We are thrilled to share that LEÇON D’OBJET (OBJECT LESSON) by Herman Asselberghs was awarded at the Beijing Short Film Festival 2024.
Leçon d’objet talks about the camera used to make the film. Its title refers to the proven teaching method of presenting an everyday object by naming its characteristics and properties. The close observation of a physical object can then lead to a better understanding of abstract concepts. The object here on display is the Blackmagic Design Pocket Cinema Camera 4K. Film students refer to this tool/thing/product as “the Black Magic” or “the 4K”. The setting of the film is the arts college. The roles are for film students. The narrative gives the floor to one of them as she takes portraits of her fellow students over summer. In the ambiguous middle between fiction, documentary and essay, Leçon d’objet reflects through her voice on image making, on our dealings with the camera, on film school and on the question of attention.
Jury Comments:
"The Object Lesson is a reflexive exploration of filmmaking, following a Black female protagonist‘s teaching practices at a film school. Through a mix of diverse perspectives and methods, the film examines the images captured by the camera and the inevitable passage of time during the filming process. It weaves the shifting identity of the person behind the camera with feminist and other multifaceted issues, creating a self-referential and thought-provoking narrative." (Gao Zhongli)
