Filmhuset, 2023-10-10

“I hope for more space for those who take bigger artistic risks”

Filmmaker, artist and VJ, Elin Fiorentino Passanisi’s work moves freely between the art, film and music scenes. She already has several music videos, her own art films and VJ sets at both SCOPES and Way Out West. We asked her to tell us more about her DIY mindset, her attraction to music and her obsession with bringing reality and the dream world together.

What’s the situation and what are you working on right now?

– It is good! I’m in a bit of a stopover now after a summer of a lot of VJ gigs. The focus going forward is to develop concepts for a video exhibition, create covers, canvases for Spotify and develop stage visuals with different artists.

When the international festival SCOPES came to Stockholm this spring, you were scouted to create both your own installation, a live video performance and also make visuals for 11 different artists. What was the experience like and what do you think about belonging to the creative scene that was raised there?

– Apart from the fact that it took me a week to recover, it was incredibly fun and rewarding. SCOPES felt like a very unique festival. I have never been to or seen anything like it before and I was really impressed by the art. It feels great and of course very powerful to have been part of that context.

You recently did visuals for Brother John at Way Out West and you have several music videos under your belt. Can you tell us more about your recurring attraction to the music scene?

– I think the attraction is very much based on my personal love for music and the work behind it. It takes so much to express yourself artistically and dare to be vulnerable, which makes it feel very meaningful to be a part of.

Then being a video artist is an exciting job. Visualizing an artist’s world is not just about what I want to do, but more about understanding the whole. Video combined with music is such an effective way to evoke emotions, so it feels natural to bring them together.

You have taken the (for some quite unknown) course Audiovisual Production at Dalarna University, but which seems to have become something of a go-to course for VJs in Sweden. Would you recommend the course to others who want to explore similar mediums as you?

– Yes, absolutely. Before the program, I had no thoughts of VJing at all. The program is really good at introducing new art forms and gives room for experimentation. The classes are also very small, which I liked.

But to be honest, I never relied on my school assignments to give me the knowledge I needed to learn what I wanted. I think my drive and curiosity is what has given me the most.

Your work moves freely between more traditional film and art. What is it like to create in that borderland?

– It is rewarding and fulfilling. Somehow it comes very naturally to me to express myself through different art forms. It’s fun to mix poetry, sound design and visual storytelling, so it feels very unnecessary to limit yourself. However, I find that the industry likes you to have a clear title and only do one thing. That makes it more difficult, because then I don’t really know where to place myself and what I do.

Many people will be struck by your distinctive visual style. Where do you get your inspiration?

– Since I was a child, I have had some kind of obsession with bringing together reality and the dream world. In my abstract art, I am very much inspired by the patterns, phenomena and fractals of nature. To evoke emotions through textures, movement and form. When I work with video, the result is something more in the surrealist direction. I am also inspired by the beautiful and romantic in contrast to the dark and scary.

Then a big part is movies. Some favorites are Monster, Love, The Lobster, Buffalo 66, The Neon Demon, The Holy Mountain and Blue Velvet.

You often appear in your works yourself, both in visuals and readings. Can you tell us more about that process?

– For me, it has mainly been about accessibility and efficiency. When I made one of my early art or short films when I was 17, it became more of a solution to a problem in that I had no budget for the project. In retrospect, I’m glad it turned out that way, because the movie is based on a poem I wrote after my first relationship ended. I don’t think the honesty of the movie would have come across in the same way if I had used a different person. I work very independently too, so it comes more naturally to me to do everything myself.

We have previously had a conversation about the lack of information about what film support is available in Sweden. It feels like there is a large group of independent filmmakers emerging who are outside the established system of film support. Is the industry not doing enough to capture the next generation of filmmakers?

– Yes, I can feel that available grants are hard to find and they are usually only available once a year. It also seems that we choose to focus on projects that we think have higher commercial potential, instead of investing in films that explore new frontiers and new interesting ways of telling stories. We are missing out on a lot in doing so. I hope to see more room for those who take bigger artistic risks.

Today, however, there are a lot of opportunities to make really good movies without big budgets. Technology is so accessible, and that means we have a generation of creators with a more ‘do it yourself’ attitude. You can find your own creative solutions for most things without having to spend more than time and knowledge.

Both in the audiovisual field and in more classical film, there are both major and rapid technological developments, something I know you are very interested in. What are your thoughts on technological developments and how they can be used to your advantage?

– Technology can really open up opportunities to create unique art experiences and films. I myself work a lot with both AI and VFX in my creative process. It helps me both to work out new ideas, be more efficient and especially with VFX you can really cheat your way to a much “more expensive” result.

What is the dream project ahead?

– In the long run, the dream is to make a feature film, but that is a few years away. Right now I want to explore live performance and immersive digital art, and do more installations and exhibitions. And of course more music videos and short films.

Thoughts on the Film House?

– The Film House has been very valuable to me. Not only as a quiet place to work, but also to be in a creative environment with other filmmakers. I’ve had the opportunity to show my work three times now in cinemas and also VJ’d at an event. It feels a bit like a second home. I’m also very grateful that Filmhuset wants to highlight creators who work with film and storytelling in an untraditional way.