Image via nathanieldorsky.net
Film still from ‘Apricity’
Film still from ‘Apricity’
The Union Cinema at UW-Milwaukee, a pillar of cinematic exploration since 1972, has long offered the Milwaukee community a rare glimpse into the world’s most daring and thought-provoking films. On Wednesday, November 6 at 7 p.m., it proudly presents The Uncanny Presence, a stunning program by experimental film legends Nathaniel Dorsky and Jerome Hiler. The Uncanny Presence asks its viewers to experience a visionary journey through cinema—one that captures life’s fleeting beauty and profound mystery without the use of words, but through pure, silent contemplation.
Known for transforming the ordinary into breathtaking visual poetry, Dorsky and Hiler have spent decades reimagining the possibilities of cinema. They are two artists whose voices have reshaped experimental cinema for over half a century, and tonight they share their lifelong visions, fearlessly expanding the boundaries of their art.
“In film, there are two ways of including human beings,” Dorsky says. “One is depicting them. Another is to create a film form which, in itself, has all the qualities of being human: tenderness, observation, fear, curiosity, the sense of stepping into the world, sudden murky disruptions and undercurrents, expansion, pulling back, contraction, relaxation, sublime revelation. In my work, the screen is transformed into a “speaking character,” and the images function as pure energy rather than acting as secondary symbols or as a source for information or storytelling. I put shots together to create a revelation of wisdom through delicate surprise. The montage does not lead to verbal understanding but is actual and present. The narrative is that which takes place between the viewer and the screen. Silence allows these delicate articulations of vision which are simultaneously poetic and sculptural to be fully experienced.”
Known for their mastery of silent 16mm film, Dorsky and Hiler explore the complex beauty of humanity, emotion, and existence in a style that metamorphoses and transcends the conventional scene. Curated in close collaboration with the filmmakers, The Uncanny Presence is a testament to the power of creative partnership, where each film radiates the uniqueness born from a shared lens and a deep, abiding dedication to cinematic wonder.
Image via nathanieldorsky.net
Film still from ‘Apricity’
Film still from ‘Apricity’
The evening begins with Dorsky’s Apricity (2019), a warm homage to winter sunlight and to Jane (Brakhage) Wodening, a reflection on age, wisdom, and the essence of a person. Hiler’s Bagatelle I (2016) captures a solitary artist against formidable walls, an image of creative resilience in chaotic surroundings.
Dorsky’s Naos (2022) shifts the focus to the sacred, with Jacob, a young filmmaker, guiding viewers to the symbolic heart of an ancient Greek temple. His recent short, O Death (2023), offers a brief, contemplative nod to life’s transience. Dorsky’s final work, Caracole (for Izacali) (2023), delivers a surprising revelation on Aztec heritage as he captures Linda, a young collaborator, in an intimate and poetic portrait.
The program concludes with Hiler’s Careless Passage (2024), a film that reflects his meditative outlook on life’s journey and encounters. Hiler’s words echo his acceptance of life’s fluid passage: “I look forward to the passage from this life to future wanderings in unknown places.”
This new series of films, curated in close collaboration with the artists, invites audiences into a visual landscape where the mundane shimmers with mystery and life. Dorsky's and Hiler's films eschew traditional narrative, embracing instead a non-verbal intimacy that speaks directly to viewers. Their approach creates a deeply personal experience, where silence and vision intertwine, requesting for each audience member to participate in an exclusive, inner dialogue with the screen. It’s a celebration of perspectives on life, humanity, and the cinematic form, of the power of collaboration and dreams. It's a celebration of a medium that speaks in a universal language—one that the Union Cinema has championed for more than 50 years.
