SLOOTWATER

Slootwater, a short film by Leo Mokkala, offers a fleeting glimpse into the hazy life of Blue Man, a fictional horror film actor. Like a digital glitch in a perfect system, he exists as an outsider — striving to be effective and unobtrusive, yet a source of discomfort and criticism. Part silent film, part audiovisual EP, and part mockumentary, Slootwater is a retro, experimental study of pop culture.

The screenings featured a live performance, God, It’s Hard to Be a Blue Man, a collaboration between Mokkala and visual artist Hamish Ford, who portrays the Blue Man in the film. The performance is a playful exploration of hybrid use of artificial intelligence in music-theatre. Although based on the protagonist of the short film Slootwater, the performance is an autonomous work that is meant to take on a life of its own.