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Chott el-Djerid (A Portrait in Light and Heat) (1979)

Chott el-Djerid (A Portrait in Light and Heat) (1979)

Documentary
Release Date: 1979, January 1
Directors: Bill Viola
Countries: United States of America
Production: Thirteen, New York State Council on the Arts, National Endowment for the Arts

Overview:

Driven by a quest to capture a landscape reduced to flatness and sky, Viola travels to Chott El-Djerid. The film opens with images of snowy prairies and winter scenes, mirrored by warm, vibrating desert vistas. Through powerful telephoto lenses, shimmering mirages and warped forms emerge under extreme heat and light. These visuals evoke a space where dream and waking reality merge. Viola’s journey transcends documentation, transforming viewing into a reflective exploration of the limits of perception.