In October 2019, 'Death in Paradise' written & directed by Helena Aleksandrova took place at Kallio Stage in Helsinki, Finland.
Originally started as a site-specific live performance, the script was adapted to a short film with the same name that was shot in the same stage right after the live show was over.
Kallio stage is perfect for small intimate events but also larger scale multimedia and dance performances, cinema screenings, seminars, workshops and so on. Downstairs there is a traditional black box in theatre environment, the upstairs lobby is painted in red colours and consists of 60s design. The place was perfect match to the idea behind it.
Read more below.
SYNOPSIS:
Nina is a young writer. She is offered to do a live translation for a sold-out theatre play. Everything seems to be going according to the schedule until a visitor from the past appears on stage. Unable to see the stage, Nina has to rely on her ears to understand what is actually happening inside the harrowing play.
Country: Finland
Runtime: 15 min
Recording Format: 2k
Exhibition Format: DCP.
Sound: Stereo, 5.1
Language: English.
Year: 2020
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THE PERFORMANCE
The performance 'Death in Paradise' was written and directed by Helena Aleksandrova starring Maria Tyminski.
The performance was limited capacity of max 15 people. While they waited in the lobby to be let in, the could see the translator setting up in the lobby. Suddenly you can hear from the black box, that the play has started and the translator started to translate. The worker of the stage (played by me) keeps the audience from entering, saying soon there will be space. Since it is free performance, the audience accepts the wait without supsicion. The audience is left with only hearing the sounds from the inside and the translator in the lobby translating. With enough suspension and involvement to the story built, the audience was slowly understanding that the performance is happening in the lobby.
After graduating from Aalto University, Visual Culture and Contemporary Art in 2017, Helena was continuing her Master's thesis on the audiovisual medium as a mean of communication and experience. Her Master's work 'Present Continues' involved empty tv-set and a teleprompter facing the audience, telling audience how to react to something they cannot experience. With 'Death in Paradise' she was focusing on constructing the world via audio and sound design without seeing the action. Inspired by Orson Welles' radioplay of 'The World of the wars', I went to the genre of horror, which appeals the the emotion. I added the actress on stage to add the element of time and the illusion that the sounds are actually coming stage at the same exact moment.
'Death in Paradise' was performed during 4 days on October 1st, 4th, 8th and 12th 2019 in Helsinki, Finland at Kallio Stage.
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CREW:
Writer and Director:
Helena Aleksandrova
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Performer:
Maria Tyminski
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Art Direction:
Helena Aleksandrova & Tia Hassinen
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Sound design and music:
Helena Aleksandrova and Saku Kamarainen
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Voice acting:
Roxana Sadvokassova
Kristian Palmu
Mariangela Pluchino
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Light Design:
Kristian Palmu
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The Short Film
One month later, short film 'Death in Paradise' was born from the site-specific performance. Inspired by giallo cinema, Aleksandrova combined the nature of the plot and the aesthetics of the Kallio Stage theater. The medium of cinema developed 'Death in Paradise' further, providing new elements, that could only be experienced as a film audience. It allowed to dive into what the main character and the audience couldn't see: what was happening on stage. The murder on stage was shot in the style of 'giallo' cinema - from the perspective of the murder - which would be hardly possible to execute during the live play. In addition, the film has close-up of the audience reactions, which is also impossible to experience live. Helena was equally interested in how the time is experienced on screen and in building suspense via cinematic language with editing and music.
'Death in Paradise' was shot during 4 days between 24th and 27th October 2019 in Helsinki, Finland in Kallio Stage and Publics.
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Trailer
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CAST
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Maria Tyminski - Nina
Kristian Palmu - Max
Roxana Sadvokasova - Margo
Mariangela Pluchino - Kate
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CREW
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WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY
Helena Aleksandrova
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY
Shahi Derky
CAMERA ASSISTANT
Taysia Ulianova, Saara Hasan
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR
Uzair Amjad
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LINE PRODUCER
Jelica Jerinić
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ART DIRECTOR
Helena Aleksandrova, Tia Hassinen
SOUND DESIGN & ORIGINAL MUSIC
Saku Kämäräinen
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SOUND RECORDIST
Fiona Musanga
SOUND MIXER
Toni Teivaala
GRIP
Camille Navarro, Aishe Vejdani
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RUNNER
Anastasiia Rezanova
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EDITED BY
Helena Aleksandrova
COLORIST
Hannu Käki
PRODUCED BY
Helena Aleksandrova
ACADEMY OF MOVING PEOPLE AND IMAGES
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Country: Finland
Runtime: 15 min
Recording Format: 2k
Exhibition Format: DCP.
Sound: Stereo, 5.1
Language: English.
Year: 2020
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DIRECTOR
Helena Aleksandrova (*1992) is a Helsinki-based artist and filmmaker from St.Petersburg, Russia. Helena got her double Bachelor degree in St.Petersburg State University and Bard College, where she majored in Film Theory. She then proceeded to follow her art career and received Master's degree in Aalto University at Visual Culture and Contemporary Art program.
Visit website for more https://www.helena-aleksandrova.com/
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Helena Aleksandrova
