Singing of the Evening Stars – Films

Iris Sang
United States, China, Estonia | 2026 | 21 min
World premiere
Language : no dialogue
Subtitles : French

Observed by an otherworldly gaze, the modern commercial downtown Los Angeles, immersed in the deepest night, becomes the setting for a sound ritual and visual symphony. Thanks to one man’s dreams, the songs of the many species of birds that once inhabited the area return – back from the time when a river still flowed through it and a native village stood there.

Observed by an otherworldly gaze, the modern commercial downtown Los Angeles, immersed in the deepest night, becomes the setting for a sound ritual and visual symphony. The view of the sleeping city, with vehicles moving wearily along, dogs barking and neon signs glowing, evokes the atmosphere of a neo-noir. Yet instead of triggering the crime we might expect, thanks to one man's dreams it conjures a surprising abstraction reminiscent of avant-garde visual music. The metamorphosis is inspired by a personal story: when the director's father was imprisoned, she was unable to hear his voice for three years, until it suddenly returned vividly to her thanks to a bird song he used to imitate. Living in California, she conducted further research into sonic memory, transferring it from her private experience to the history of the city, creating a layered work rich in naturalistic, cultural and urban references, featuring the songs of the many species of birds that once inhabited the area, when a river still flowed through it and a native village stood there.

Sergio Fant

Singing of the Evening Stars, 2026
To Break Water, 2023