Total Refusal

NEWS: LEARN AND PRACTICE THE ART AND CRAFT OF MACHINIMA

Il Varco and Lago Film Fest are delighted to announce the third edition of the internationally acclaimed residency, Nouvelle Bug. This unique program is dedicated to the exploration and production of cinema within the realms of video games and Artificial Intelligence. Set against the picturesque backdrop of Revine Lago, this intensive week-long experience combines webinars and live lessons designed to immerse participants in the experimental frontier of Cinema. Under the guidance of the most renowned filmmakers in this niche, attendees will not only gain invaluable insights but also actively engage in the creation of avant-garde short films. Arrive with ideas and leave with a masterpiece that pushes the boundaries of traditional filmmaking.

The workshop is designed to familiarize participants with cutting-edge techniques, supporting them through the development and production phases of their short film projects. Moreover, these projects will have the opportunity to compete for awards offered by prestigious partners such as Gargantua Distribution, Gioia Film, Sayonara Film, and Lago Film Fest.

Participants will explore new aesthetics and solutions introduced by the widespread use of artificial intelligence, learning to adopt a machine-like perspective. This approach not only opens up new vistas for storytelling but also prompts a reflection on humanity’s god-like role in software creation and its implications for our future.

Through this workshop, filmmakers will embark on a journey to discover and harness the unique narrative power of digital worlds, translating them into compelling cinematic experiences. Nouvelle Bug stands as a beacon for those eager to pioneer the fusion of technology and art, offering a platform to redefine the essence of storytelling in the digital age.

TUTORS

The tutors for the workshop include:

  • Andrea Gatopoulos, a Rome-based film producer and director with a background in Modern Literature from Sapienza University, Rome. His work, which explores virtual environments, includes the project Bit-Reality and the short film Happy New Year, Jim, presented at the 54th Quinzaine des Réalisateurs in Cannes. His productions have been featured in over 100 festivals worldwide, such as Cannes, Venice, Rotterdam, and Camerimage.

  • Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis, an artist and filmmaker trained at Le Fresnoy, known for exploring the intersection of identity, technology, and the virtual world. His work Maalbeek,a deep dive into the fragmented memory of a Brussels terrorist attack victim, was selected for the 59th La Semaine de la Critique and won the 2022 César for Best Short Documentary.

  • Total Refusal Crew, a pseudo-Marxist media guerrilla group focusing on the artistic intervention within mainstream video games to expose their underlying political messages. Their films have been showcased at numerous festivals, including Berlinale and Locarno, and their research has been featured in museums and art fairs globally.

  • Gala Hernández López, an artist filmmaker and researcher applying a feminist and critical perspective to analyze discourses within virtual communities. Her film La Mécanique des fluides won the 2024 César for Best Documentary Short Film and the 2023 Experimental Work Award from la Scam (France), among other accolades. She regularly conducts workshops and lectures at prestigious institutions and festivals.

CALENDAR

March 28th 2024 Opening of the call for entries

June 15th 2024 Closing of the call for entries

June 28th 2024 Announcement of the 30 selected directors

August 18th 2024 Start of the workshop

October 1st 2024Selection of the winning project

SXSW: GRAND THEFT HAMLET, OR ALL THE VIRTUAL WORLD’S A STAGE

Premiering at SXSW in Austin, Texas, Grand Theft Hamlet garnered acclaim from both critics and audiences alike. In this compelling segment from The Digital Room (2023), produced by Mark Ager, Sam Crane delves into the creation of this remarkable documentary.

In Grand Theft Hamlet (2024), filmmakers Sam Crane and Pinny Grylls chronicle an audacious project: the production of Shakespeare’s Hamlet within the virtual landscapes of Grand Theft Auto Online amid the isolation of the 2021 COVID-19 lockdowns. Crane, also known by his stage moniker Rustic Mascara and esteemed for his performances in London’s West End, embarks on an innovative journey into digital spaces, seeking new horizons for artistic expression. His pioneering venture was lauded with Critics’ Choice Award at the 2022 edition of the Milan Machinima Festival for his avant-garde short, We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On (2021), marking a significant milestone in fusing game technology with classical theater. This endeavor introduces a contemporary lens to the interpretation of Shakespearean works. Alongside Crane, Grylls, a renowned documentary filmmaker with a penchant for human-centered narratives, navigates the uncharted territories of a virtual milieu. Her extensive background in ethnographic video work is a testament to her versatility, illustrating the evolving demands on documentary filmmakers to adapt and innovate within digital landscapes, thereby expanding the scope of narrative storytelling.

