CÍRCULO ROTO:
ALL I HAVE TO OFFER IS MYSELF

Círculo Roto is a quarterly film night highlighting works by independent makers. For this edition, we invite short films (under 20 minutes) that draw an analogy between film and writing, such as essay or diary films.

The title of this open call is taken from a letter by Chris Marker, where he writes: “Contrary to what people say, the use of the first person in films tends to be a sign of humility: all I have to offer is myself” (1999). We seek to rediscover filmmaking as a language of introspection.

Following the tradition of autofiction, diaries, essays, and experimental documentaries, we are interested in the different ways an author can make themselves known. We welcome short films that expand on the uses of the First Person, where the author is no longer relegated to obscurity but exposed as a site for social reflection. A pulling of the curtain that reveals to the audience the spirit behind what they are watching.

When delving into these kinds of films, a comparison between the camera and the pen is imminent. These are tools we use to make sense of our lives—to appreciate, remember, and imagine—beyond the margins of what the eye can see. Agnès Varda, known for her colorful and personal films, proposes the term cinécriture to describe this relation. For this program, we ask: How can writing evoke the impression of a film? Or, how can a film follow the logic of writing? While each medium bears its own rules and rhythms, we encourage makers to borrow, err, and stretch the boundaries between these parallel tools.

Submission deadline: 16th of November