Purity: North American Structural Film

A selection of ground-breaking North American filmmakers put acting, imagery and metaphor to one side in the late 1960s to focus instead on the very structures of film and filmmaking. Highlighting camera movement, the cut and the film surface in their most condensed and exaggerated forms, and using flash-frames, mesmerising loops and rich block-colour, the resulting uncompromising works make for compelling, often hypnotic viewing and were designed to encourage states of heightened self-awareness. Paul Sharits' N.O.T.H.I.N.G. - inspired by the Tibetan Mandala of the Five Dhyani Buddhas and aimed at 'the centre of pure consciousness' - punches straight for the optic nerve; while the calmer, wittier Film in Which There Appear Sprocket Holes, Edge Lettering, Dirt Particles, Etc by Owen Land, shows exactly what it says in the title. As if that weren't enough, Serene Velocity by Ernie Gehr and Standard Time by Michael Snow are also showing tonight. (Total 72min).

Introduced by Maxa Zoller, lecturer in moving image art.