This groundbreaking work not only pioneers new avenues of artistic expression but also sheds light on the profound social and cultural repercussions of the pandemic on the creative sectors, alongside the pivotal role of video games in nurturing social bonds. Prior to delving into the filmmakers’ inventive methodologies, the technical hurdles they faced, and the distinctive experiences of the directors, it’s crucial to underscore that Grand Theft Hamlet stands as a paragon within an emergent genre of documentaries. These documentaries leverage video games or virtual platforms as their central narrative canvas, treating digital worlds with the gravitas of real-world settings. This exploration delves into the rich social and creative potential of virtual realms, emphasizing how these platforms can be a crucible for connection, collaboration, and artistic expression. Examples of such game video essays include the award-winning Knit’s Island (shot in DayZ, 2023), We Met in VR Chat (shot in VR Chat, 2022), Total Refusal’s Hardly Working (shot in Red Dead Redemption 2, 2022), and others that we have previously discussed and/or presented either on VRAL or at the Milan Machinima Festival. Many of these documentaries intricately weave narratives around the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, illustrating how virtual environments emerged as sanctuaries of community and purpose amid widespread isolation. The pandemic, while presenting unparalleled challenges, also sparked a surge in creative and intermedia experimentation, bridging the gap between traditional and digital art forms. This renaissance is vividly captured through the filmmakers’ journey, exploring new frontiers, navigating technical complexities, and bringing to light the unique perspectives of its creators.

(continues)

Matteo Bittanti


Works Cited

Sam Crane, Pinny Grylls, Grand Theft Hamlet, documentary, 90’, 2024, United Kingdom. URL

Associate writer-director: Mark Oosterveen. 

Production: A Project 1961, Grasp the Nettle Films production, in association with Park Pictures.

Producers: Julia Ton, Rebecca Wolff. 

Executive producers: Sam Bisbee, Jackie Kellman Bisbee, Cody Ryder, Will Clarke, Andy Mayson, Mike Runagall, Sam Crane, Harlene Freezer, Eric Kuhn, Hannah Bush Bailey, Shanida Scotland.

Crew: Directors, writers: Sam Crane, Pinny Grylls. 

Camera: Pinny Grylls. Editor: Pinny Grylls.

Music: Jamie Perera.

Sam Crane, We Are Such Stuff As Dreams Are Made On, 10’, 2021, United Kingdom. URL


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MMF MMXXIV: TOTAL REFUSAL IS WINNING THE CULTURE WAR

The Milan Machinima Festival is thrilled to introduce Kinderfilm as part of our Auteur Theory program. Join us for a special screening on March 15 2024 at IULM University in the Sala dei 146. Today, we’re happy to share an exclusive clip.

Operating at the intersection of art, politics, and video games, the Austrian artist collective Total Refusal stands out as a groundbreaking force. This self-described “pseudo-Marxist media guerrilla”, comprised of artists, researchers, and filmmakers, has carved a unique niche by appropriating contemporary video games to create political narrations. Their innovative approach to “upcycling” the resources of mainstream video games into videos, interventions, live performances, lectures, and workshops has not only challenged conventional boundaries but also captivated audiences worldwide. In 2023, they even made it into the front page of The New York Times (the best part, as often is the case with the Grey Lady, is the comment section… priceless).

Since its inception in 2018, Total Refusal’s compelling fusion of digital art and political commentary has garnered international acclaim, earning them over 50 awards and honorary mentions. It’s a stunning achievement in such a short span of time. Noteworthy among these are the prestigious European Film Award and the Best Short Direction Award at the Locarno Film Festival, underscoring their significant impact on contemporary film and art.

Total Refusal’s filmography is a testament to their creative versatility and political engagement. Their works, including Kinderfilm (2023), Hardly Working (2022, screened at the Milan Machinima Festival in 2023), Deconstructing the Bridge (2022), How to Disappear (2020, presented at the Milan Machinima Festival 2021), Featherfall (2019, featured on VRAL), and Operation Jane Walk (2018, screened at Sogni Eletrrici in 2019), explore various dimensions of video game worlds while critiquing societal and political norms. The provide a counter-narrative to mainstream discourse.

Total Refusal’s critical acclaim extends to major film festivals around the globe, showcasing their work to diverse audiences. Their recent participations include the Locarno International Film Festival (Switzerland), L’Étrange Festival (France), Black Canvas (Mexico), Montreal Festival du nouveau cinéma (Canada), and Viennale (Austria), among others. Each festival participation not only amplifies their voice but also reinforces the relevance of their work in contemporary discourse on art and politics.

Supported by the Austrian Cultural Forum Bern, their festival journey reflects a growing recognition of video game art as a legitimate and powerful medium for political and social commentary. From the streets of virtual Los Santos in Kinderfilm to the digital landscapes of Operation Jane Walk, Total Refusal redefines the boundaries between the fictional and the concretely lived, inviting viewers to reconsider their perceptions of video games, art, and the world around us.

The collective's most recent work, Kinderfilm, ventures into the spaces of Grand Theft Auto V,capturing a day permeated by mundane routines yet overshadowed by a “grave absence”, that is, a future put on hold due to safety concerns. Through the perspective of its protagonist, Edgar, the film traverses the eerily ordinary reality dictated by the game’s algorithms, unveiling a world that is outwardly enchanting but fundamentally nightmarish. This journey underscores Total Refusal’s knack for distilling deep insights from allegedly neutral digital environments. More poignantly, their critique extends beyond virtual borders, resonating starkly with real-world contexts. Particularly, it mirrors the societal dynamics of countries like Italy, where a declining birthrate, escalating emigration, and a crisis co-opted by the Far Right paint a similarly unsettling picture of suspended futures and challenged normalcies.

