Film Festival
Leiden Shorts - Pluto in Aquarius: Celestial Bodies
- Date
- Saturday 8 June 2024
- Time
- Address
-
Old Observatory
Sterrenwachtlaan 11
2311 GW Leiden
Leiden Shorts and Leiden University invite you to a special event under the stars combining film and science at the Old Observatory in Leiden - the oldest surviving university observatory in the world. For tickets, please visit the Leiden Shorts - Pluto in Aquarius page.
Film Programme
Transcending the terrestrial, this session explores the interplay between celestial bodies and our own, or absence thereof – from afar, from within. Between seismic parallels between human anatomy and the Earth (Sanctuary), metaphysical coping mechanisms in the face of existential anxiety (O Seeker), a personal journey set against the vast canvas of outer space (The Ender's Line), a transformative blood moon (Grey at Night), and techno-capitalist alienation (The Moon Also Rises), these films offer a reflection on the universal and the therapeutic. Gathering beneath the stars, we traverse from outer space back within, in introspection.
Only once every 248 years does this extraordinary astrological event occur: the planet Pluto enters the Aquarius zodiac sign. This rare shift took place on January 20th, 2024, and is considered one of the most important astrological occurrences of our time. The influence of this celestial event is said to be large-scale, long-term and limitlessly impactful.
Pluto symbolises truth and power, specifically in revealing what lies beneath the surface through inward exploration. It is the planet of profound transformation, the idea which lies at the foundation of this film programme.
The films in this programme illuminate the power of transformative change and challenge established norms. Pluto in Aquarius explores our connections with the cosmic universe (Celestial Bodies), the natural world of flora (Still, We Bloom), and the evolving landscape of technologies that are bringing on unprecedented times (Post-Human Visions). Each of these sessions inspires reflection and change, inviting viewers to look at the world through a new lens.
Programme
- 21:30 - Talk by researcher Dr. Frans Snik - Leiden University
- 22:00 - Short film programme screening
- 23:30 - Guided tour in the telescope rooms of the Old Observatory
About Leiden Shorts
Leiden Shorts returns, from June 6 until June 9, for a rejuvenated edition featuring 138 films from 53 countries. In a globalstate of constant flux, which has also found our festival in a transformative period, we invite the audience to reflect on notions of growth, fluidity, and change. This year’s programme will focus on the spaces where novel ideas and original perspectives take shape. We wish to observe the world and our society in its raw and true colours, exploring through the richness and diversity of the short film format alternative views on the current state of affairs, censorship, and colonial legacies.
A detailed overview of the programme can be found on the Leiden Shorts website.