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Oblivara - Beauty to Oblivion

Bart Santello
United States, 2026, 8 min.


This film is family friendly.

AIFF Award Winner:
Jury Award for Creative Achievement

Human memories trapped on 8mm film emulsion are subject the ravages of time, revealing the nature of life's impermanence and a recognition of mortality. In this liminal space of chemical chaos, artistic beauty belies a transitional state where vestiges of ghosts are left to temporarily linger in the shadows before their final descent into oblivion.

Director's Statement

A majority of my experimental films involve found or archival media with artistic value that supports a filmic idea or concept. In Oblivara - Beauty to Oblivion, an 8mm film from 1957 was discovered in a decayed state and transferred to digital for review. Upon inspection, the environmental decay of the emulsion revealed significant visual qualities and thus an opportunity for creative expression, with the goal of bringing the found footage to its full artistic promise.

Category: Experimental, Arizona Film, Festival Alum, Short, Award Winner.

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