In the lead up to the 7th Canadian Film Festival in Australia (August 2012), join us as we countdown the Top 100 Canadian Films of the past 30 years. We'll be posting one film a day leading up to Canada Day on July 1st 2012. Do you agree with our team favourites? Let us know your thoughts!
The HIGHRISE project explores vertical living around the world. It’s one of the most ambitious documentary projects ever attempted, unfolding across several years, using a variety of media and relying on international collaborations.
This mind-boggling documentary experiment is being carried out at the National Film Board of Canada by director Katerina Cizek and producer Gerry Flahive. The sheer scope of its ambitions and the beauty of its production have made it into an international hit, cementing Canada’s position as the world leader in transmedia storytelling.
Over the years, many projects have sprung up as part of HIGHRISE, including interactive documentaries, mobile productions, live presentations, installations and films. The vision is to examine how the documentary process can drive and participate in social innovation, rather than just document it.
What I love about the HIGHRISE project is that it hasn’t entirely been set out in advance; it’s a beast that is constantly evolving under the influence of participating artists, and adapting to new technologies as they become available. Thanks to the National Film Board’s support, it benefits from the luxury of spontaneity, something that is virtually non-existent in cinema, where funders and investors insist on vetting screenplays and production plans long before anyone starts shooting.
I first came across it when producer Gerry Flahive flew to Sydney to attend our Canadian Film Festival. I asked him to present his work to a Sydney audience, and he gave us the first ever public peek into one of the project’s productions, Out My Window.
Using one of the most accessible mediums available – photography – this interactive documentary takes us into the homes of residents of high-rise towers the world over. Take a look! A simple premise is given a restrained, elegant execution, delivering rich storytelling rewards.
There are more works emerging from this fertile framework all the time. Some have even been adapted into public art installations that live in subway systems, or as immersive 360-degree cinemas. I can’t encourage you enough to go out and explore. You’ll be inspired, trust me!
- Matt Ravier
“The stories are so varied and interrelated, the approach so inviting, it seems that she could have gone on indefinitely. What traditional documentary could accomplish that?” – The Globe & Mail
To see the other films in the countdown so far, click here.