Ashes
Synopsis
For Ashes, Tom Kalin photographed thousands of high resolution still images and "stitched" them into a moving image. While borrowing library books for research on another project, Kalin discovered, glued to the endpapers, ordinary "due date" ledgers stamped with dates spanning three decades. Inspired by these tiny ledgers—like skin or palimpsests that recorded an analogue history, an accumulation of many gestures—Kalin combines quotidian pictures snatched from his daily life with an evocative musical track by ongoing collaborator Doveman (Thomas Bartlett). The film layers dates and moments from Kalin's personal world with the public and global history of AIDS. Commissioned by Visual AIDS in 2014 as part of ALTERNATE ENDINGS, a program of seven videos that bring together charged moments and personal memories amidst the public history of HIV/AIDS.
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Tom Kalin
- Original Title
- Ashes
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 6m
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Tom Kalin
Visual AIDS
Department Leadership Roster
Tom Kalin
Director
Visual AIDS
Producer
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Ashes.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Ashes.
Visual AIDS Video Commissions
Visual AIDS commissions artists and filmmakers to create new short videos responding to the ongoing HIV and AIDS crisis. Every year a new video program premieres on December 1 to mark Day With(out) Art / World AIDS Day. Learn more at https://video.visualaids.org/
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Frequently Asked Questions About Ashes
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Ashes about?
For Ashes, Tom Kalin photographed thousands of high resolution still images and "stitched" them into a moving image. While borrowing library books for research on another project, Kalin discovered, glued to the endpapers, ordinary "due date" ledgers stamped with dates spanning three decades. Inspired by these tiny ledgers—like skin or palimpsests that recorded an analogue history, an accumulation of many gestures—Kalin combines quotidian pictures snatched from his daily life with an evocative musical track by ongoing collaborator Doveman (Thomas Bartlett). The film layers dates and moments from Kalin's personal world with the public and global history of AIDS. Commissioned by Visual AIDS in 2014 as part of ALTERNATE ENDINGS, a program of seven videos that bring together charged moments and personal memories amidst the public history of HIV/AIDS.
Who directed Ashes?
Ashes was directed by Tom Kalin.
Who stars in Ashes?
The principal cast of Ashes includes Not specified.
When was Ashes released and how long is it?
Ashes was released in 2014 with a total runtime of 6m.