A rich collection of critically acclaimed and award-winning dystopian and psychological horror thrillers on the personal anxieties and conflicts brought by social divisions will be screened for free on the last four Wednesdays of the month.
They showcase symbolisms of the current struggles and diverse experiences of the various sectors of the society. The post-apocalyptic films provide in-depth reviews of the inequalities on opportunities.
The selected works invite the viewers to reflect on the realities of hierarchical classes and the role of greed and corruption in this structure, and thus its impact on the well-being of the marginalized.
Snowpiercer (2013) by South Korean director Bong Joon-Ho depicts how a failed climate change experiment wiped all life and only saved those who boarded the train that travels around the globe.
Based on the 1982 French graphic novel Le Transperceneige by Jacques Lob, Benjamin Legrand and Jean-Marc Rochette, this sci-fi action studies the foundations of the society and utilizes the railroad cars as a metaphor for hierarchy. It is slated on May 10.
Elysium (2013) by South African-Canadian filmmaker Neill Blomkamp transports the audience into the year 2154, wherein the ultrarich live aboard the paradisiacal man-made space station, while the poor struggle amid the Earth’s ruins.
A critique on the issues of immigration, healthcare and poverty, this action drama explores the chances of bringing equality to polarized worlds. It is scheduled on May 17.
The Platform (2019) by Spanish filmmaker Galder Gaztelu-Urrutia is a sci-fi horror that introduces a vertical level prison with a single food platform. In this hellish penitentiary, only those in the upper cells are fed while those below starve. It argues the availability of resources, the consequences of overconsumption and the wealthy’s lack of willingness to share. It will be showcased on May 24.
Get Out (2017) by American actor and comedian Jordan Peele is psychological thriller that stars a young African-American out on a weekend visit to his white girlfriend’s parents. In his directorial debut, Peele maximizes the genre to shed light on the terrors of newfound “negrophilia” or the black culture craze. It tackles how the white perspective dictates the perception of the black identity. It will be on view on May 31.
The selection is curated by the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design (MCAD) of the De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde.
The free and public online screenings will be conducted via Zoom every 12 noon on the scheduled dates.
To register, email mcad@benilde.edu.ph. For more information, visit the official Facebook page of MCAD (https://www.facebook.com/MCADManila).