Screening of Jean Rouch’s Les Maîtres Fous (The Mad Masters), 1954, 35 mins, selected by artist Spartacus Chetwynd and screened in conjunction of his own performative works, The Walk of Dover (2005) and Call of the Wild (2006).

Saturday 2 October, 11am – 5.30 pm, Whitechapel Gallery

Film London and Channel 4 in association with the Whitechapel Gallery, are organising a day of talks and screenings showcasing work of the four artists shortlisted for the Jarman Award 2010. Spartacus Chetwynd, Ben Rivers, Zineb Sedira and Emily Wardill have been selected by the award jury for their highly distinctive voices and uncompromising approach to artist film-making.

Morning Programme (11-1.30)
A selection of Spartacus Chetwynd’s distinctive performative works, including the Walk of Dover (2005) and Call of the Wild (2006) are accompanied by a screening of Jean Rouch’s Les Maîtres Fous (The Mad Masters) (1954, 35 mins), selected by the artist.

This will be followed by the selected progammes of Emily Wardill and Ben Rovers & Zineb Sedira in the afternoon.

Les Maitres Fous centres on a stunning ceremony performed in the suburbs of Accra, Ghana (which was still the Gold Coast, a British colony, when the filming took place) by members of the Hauka possession cult who were immigrants from Niger (then a French colony). Those who became possessed are `horses’ of the Hauka and became symbolic caricatures of the British and other people of power who maintained colonial rule. First the French and then the British banned the cult, but this only encouraged its popularity and it continued to grow until independence. Jean Rouch was asked by a small group to film their annual ceremony During this ritual, which took place on a farm a few hours from the city. The Hauka entered trance and were possessed by various spirits associated with the Western colonial powers: the governor general, the engineer, the doctor’s wife, the wicked major, the corporal of the guard.

Inspired by visionary avant-garde film-maker Derek Jarman, The Jarman Award was launched by Film London through FLAMIN (Film London Artists’ Moving Image Network) in 2008, in partnership with Channel 4. This award was introduced to recognise artists working with the moving image whose work, like Jarman’s, resist conventional definition, encompassing innovation and excellence. The Jarman Award will be announced on 5 October

For more information and full programme visit: www.filmlondon.org.uk/jarmanaward
Tickets: £5 whole day £3 half day
Whitechapel Box Office: 020 7522 7888 email: tickets@whitechapelgallery.org