Chris Baronavski (VS)
Name:Christopher Scott Baronavski
Title: Curtains
Medium: 3-screen documentary installation, 1920 x 1080, 23.976, stereo
Duration: various lengths
Installatie-documentaire over 2 jonge body builders die in hun verlangen naar succes en acceptatie nieuwe, bizarre en soms gevaarlijke wegen inslaan. Baronavski reconstrueert o.a. de laatste dagen van Abraham Biggs jr, die voor de webcam zelfmoord pleegde.
Men become gods in the eyes of each other - René Girard
Curtains - the stories of two young men who encounter the world of bodybuilding on their journeys toward self reinvention. The desire to succeed and find acceptance pushes them to new, bizarre, and sometimes dangerous directions.
I meet with the family and friends of Abraham Biggs, Jr. of South Florida, a 19 year old man who committed suicide before a crowd of hectoring internet trolls in November of 2008 after experiencing abuse on the popular web forum Bodybuilding.com, which is the largest such web community, as well as the largest online retailer of sports supplements. Despite receiving widespread international attention, many questions still remain. This piece reconstructs his final days and explores how social networking has transformed issues of masculinity, morality, and self-esteem among young men.
A second piece presents Steve Dutcher a novice bodybuilder who juggles his newfound passion with work, university, and social obligations. I follow Steve as he returns to his hometown of Detroit to compete for the first time as a Bantamweight bodybuilder, documenting the sacrifices he must make to get to the top.
----- Mr. Baronavski holds a degree in Psychology and has worked for several non-profit organizations as an information technologist and anti-violence advocate. His installation work has been exhibited in New York City and internationally. This is his first documentary film. He currently lives in Rotterdam, but calls New York his home.
Title: Curtains
Medium: 3-screen documentary installation, 1920 x 1080, 23.976, stereo
Duration: various lengths
Installatie-documentaire over 2 jonge body builders die in hun verlangen naar succes en acceptatie nieuwe, bizarre en soms gevaarlijke wegen inslaan. Baronavski reconstrueert o.a. de laatste dagen van Abraham Biggs jr, die voor de webcam zelfmoord pleegde.
Men become gods in the eyes of each other - René Girard
Curtains - the stories of two young men who encounter the world of bodybuilding on their journeys toward self reinvention. The desire to succeed and find acceptance pushes them to new, bizarre, and sometimes dangerous directions.
I meet with the family and friends of Abraham Biggs, Jr. of South Florida, a 19 year old man who committed suicide before a crowd of hectoring internet trolls in November of 2008 after experiencing abuse on the popular web forum Bodybuilding.com, which is the largest such web community, as well as the largest online retailer of sports supplements. Despite receiving widespread international attention, many questions still remain. This piece reconstructs his final days and explores how social networking has transformed issues of masculinity, morality, and self-esteem among young men.
A second piece presents Steve Dutcher a novice bodybuilder who juggles his newfound passion with work, university, and social obligations. I follow Steve as he returns to his hometown of Detroit to compete for the first time as a Bantamweight bodybuilder, documenting the sacrifices he must make to get to the top.
----- Mr. Baronavski holds a degree in Psychology and has worked for several non-profit organizations as an information technologist and anti-violence advocate. His installation work has been exhibited in New York City and internationally. This is his first documentary film. He currently lives in Rotterdam, but calls New York his home.
