Taking
social distancing to a whole new level, Sweden's Göteborg Film Festival is inviting one
cinema fan to spend seven days on an isolated lighthouse island, with only
movies and the sea for company.
Like many
recent film festivals, Göteborg festival will go digital in the wake of the Covid-19
pandemic, but organizers decided to offer one festival goer a totally different
experience, dubbed The Isolated Cinema.
The chosen
fan will be transported by boat to the Swedish island of Pater Noster -- which
Göteborg Film Festival artistic director Jonas Holmberg calls "one of the
most beautiful and dramatic places I know."
Once there,
they will be set up in the former lighthouse keeper's house and spend a week
from January 30 to February 6 watching Göteborg's offerings. They won't be
allowed a cellphone, a laptop, a book or any other distractions.
Artistic
director Jonas Holmberg says the inspiration for the idea was how people
have turned to films for comfort during the pandemic.
"We
are interested in how the audience's relationship to films changes under those
circumstances, and wanted to explore this relationship by taking it to the extreme
-- isolating one person on a small rock in the sea for one week with films as
the only company," says Holmberg.
If you're
interested, you can apply online, all you have to do is email and say who you
are and why you're interested in the Isolated Cinema.
Pater Noster
is the name of the cast bright red lighthouse that was built in 1868 and is a
feature of the tiny island of Hamneskär.
A lighthouse keeper lived on the island in the cottage until the 1960s
when the beacon was automated.
Hamneskär
is situated off the coast of Marstrand in western Sweden. Apparently the name
"Pater Noster" (meaning "Our Father" in Latin) came from
sailors fearful of the rough seas surrounding the island, who prayed to the
Lord as they sailed these waters.
The
lighthouse was deactivated in recent years, and the lighthouse cabin was
recently renovated by design agency Stylt, so the chosen film fan will be able
to relax in comfort and style. The living room will be set up as a screening
room for movie-watching, while food will be provided for self-catering.
For safety
reasons, the visitor will not be totally alone.
Another person will stay on the island but they will keep their
distance. If everything goes as planned, they will never meet during the seven
days.
The
festival is accepting applications from across the world, but naturally they will need to take into consideration
Covid-related lockdowns and travel regulations.
"Of
course we have to ensure that it is safe and possible for the person to travel
to the island," Holmberg says. "The rules are changing all the time,
and we will adjust to the regulations that are in effect when the festival
starts."
The winning
applicant won't have to pay for the experience.
So how can
you make your application for film-watching-lighthouse-keeper stand out?
First and
foremost, says Holmberg, they're looking for a real lover of cinema. Göteborg
is the biggest film festival in Scandinavia. Alongside new films, the festival
also showcases seminars and exhibitions.
The chosen
applicant must also to be up for the challenge. It also has to be someone quite
stable, who is not troubled by the idea of spending one week in total
solitude," says Holmberg.
A handful
of applicants will be interviewed before the final selection takes place. The
festival organizers will ask the chosen film fan to record daily video diaries
about their experiences while on the island.
You can also watch the video by clicking on the Play Button
Article from CNN (edited)