As Total Refusal continues to challenge and inspire, their work remains a benchmark for those seeking to navigate the complexities of contemporary digital and political landscapes. Their success at film festivals worldwide is not just a testament to their artistic innovation but also to the vital role of video games in shaping our cultural and political consciousness, not to mention reshaping visual culture as a whole.

Matteo Bittanti

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: AUTEUR THEORY

Image by Dall-E 3

The Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIV is thrilled to present the Auteur Theory program, showcasing three exceptional works by leading international artists and filmmakers. Join us for screenings on Friday, March 15, 2024, in the Sala dei 146 at IULM University.

Auteur theory

Friday March 15 2024 , 15:00 - 17:00

Sala dei 146

IULM 6, IULM University

Via Carlo Bo 7, 20143 Milano

curated by Matteo Bittanti

Artists and filmmakers: Jacky Connolly, Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, Robin Klengel (Total Refusal), Lawrence Lek.


The concept of auteur theory, originally developed within the context of film studies, posits that a film reflects the creative vision and personal style of its director, who is considered the primary “author” of the work. As machinima continues to evolve as an art form, this program explores how the elusive concept of authorship can be applied to works created within game engines, where the boundaries between gameplay, filmmaking, and digital art become increasingly blurred.

The three works featured in the Auteur Theory program exemplify the unique ways in which machinima artists and filmmakers assert their creative vision and personal style within the constraints of existing video game environments and game design tools. By repurposing game visuals, mechanics, and narratives, these artists create deeply personal works that challenge our understanding of authorship, creativity, and the nature of video games as a medium for artistic expression.

Kinderfilm, the latest creation by the Austrian collective Total Refusal (represented by Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, and Robin Klengel), unfolds within the digital spaces of Grand Theft Auto V’s San Andreas. The story follows a middle-aged man named Edgar, who drifts aimlessly through Los Santos, confined to his car. Total Refusal uses this familiar setting to explore themes of societal critique and hope, echoing the aesthetics and concerns of unclassifiable filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman and Kristoffer Borgli.

Lawrence Lek’s Theta immerses viewers in the journey of a self-driving police car grappling with an existential crisis within the desolate streets of SimBeijing, an abandoned smart city. As Theta confides in its integrated therapist, a self-help AI named Guanyin, the narrative unveils the grim realities that led to the city's abandonment. This stunning work is a continuation of Lek's Sinofuturist universe, delving into themes of identity, surveillance, and empathy within the technological age.

Jacky Connolly’s Descent into Hell transports viewers into a post-capitalist, dystopian vision of the United States. Crafted through an innovative amalgamation of scenes from Grand Theft Auto V and Connolly’s original animations, the piece diverges from the game’s central narrative to delve into the stark realities of everyday life for its characters. Connolly's work reflects her foray into the digital expanse of GTA V during the 2020 lockdown, prompting reflection on the stark realities of our age of collapse.

In the unique auditorium setting of the Milan Machinima Festival’s Sala dei 146, the Auteur Theory program transcends traditional cinematic experiences, redefining the essence of auteur theory in the age of art after video games. As viewers gather in this communal space, they are not merely spectators but participants in an immersive journey through video game landscapes transformed by the artists’s vision. This collective viewing experience amplifies the impact of each work, where the manipulation of game engines becomes a conduit for exploring the nuanced interactions between technology, society, and individuality.

The featured works delve into critical themes, examining the erosion of human connections, the pervasive influence of technology, and the stark realities shaped by late capitalism, while leveraging the familiar terrains of digital games to craft narratives that challenge and redefine societal norms. The characters within these narratives, marked by isolation and alienation, serve as mirrors reflecting the viewer’s own experiences in the contemporary world. Through a masterful blend of game aesthetics, original animations, and evocative sound design, these works construct immersive environments that invite introspection on the current state of society, the impact of technology on our lives, and the undiminished importance of genuine human connections.

By curating these three distinct and unique works under the umbrella of the Auteur Theory program, the Milan Machinima Festival underscores machinima’s capacity to serve as a powerful medium for creative storytelling, social critique, and the exploration of complex ideas. This program not only showcases the ability of artists to infuse their unique visions and styles into the constraints of commercial game worlds but also celebrates machinima’s evolution as an art form. It highlights the medium’s capability to foster a deeper understanding of the world around us, encouraging viewers to contemplate the intricate dance between reality and digital (re)creation, and pushing the boundaries of what machinima can achieve in conveying socially relevant concerns.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

MMF MMXXIV: TOTAL REFUSAL

The Milan Machinima Festival is thrilled to introduce Kinderfilm as part of our Auteur Theory program. Join us for a special screening on March 15 2024 at IULM University.

