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Title: CRIME OF EPHEMERA

Reference number: 7984

Date: 1995

Director: d. Steve Dickson

Sponsor: The Scottish Film Council

Sound: sound

Original format: U-Matic

Colour: bw

Fiction: fiction

Running time: 10.39 mins

Description: A moody piece of black and white filmmaking which tries to piece together the puzzle of Smolke the bookseller in Prague and a tale of alchemy, death and dreams.

First Reels - a joint short film initiative from Scottish Screen (and its predecessor body the Scottish Film Council) and Scottish Television. First Reels was launched during 1991 by Scottish Film Council in response to a perceived need for small grants to help young and first time film-makers to make or complete their first film or video project. Scottish Television came in as co-sponsor at an early stage and as well as contributing to half the funds they have given the scheme a tremendous public relations boost by running three half hour documentaries showing excerpts from the First Reels. Applicants were invited to submit projects in any format and on any subject they chose. All entries were considered by a jury and thirty five projects were given grants varying from £50 to £2000. On show at the GFT are a representative selection of the best of the films and videos supported by the scheme. [Editorial from Scottish Film Council held in paper archives]

Credits: narr. Norman Frazer
m. Neale Cairns
add. m. George Berguno, Coog Chuhan, George Stephanou
Thanks to London Electronic Arts, The Sound House, Super 8 Film Co.
Special thanks to Jane
Filmed on location in Prague
Made with the assistance of The Scottish Film Council
Steve Dickson © 1995

Shotlist: [intertitles at start:-]

"Books seem to be pestilent things, and infect all that trade in them.. with something very perverse and brutal" -John Locke

"... and tomorrow too will have died, our times will intermingle, and chronology will be lost in a sphere of symbols" -J.L. Borges