Barbara Rubin: Christmas on Earth (open air)

Art Cinema OFFoff is going all out again with an analog double-projection and live soundtrack for the third edi­ti­on of Heden Cinema – the sum­mer series of twelve open-air scree­nings at De Tuin van Heden, each cura­ted by a dif­fe­rent Ghent film exhibitor.

We present Barbara Rubin’s queer classic Christmas on Earth as it is meant to be seen: as two 16mm reels, projected simultaneously onto a single screen, one inside the other. Color filters placed in front of the lenses add hue to what would otherwise be black-and-white film. A live music performance will channel-surf across radio stations, drawing on whatever happens to be playing at the time of the screening. History, fixed in the image, meets the sound of the present, coupled by chance.

There will be a short intermission after which the film will be screened a second time with the reels swapped. Audience members are invited to take part in the live color effects the second time around.

A few of the responses to the London screening earlier this year:

“Its almost hard to believe the perfect pairings were accidental: a pulsating vagina accompanied by Chappell Roan’s Pink Pony Club, I Wanna Know What Love Is scoring sodomy, a throbbing anus seemingly singing Macy Gray’s I try to say goodbye and I choke…”

“Will never get Sabrina Carpenter’s Manchild playing over an inferno of throbbing reproductive organs out of my head.” 

“Not sure I’ll ever hear Eric Prydz’s Call on Me in a more incredible context tbh. A shocking experience, to say the least.” 

“Linkin Park came on the radio while this was playing, one of the greatest moments of my film going experiences to date.”

“Lady Gaga + Rubin = Cinema.”