Kinderfilm, the latest creation of Austria collective Total Refusal (hereby represented by  Adrian Jonas Haim, Michael Stumpf, Robin Klengel), unfolds within the digital spaces of Grand Theft Auto V’s San Andreas. The story centers on a middle aged man named Edgar, who drifts aimlessly through Los Santos and beyond, confined to his car. He’s unsettled by the mechanical, artificial nature of the world around him, where genuine human presence and children are conspicuously absent. This narrative engages with deep questions about the state and direction of a society overwhelmed by vehicles and crime, suggesting a critique of modern societal norms and the loss of human connections. Edgar’s journey takes a significant turn when he follows a yellow school bus, leading him to abandon his vehicle for the first time. This act brings him to the beach, symbolizing a stark contrast to the urban emptiness he leaves behind, and suggesting a possibility for renewal and discovery. Echoing both the aesthetics and concerns of filmmakers like Charlie Kaufman and Kristoffer Borgli, Total Refusal uses the familiar setting of Grand Theft Auto V to explore themes of societal critique and hope. By contrasting the game’s violent and chaotic themes with the innocence of children and the natural beauty of the beach, the film conveys a nuanced view of potential future directions, emphasizing the importance of reconnecting with fundamental human values.

Adrian Jonas Haim, a dynamic presence in Vienna and beyond, engages deeply in the intertwining realms of film and politics. His academic journey led him to the University of Applied Arts in Vienna, where he pursued studies in Political Science & Experimental Game Cultures. Haim’s diverse creative endeavors span writing, music, and art, all underscored by a keen focus on Marxist theory and the exploration of ideology within cross-media culture. His editorial insights previously enriched the pages of MALMOE Zeitung. As a programmer, he has curated film series that delve into the politics of remembrance, contributing to platforms such as Filmclub Tacheles, the Vienna Jewish Film Festival, and the This Human World Film Festival. In 2020, Haim brought his multifaceted expertise to the Total Refusal collective, furthering its mission to challenge and reinterpret media landscapes.

Robin Klengel operates at the nexus of art and cultural anthropology in Vienna and Graz, bringing a critical eye to the study of urban and digital environments. His academic background in cultural anthropology was honed in Graz and Berlin, equipping him with the tools to research, write, and teach within the sphere of artistic-scientific inquiry. Klengel’s work extends to filmmaking, textual analysis, and the delivery of lectures and courses that bridge the gap between theory and practice. Since 2021, he has served as co-chairman of Forum Stadtpark, an interdisciplinary art and culture space in Graz, demonstrating his commitment to fostering creative dialogue. His role in co-founding the Total Refusal collective in 2018 has been instrumental in shaping its direction and impact.

Michael Stumpf navigates the confluence of philosophy, media, and cultural semiotics with an analytical approach rooted in phenomenology. His studies in Philosophy in Vienna and Media Culture and Art Theories in Linz (unfinished) have provided a foundation for his exploration of popular cultural tropes and their significance. Stumpf’s work transcends disciplinary boundaries, manifesting in artistic endeavors, design projects, and coding, all aimed at interrogating the mechanics of media and culture. As a co-founder of the Total Refusal collective in 2018, Stumpf contributes to its mission with a unique blend of theoretical insight and practical expertise, challenging conventional interpretations of media narratives.

Read more about the 7th edition of the Milan Machinima Festival

EVENT: HARDLY WORKING (LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL, ONLINE)

Total Refusal’s masterful video essay Hardly Working is now accessible on demand on the Locarno Film Festival’s website.

This monumental game video essay spotlights digital gaming’s unsung background performers — the rote routines of NPCs (non-player characters). Populating worlds solely to represent banality and engage in trivial pursuits, this supporting cast of a laundress, stable boy, street sweeper and carpenter now occupy center stage. Captured through an ethnographic lens, their repetitive labor cycles, programmed patterns, and periodic bugs form a potent analog to modern working life under capitalism – an endless hamster wheel of menial, thankless tasks. Like Sisyphus sentenced to perpetually roll his boulder in futility, these NPCs epitomize the toil intrinsic to system dynamics tilted starkly against them by coded design. Their endless drudgery upholds the stage so that gamers can play.

In June 2023, the machinima has been featured on the New York Times as well in their “Op-Docs” section.

Hardly Working has been screened at the 2023 Milan Machinima Festival.

The artist, researcher and filmmaker collective and pseudo-marxist media guerrilla Total Refusal appropriates contemporary video games and writes about games and politics. They upcycle the resources of mainstream video games, creating political narrations in the form of videos, interventions, live performances, lectures and workshops. Since its foundation in 2018, their work has been awarded with more than 50 awards and honorary mentions - like the European Film Award or the Best Short Direction Award at the Locarno Film Festival. The current members of Total Refusal are:Susanna Flock, Adrian Jonas Haim, Jona Kleinlein, Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner & Michael Stumpf



EVENT: YEAR OF THE ROBOT: THREE MACHINIMA SHORTS (OCTOBER 3 2023, MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA)

As part of Melbourne International Games Week Film Series, ACMI’s curator Joni Maxwell presents three takes at AI’s effect on society, through the lens of machinima.

