Experiments in emulsion sos
2026
with

Julian Antos

Projectionist, Technician, Filmmaker, and Archivist; Executive Director for the Film Society

Shorts Program: Experiments in Emulsion— Off Center: Science of Film Emulsion

What happens when you bury reels of film in a landfill or raw film stock in a former nuclear accident evacuation zone? How about submerging film in a crab trap off the coast of South Carolina? This program showcases films born out of these experiments, as well as more intense chemical interventions that obscure, distort, or even completely remove images from film strips. Julian Antos of the Chicago Film Society will talk us through the science of film emulsion after the screening.

Program includes sound of a million insects, light of a thousand stars by Tomonari Nishikawa, REMOVED by Naomi Uman, WHAT THE WATER SAID NOS. 4-6 by David Gatten, TWILIGHT PSALM II: WALKING DISTANCE by Phil Solomon, and LANDFILL 16 by Jennifer Reeves.

Gene Siskel Film Center Chicago, IL

Film Synopsis

A program of short films about chemical interventions in film.

What happens when you bury reels of film in a landfill or raw film stock in a former nuclear accident evacuation zone? How about submerging film in a crab trap off the coast of South Carolina? This program showcases films born out of these experiments, as well as more intense chemical interventions that obscure, distort, or even completely remove images from film strips.

Films include:

sound of a million insects, light of a thousand stars by Tomonari Nishikawa

REMOVED by Naomi Uman

WHAT THE WATER SAID NOS. 4-6 by David Gatten

TWILIGHT PSALM II: WALKING DISTANCE by Phil Solomon

LANDFILL 16 by Jennifer Reeves

About the Speaker

A projectionist, technician, filmmaker, and archivist living and working in Chicago, Julian Antos currently serves Executive Director for the Film Society. Julian projects at CFS shows, manages the CFS film collection and film loans, and has a special interest in making sure every bit of salvaged film and equipment has a useful life. He also works at the Music Box Theatre as Technical Director. He is a stickler for focus, and his favorite movie is Meet Me in St. Louis.