Illusions of Movement takes audiences on a 45,000-year journey of moving image

Award-winning multimedia studio Limbic Cinema unveiled their new “Illusions of Movement” installation at Broadmead Baptist Church last weekend.

Taking place on Friday 15th – Saturday 16th September, the immersive moving image experience was the penultimate free event in Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover programme, which has been running across the city centre since June, presented by Bristol UNESCO City of Film and partners.

Thom Buttery, Creative Director, Limbic Cinema, said: “Limbic Cinema work across a wide range of events, from live music, to theatre and architectural projection mapping. We wanted to produce something that reflects this myriad of platforms, and develop an installation that embodies the experimental side of moving image. Breaking out of the traditional screen formats, embracing new technologies, whilst also making narrative and storytelling central to the experience.”

Natalie Moore, Bristol UNESCO City of Film Manager, said: “Bristol is home to world-leading creative companies that constantly push the boundaries of what we can expect from screen content. It’s creativity like this that has driven the development of the ‘moving image’ from early origins as cave drawings animated by flickering firelight, to the advent of moving pictures, cinema’s golden age, TV, digital and CGI to today’s virtual media advances. Illusions of Movement brings this evolution to life in the atmospheric surrounds of Broadmead Baptist Church, making this a truly immersive, free experience that we’re proud to present as part of Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover.”

“Illusions of Movement” is an awe-inspiring immersive film triptych that explores how humans use technology to capture, record and represent reality. Showing how animation and film brings imagination and storytelling to life, the film takes audiences on a 45,000-year visual journey, from neolithic cave paintings to the advance of artificial intelligence.

Visuals are combined with atmospheric music and narration by local poet Saili Katebe to provide a sensory focal point that audiences can gather around to experience film together.

Viewings lasted 15 minutes, playing on loop and allowing audiences to watch the film as many times as they like.

Bristol’s Summer Film Takeover was delivered as one of the activities under the City Centre and High Streets Recovery and Renewal programme, funded by Bristol City Council and the West of England Combined Authority’s Love our High Streets project.