For the first time in Australian cinemas, a cutting-edge retrospective —curated by Jini Maxwell at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) in Melbourne — is set to challenge how we perceive video games in the context of sociopolitical landscapes. This showcase features three short films that employ screen-captured footage from popular video games Grand Theft Auto V and Battlefield to investigate the collusion between virtual and real-world politics.

The Year of the Robot is part of the Melbourne International Games Week Film Series, a three day cinematic and machinimatic tour de force situated at the intersections between video games and wider cultural phenomena. The series begins Sunday, October 1, featuring a dialogue between Summerfall Studios co-founders David Gaider, Elie Young, and Liam Esler, moderated by Jini Maxwell. The session celebrates the launch of their debut project, Stray Gods, a musical odyssey inspired by an array of multimedia influences ranging from television and cinema to stage musicals.

Continuing the program on Monday, October 2, is a screening of Andrew Bujalski’s cult movie Computer Chess (2013), a retro excursion into the techno-utopianism of the 1980s. Focused on an annual chess convention, the film captures the competitive spirit of software developers racing to create the ultimate chess algorithm. Notably, Computer Chess was filmed using a vintage tube video camera and employed non-professional actors with specialized knowledge in computer science.

Concluding the series on October 3 is the Year of the Robot screening, which includes three poignant short films that dissect how video games shape or are shaped by sociopolitical realities. Grayson Earle’s Why Don’t the Cops Fight Each Other? (2021) scrutinizes the coding of police behaviors in Grand Theft Auto V. Mathias Wolff’s It’s Just Math (2021) delves into predictive policing and its implications on Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour in Los Angeles. The program culminates with Total Refusal’s How to Disappear (2021), which contemplates the politics of combat desertion, using Battlefield (2002) as a case study.


Year of the Robot: Three machinima shorts

A machinima retrospective curated by Jini Maxwell

Part of The Melbourne International Games Week Film Series

October 3 2023

ACMI Museum

Federation Square, Melbourne, Australia


Featured Program

Why Don’t the Cops Fight Each Other?

Still from Why Don't the Cops Fight Each Other? (2021), Grayson Earle

Director: Grayson Earle

Year: 2021

Country: USA

Duration: 9’ 4”

Language: English

Format: Digital Cinema Package (DCP)

Grayson Earle’s groundbreaking work, Why Don’t the Cops Fight Each Other? (2021), explores the manifestation of the controversial "blue wall of silence" in Rockstar Games’ Grand Theft Auto V (2013). Over the span of nearly ten minutes, Earle conducts a desktop performance, capturing his meticulous efforts to deconstruct and modify the game's coding. Through this lens, Earle unveils how ingrained social structures influence police conduct within the virtual world, mirroring complex sociopolitical dynamics.


It’s Just Math

Screen capture from Mathias Wolff's It’s Just Math (2021). Courtesy of the artist

Director: Mathias Wolff

Year: 2021

Country: Germany

Duration: 29’ 52”

Language: English

Format: Digital Cinema Package (DCP)

Mathias Wolff's It’s Just Math (2021) takes viewers to the fictional city of Los Santos in Grand Theft Auto V to present an experimental documentary focused on predictive policing. Wolff delves into the significant impact of these predictive technologies on the lives of Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC) in Los Angeles. The film critically examines “Dirty Data” —data that is inaccurate, incomplete, or inconsistent — and discusses how its integration into predictive policing software perpetuates systemic biases against BIPOC communities.


How to Disappear

Still from How to Disappear (2021), Total Refusal. Courtesy of the artist

Director: Total Refusal

Year: 2021

Country: Austria

Duration: 21’ 6”

Language: English

Format: Digital Cinema Package (DCP)

In How to Disappear (2021), media collective Total Refusal adopts a pseudo-Marxist lens to scrutinize the political implications of combat desertion in both real and digital spheres. Positioned as an anti-war narrative, the film grapples with the ethics and potential avenues for peace within the adversarial environment of the multiplayer war game Battlefield (2002).


NEWS: TOTAL REFUSAL’S KINDERFILM TO DEBUT AT THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL

Total Refusal, Kinderfilm, 2023 (poster)

The Austrian collective Total Refusal will introduce their new work, Kinderfilm, at the Locarno Film Festival, which is currently taking place in the Swiss town (August 2-12 2023). The machinima is featured in the prestigious Pardi di domani – International Competition. Similar to its predecessors, Kinderfilm unfolds exclusively within the confines of a video game universe. However, it diverges from the documentary-style approach adopted by earlier installments, venturing into the realm of full scale experimentation and sheer absurdity. Set against the backdrop of Grand Theft Auto V, the movie follows the perplexing journey of an NPC grappling with the very essence of its existence. In short, more Charlie Kaufman and less Karl Marx (and the beach scene does remind us of Ari Aster’s Beau is Afraid). We are happy to share the first stills, trailer, and synopsis. Clocking at 11’ 35”, Kinderfilm was directed and written by Adrian Jonas Haim, Robin Klengel, Michael Stumpf and shot with/in Grand Theft Auto V.

