The image in the film Blind Understanding is of one long slow shot sliding down a river. It has clear ties to the cinematic way of portraying an inner process of change, inspired from The Heart of Darkness. Along with the imagery a voice over is heard narrated by the artist herself. Loosely linked stories are told. First about black birds moving into cities adapting their patterns, then about work songs, how a people can change their mother tongue and how a drivers license is thought to make you behave differently. The text concentrates on different aspects of language and assimilation. The persons being treated want, must or without knowing are changing by adapting. The ways in which it’s done stand against each other – the wanting or not wanting to understand, change, assimilate.
Title: Blind Understanding
Production, Text, Voice over: Saskia Holmkvist
Camera: Lars Siltberg
Length of film: 13 min
Year of Production: 2009