There will always come a moment when we face loneliness. It is forced upon us, we choose it, in the form of solitude, or it comes on unexpectedly. And then what? No instructions carved in stone tell us how to deal with it. We can simply experience it or observe how others emerge from the ordeal.

This spring, we will be investigating several forms of loneliness. The loneliness of monumental, lifeless objects (mechanic or natural), or of people (groups, hermits, or those who have been excluded). One by one, these films expose a world that is almost always hidden from view. The Black Box Screenings series offers an opportunity for meetings with the unknown. Stepping inside, we make the black box less lonely (even as we know there are kindred spirits lurking here).

Text: David Slotema