Watch the trailer below:

Below is the extended synopsis:

On a typical day within the virtual realm of Grand Theft Auto V, the  streets bustle with cars, pedestrians adhere to their daily routines, and leisure activities like backyard barbecues and beachfront sunbathing are the norm. However, amidst this seemingly ordinary backdrop, an ominous void looms—the conspicuous absence of a future held back by safety apprehensions. The central character, Edgar, undertakes the  enigmatic task of unraveling the clues left by this absence within the fabric of his simulated reality. As he delves into the eerie aspects of his routine existence, he unearths a paradoxically captivating yet  unsettling realm that had slipped from his grasp—a world that is both beautiful and nightmarish in its essence.

Total Refusal describes themselves as “a pseudo-marxist  media guerrilla focused on the artistic intervention and appropriation of  mainstream video games” who “upcycle video games in order to reveal the  political apparatus beyond the glossy and hyperreal textures of this  media.”

Total Refusal (the Kinderfilm team: Adrian Jonas Haim, Robin Klengel, and Michael Stumpf)

Adrian Jonas Haim (*1991 Vienna) does film and  politics in Vienna and elsewhere. Studies of Political Science &  Experimental Game Cultures at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna.  Involved in various writing, music and art projects with a focus on  marxism and ideology in cross media culture. Former editor at MALMOE  Zeitung, programmer for film series on politics of remembrance (Filmclub  Tacheles, Vienna Jewish Filmfestival, This Human World Filmfestival).  Joined Total Refusal in 2020.

Robin Klengel (*1988 in Graz), lives and works as an artist and cultural anthropologist  in Vienna and Graz. He researches, writes texts, gives lectures and  courses and makes films in the field of artistic-scientific research of  urban and digital spaces. He studied cultural anthropology in Graz and  Berlin. Since 2021 he is co-chairman of the interdisciplinary art and  culture space Forum Stadtpark in Graz. He co-founded the collective in  2018.

Michael Stumpf (*1985 in Wels), studied  Philosophy in Vienna as well as Media Culture and Art Theories in Linz  (unfinished). His research interlaces a background in phenomenology with  media and culture semiotics, analyzing the relevance and operating mode  of popular cultural tropes. He works as an artist, designer and coder.  Stumpf co-founded the collective in 2018.

Read more about Total Refusal 

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MEDIA COVERAGE: NEITHER ARTIFICIAL NOR INTELLIGENT: MACHINIMA IN THE AGE OF AI (ITALIAN)

What is the relationship between machinima and AI? A new article on Duels magazine provides an overview courtesy of T.L. Taylor, Marshall McLuhan, and Kate Crawford. Not to mention Ben Nicholson, Total Refusal, Andrea Gatopolous, Mathias Wolff, Sjors Rigters, and Kent Sheely.

Text in Italian

Read more

MMF MMXXIII UPDATE: HARDLY WORKING BY TOTAL REFUSAL

The labor of game


Hardly Working

Total Refusal, machinima, 20’ 30”, Austria, 2022

Join us for an exclusive screening at the Museum of Interactive Cinema in Milanas part of Neither Artificial Nor Intelligent program, Milan Machinima Festival 2023 on March 25 2023 at 4 pm (directions)



Total Refusal’s latest work, Hardly Working, is shedding light on the lives of non-player characters (NPCs) in video games. The machinima, which premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival in the Summer 2022 alongside a terrific performance by the collective, explores the daily lives of these NPCs — characters that are typically in the background of video games — and the work they do to create the illusion of a bustling digital world.

With ethnographic accuracy and maniacal detail, Hardly Working follows the routines and activity patterns of NPCs, including a laundress, a stable boy, a street sweeper, and a carpenter. These characters are portrayed as Sisyphus machines, trapped in a cycle of labor that is analogous to work under capitalism, with its relentless pursuit of “bullshit jobs” (David Graber).

Hardly Working has received massive critical acclaim, winning the Best Direction Award and the Junior Jury Award at the Locarno International Film Festival. It has also been screened at several other festivals around the world, including the Vancouver International Film Festival, the Black Canvas Festival de Cine Contemporáneo in Mexico, and the Festival du Nouveau Cinema in Canada.

Other screenings include the Seminci - Valladolid International Film Festival in Spain, the VIENNALE in Austria, the Filmmaker Film Festival in Italy (where it won the Premio della Giuria Award), and the IKF Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur in Switzerland. Hardly Working has also been screened at the KFFK/Kurzfilmfestival Köln N°16 in Germany, the Bosphorus Film Festival in Turkey, the Uppsala International Short Film Festival in Sweden, and the PÖFF Shorts in Estonia.

Hardly Working has also won several awards, including the Best Austrian Animation ASIFA Award and Audience Award at the Best Austrian Animation Festival in Austria, the Best Screenplay Award at the Usak Film Festival in Turkey, and the Best Concept Award at the Winter Apricots: Prilep International Film Festival in Macedonia. It has also been screened at the Max Ophüls Preis in Germany, the Vilnius Internation Short Film Festival in Lithuania, the FIPA Doc International Documentary Film Festival in France, and the Stuttgarter Filmwinter in Germany.

