This screening program curated by Donna Verheijden is part of the Media Arts Festival Arnhem (MAFA), which will take place from March 22 to 24, 2024. A festival with film programs, lectures, performances, experiments, workshops and conversations with artists in Focus Filmtheater, around the theme ‘LESS’. Part of the festival is a two-week exhibition in Museum Arnhem, also in March 2024.

MAFA is a collaboration between Focus Filmtheater, Museum Arnhem and ArtEZ Academy for Art & Design. 

The selection of works within the program One is the Loneliest Number? questions the role of the individual against the (infinite) hunger for growth, for more. One is the loneliest number? is a call for more dialogue. A dialogue with the past, present and future, a dialogue with each other. The works within this screening program talk about authenticity, intimacy, togetherness and growth from different perspectives.

Johan Grimonprez – Raymond Tallis – on tickling (BE, 2017, 8 min)
Oliver Laric – Versions (DE, 2012, 6 min)
Johan Rijpma – Extrapolate (NL/JP, 2016, 2 min)
Nynke Laverman – Your Ancestor (NL, 2020, 5,28 min)
Anouk De Clercq – One (BE/NO, 2020, 6 min)

Johan Grimonprez – Raymond Tallis – on tickling
In this short film by Johan Grimonprez, philosopher/neurologist Raymond Tallis argues that consciousness is not an internal construct, but rather relational. Through the intriguing notion that humans are physically unable to tickle themselves, Tallis explores the philosophical notion that we become ourselves only through dialogue with others. (subtitles: Dutch, language: English)

Oliver Laric – Versions
A playful visual essay, a documentary-type film about notions of authenticity, value and permanence in the field of creative production. Since 2009, Oliver Laric has anchored his wide-ranging artistic output with a series of video works titled Versions. These act as gathering points for his theoretical, aesthetic and research concerns with bootlegs, remixes and hybrids. They bring up numerous examples of reuse and iconoclasm. (no subtitles, language: English)

Johan Rijpma – Extrapolate 
In this hand drawn animation a line is being extrapolated through a grid. When the line surpasses the boundaries of the grid, the process spreads to and reflects on its surroundings. Beyond each boundary the extrapolation of movement is causing deformation in a systematic but speculative way. A straight ahead animation beyond observation. (Language no problem)

Nynke Laverman – Your Ancestor
By now, we know that our worldview in which man stands above all other life is unsustainable. The belief in endless economic growth, social engineering, and ’time is money’ takes us further away from ourselves and a sustainable existence on Earth. But to change, you must first know who you are now. And then it helps to look at yourself through other people’s eyes. For instance, how do trees look at us? Or our great-grandchildren? The latter is the premise of Your Ancestor: Suppose we could jump hundreds of years into the future and say something to our great-grandchildren; what would we say? (no subtitles, language: English)

Anouk De Clercq – One
One is a film, a performance, a 21st century protest song, a call to action, a pledge, a commitment, a solemn undertaking, a summoning of consciousness, an instruction, a stand against mindlessness and distraction, an art of limits, an active silence, a difficult love. And an invitation. To drink in the vibrancy of life at all scales. To embrace complexity and attend to our world with a befitting vibrancy of feeling. (no subtitles, language: English)