12 – 19 January 2023

The Plagiarists, dir. Peter Parlow, USA 2019, 76 min., English
Beyond Interpretation is a new programme that explores the connections between paranoia, conspiracy, anxiety, and the precarious realities of artistic creation at the margins of the American film industry. At a time when it is increasingly difficult to make and distribute films that defy simple categorization, resist commercial expectations of narrative and form, and whose concerns are often out of step with capitalist ideals of profit, it is important to seize every available opportunity to present them to new audiences.
In partnership with the ICA and the National Film and Television School, Beyond Interpretation is proud to present the UK premieres of five films which epitomize this convergence of paranoid and precarious preoccupations. These works, while disparate amongst themselves, share a spirit of daring and a collective approach to the art of filmmaking that makes them powerful representatives of the ideals of Beyond Interpretation.
Beyond Interpretation takes inspiration from all eras of American film history, from melodramas of the 1940s, paranoid thrillers of the 1970s, and to radical independent visions from throughout the 20th and 21st centuries. During this week of screenings, London audiences will access an exciting moment in contemporary American film culture, one that continues the tradition of addressing fraught times with challenging responses of their own.
This programme is curated by Chris Cassingham in partnership with the National Film and Television School and the ICA. With special thanks to all of the film’s directors, producers, and distributors for making their works available in the UK for the first time.
no. 236848.