In 2020, the Milan Machinima Festival screened How to Disappear (2020), “a game video essay on the nature of war - both real, that is, unmediated, and remediated through ludic means”, and in 2021, the collective’s short Featherfall was featured in season 01 of VRAL.

Hardly Working is a fascinating look at the lives of NPCs in video games and the commentary it offers on the nature of work under capitalism. Its success at festivals around the world suggests that audiences are interested in exploring these themes and are eager to see more from Total Refusal, a self-described pseudo-marxist media guerilla that explores and practices strategies for artistic intervention in contemporary computer games. It works with tools of appropriation and rededication of game assets.

Matteo Bittanti

Read more about Hardly Working

Read an interview with Total Refusal (2021) about Featherfall, dreams, and simulations

Read Regine Debatty’s review

Trailer

The artists

The self described pseudo-marxist media guerilla Total Refusal explores and practices strategies for artistic intervention in contemporary computer games. It works with tools of appropriation, manipulation, and decontextualization of game assets. Their films and performances have been presented in several festivals and museums around the world, including the MOMA in New York and the Locarno Film Festival. Total Refusal’s current members are Susanna Flock Adrian Jonas Haim, Jona Kleinlein, Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner and Michael Stumpf.

Total Refusal, photo by Sarah Fichtinger, 2022

Hardly Working

Total Refusal, machinima, 20’ 30”, Austria, 2022

Milan Machinima Festival MMXXIII

Saturday March 25 2023, from 4 pm

MIC - Museo INTERATTIVO DEL CINEMA

Fondazione Cineteca Italiana

Manifattura Tabacchi - Viale Fulvio Testi 121, 20162 Milano 

NEWS: TOTAL REFUSAL WINS BEST DIRECTOR AWARD AT THE LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL ("PARDI DI DOMANI")

TOTAL REFUSAL’S HARDLY WORKING (2021) WON THE BEST DIRECTOR’S AWARD IN THE PARDI DI DOMANI SHORT FILM COMPETITION AT THE 2022 LOCARNO FILM FESTIVAL

A pungent critique on the labor conditions of NPCs in open world games — and specifically Red Dead Redemption 2 — Hardly Working is a meta-documentary on what would be called “extras” in a cinematic production: NPCs or non-player characters. In fact, the narrative function of such characters is limited, if not marginal and they seem to have no real agency or autonomy.

Hardly working is a 20 minute “ethnographic exploration of the work and daily life of non-player characters, the digital extras in video games. Their labor loops, activity patterns as well as bugs and malfunctions paint a vivid analogy for work under capitalism.”

As the artists explain:

Here a laundress, a stableman, a street sweeper, and a handyman are the four main characters of this film. With ethnographic precision, the film observes their daily work: a rhythm composed of loops that makes them work daily and tirelessly. Their work neither results in a product, nor does it change anything about their status quo. In light of Hannah Arendt description of ‘animal laborans’ – in contrast to the acting subject –, the NPCs as individuum are an exaggeration as their work performance actually manifests their status.

The Pardi di Domani competition is described by the curators as “a territory for expressive experimentation and innovative formal poetry, [which] showcases short and medium length films as world or international premieres. The section consists of three competitions: Concorso internazionale, with works by emerging filmmakers from all over the world; Concorso nazionale, for Swiss productions; and Concorso Corti d’autore, with short works by established directors.” This year, the Best Auteur Short Film was awarded to Big Bang by Carlos Segundo and the Best International Short Film prize went to Sovereign by Wara. Total Refusal’s well deserved award from one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals, is a major recognition for machinima as a form of art.

Originally founded by Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner and Michael Stumpf, Total Refusal describes itself as “a pseudo-marxist media guerilla focused on the artistic intervention and appropriation of mainstream video games. We upcycle video games in order to reveal the political apparatus beyond the glossy and hyperreal textures of this media.”

Read more about Hardly Working

Red more about Total Refusal

Images and videos courtesy of the Artists

NEWS: A CLOSER LOOK AT FEATHERFALL

“The videogame world is a space that constructs and transforms our dreams and desires. […] Games are more like dreams than they are like books or movies. As such, they can make visible structures of which they are not yet consciously aware.”

(Alfie Bown, The PlayStation Dreamworld)

Total Refusal’s Featherfall is currently exhibited on VRAL and will remain online until February 11 2021. An investigation of the complex relationship between dreaming and playing video games, Featherfall was originally conceived as a four channel video installation which takes the form of an immersive, curved structure reminiscent of gamers’ most extravagant set-ups. As Leonhard Müllner explains, the single channel machinima was created by combining “the overlapping scenes” via “a different editing” process. In the single channel machinima, several videos looping in “each of the four screens” are clustered together. Müllner adds that the videos displayed in each of the four monitors in the original installation have different lengths.

