Frenetic Journey Toward Muddledness: An Experimental Short Film

Author

Fernando Vieira, The Graduate Center, City University of New YorkFollow

Date of Degree

2-2024

Document Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

M.A.

Program

Liberal Studies

Advisor

Edward D. Miller

Subject Categories

Film and Media Studies

Keywords

film, experimental, queer cinema, avant-garde, filmmaker, film noir

Abstract

As an artist and Film Studies student, I saw the capstone option as an opportunity to consolidate academia with the art of filmmaking into one project. This became Frenetic Journey Toward Muddledness, an experimental short film written, directed, and edited by me. It is a film influenced by early avant-garde cinema, German expressionism, and film noir. Composed of pieces of unrelated footage and featuring an ambiguous, non-linear, and mostly silent narrative, the editing of the film prompted me to ask myself questions about its genre. Its hybridity made it possible to position the film within different categories, but there was one particular category that I found difficult to ascertain. Is my film a queer film? Would it be considered queer cinema just because I happen to be queer? These and many other questions are explored in this paper. I turn to concepts of film form and narrativity to answer such questions, to situate my film under a theoretical microscope, and to put to the test my own understanding of the research I have undertaken. Lastly, I look at renowned works of queer cinema to examine possible parallels between them and my film. Ultimately, this capstone project has become a launching pad to continue making films utilizing the academic insight that I have gained.

Comments

Film available at https://youtu.be/jSFH2bC-cBo

Recommended Citation

Vieira, Fernando, "Frenetic Journey Toward Muddledness: An Experimental Short Film" (2024). CUNY Academic Works.
https://academicworks.cuny.edu/gc_etds/5674