückstraße 66, 44135 Dortmund, Germany


March 2023

Belgrade, Serbia
30.03.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the 70th Martovski Festival - Belgrade Documentary and Short Film Festival
26th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival
9:00 p.m. screening as part of the International Short Film Competition


February 2023

Mühlheim, Germany
05.02.2023
Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin at the FEEVA - Forum for experimental and emancipatory video art
4:00 om Screening
At Makroscope, Friedrich-Ebert-Straße 48, Mülheim/Ruhr, Germany


October 2022

Jihlava, Czech Republic
27.10.2022
Worldpremiere: "Survivor Manifesto. The Art of Making Kin" at the 26th Jihlava International Documentary Film Festival
11:30 a.m. screening as part of the experimental film competition Fascinations
At DIOD, Tyršova 12, Jihlava, Czech Republic