Total Refusal, Featherfall, installation view, 2019. (Photo: Courtesy of the artists)

Total Refusal, Featherfall, installation view, 2019. (Photo: Courtesy of the artists)

This video, produced by Total Refusal, shows the original video installation:

In this short video produced by Karl Wratschko and Lilith Kraxner for the Culture Department of Styria Province A9 in the celebration of the Art Award of the Styria Province 2019, Total Refusal describe themselves as a “media guerrilla group”:

Total Refusal is Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner, and Michael Stumpf. In their practice, they critically analyze and appropriate digital game spaces and recontextualize them. Playing games but ignoring the intended gameplay, Total Refusal allocates these resources to new activities and narratives, in order to create “public” spaces imbued with critical, even subversive potential. Leonhard Müllner works as an artist in the public and digital space and is currently writing his doctoral thesis at the Linz Art University at the Institute for Art and Cultural Studies. Robin Klengel works in Graz and Vienna as an interdisciplinary artist, illustrator, cultural anthropologist and vice president of the Forum Stadtpark. Michael Stumpf studied philosophy at the University of Vienna and now is an artist, designer and cultural theorist. Two of their works, Operation Jane Walk and How To Disappear: Deserting Battlefield, were featured in the 2019 and 2020 editions of the MFF respectively. Click here to read more about Total Refusal.

EVENT: VRAL #18_TOTAL REFUSAL (JANUARY 29 - FEBRUARY 11 2021)

FEATHERFALL

Digital video (1920 x 1080), color, sound, 10’ 21”, 2019 (Austria)

Created by Total Refusal (Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner, Michael Stumpf), 2019

Introduced by Matteo Bittanti

Originally conceived as a video installation, Featherfall is presented on VRAL as a single channel machinima. Adopting the format of the video essay, the project began as an investigation of the relationship between game playing and dreaming, a recurrent topic in video game forums. In their psychoanalytic examination sui generis, Austrian collective Total Refusal (Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner, Michael Stumpf) suggest that games and dreams have much in common. Featherfall focuses on the archetypal nightmare of falling, which in video games is often exacerbated by a recurring programming error otherwise known as a glitch which causes the player’s alter ego to suddenly disappear beneath the surface, plummeting into a void. This weird phenomenon is known to persist in the players’ subconscious and to resurface in their dreams, like a curse..

Total Refusal is Robin Klengel, Leonhard Müllner, and Michael Stumpf. In their practice, they critically analyze and appropriate digital game spaces and recontextualize them. Moving within games but ignoring the intended gameplay, Total Refusal allocates these resources to new activities and narratives, in order to create “public” spaces imbued with critical, even subversive potential. Leonhard Müllner works as an artist in the public and digital space and is currently writing his doctoral thesis at the Linz Art University at the Institute for Art and Cultural Studies. Robin Klengel works in Graz and Vienna as an interdisciplinary artist, illustrator, cultural anthropologist and vice president of the Forum Stadtpark. Michael Stumpf studied philosophy at the University of Vienna and now is an artist, designer and cultural theorist.

WATCH NOW

MEDIA COVERAGE: Matteo Lupetti, Artribune (in Italian)

NEWS: GAME VIDEO ESSAY A (MARCH 09 2020)

GAME VIDEO ESSAY A.png

GAME VIDEO ESSAY A features a series of documentaries made with video game engines that apply the video essay format to machinima. This program, which debuted in 2019, returns to Milan with six original contributions made by eight international artists, on themes ranging from ecology to simulated battles, from virtual desertion to the creation of possible worlds. Two unclassifiable works complete this selection: a sui generis remake of a seminal film/slideshow by Chris Marker and a philosophical bodybuilding session in Los Santos.


GAME VIDEO ESSAY A propone una selezione di documentari realizzati attraverso videogiochi che applicano al machinima il formato del video essay. La formula, già sperimentata nel 2019, ritorna con sei contributi originali realizzati da otto artisti internazionali, su temi che spaziano dall’ecologia alle battaglie simulate, dalla diserzione virtuale alla creazione di mondi. Completano la selezione due opere inclassificabile: un remake sui generis di un seminale film/slideshow di Chris Marker e una sessione di bodybuilding filosofico in quel di Los Santos.

TRAILER

LINE-UP/PROGRAMMA

Jonne Hansson, Heavy Thoughts

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 13’ 23”, 2019. Sweden.

Andy Hughes, PLASTIC SCOOP

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 23’ 39”, 2019. United Kingdom.

Jona Kleinlein, HIDDEN CONFLICTS

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 25’ 08”, 2019. Germany.

Luca Miranda, THE BOWL (LA JATTE)

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 05’ 34”, 2018. Italy.

José Neto, LUGAR COMUM - THE GENESIS OF A DIGITAL WORLD

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 8’ 59”, 2019. Brazil.

Total Refusal, HOW TO DISAPPEAR: DESERTING BATTLEFIELD

machinima/digital video, color, sound, 20’ 06”, 2019. Austria.