SUHA @ rendez-vous du cinéma québecois

25 fév 21h45 | Feb 25 ~ 9:45PM
cinematheque.qc.ca

SUHA (TEASER) by ROBBY REIS on Vimeo.

SUHA is a short film by ROBBY REIS, which documents the life of a young graffiti writer as she marks her way through Montreal’s graffiti art sub-culture. SUHA’s diaristic accounts unfold through her self-discovering narration which is delivered as a soliloquy unbeknown to her.

SYNOPSIS: SUHA documents the life of a young graffiti writer as she marks her way through Montreal’s graffiti art sub-culture. SUHA’s diaristic accounts unfold through her self-discovering narration, which is delivered as a soliloquy unbeknown to her.

THE FILM'S BACKGROUND: SUHA is a short film, which was created as a prelude to a feature length film that I have been developing since 2008. The 8-minute piece, which I have recently created, is a character study for the protagonist, which I am now exploring through the 90-minute feature
film.

SUHA is a character that is specific to Montreal's unique graffiti culture. The Montreal graffiti scene has grown to represent much more than just Hip-hop culture in recent years. Most films about graffiti tend to focus on characters promoting the 4 traditional elements of Hip-Hop (Bboying, Djing, Rapping and graffiti).

I decided to stray away from this traditional narrative structure in order to represent the other 50% of Montreal graffiti writers...the ones who don't necessarily identify with the current state of the Hip-Hop movement. These are the artists who paint because they feel an undeniable urge to communicate their individual opinions their own way. Hip-Hop oriented graffiti has already gained a loud voice, which is heard daily by millions. This is what has led me to ponder what happens to a graffiti writer who cannot relate to Hip-Hop culture? Do they still have the right to write? Of course they do...and their unique approach is what will allow this art movement to grow.

Another reason why SUHA's character is representative of the Montreal graffiti scene is that she is female. There are a growing number of female graffiti writers in this city and they are not exactly going unnoticed by their male counterparts. With female artists like ZEMA, THES and ELIANE participating in worldwide graffiti festivals like Montreal's UNDER PRESSURE and with their work showing up in the streets and on trains regularly, they have changed our perception of "the local graffiti writer".

In my opinion, a film like SUHA is interesting because of its portrayal of a unique character within a sub-culture, which has grown to be a little less unique in recent years. I believe this is representative of not only Graffiti culture but of most sub-cultures and even the general workforce itself. It is sometimes difficult to make our opinions heard without having to resort to drastic and sometimes violent measures. And even though many consider Graffiti to be a drastic and violent medium, I consider it to be the perfect vehicle to communicate our fears and frustrations, which we encounter in our daily lives.

DIRECTOR BIO: After completing a BFA in film production at Concordia University, Robby Reis has written, directed and shot several short films. His work merges basic documentary film techniques with storytelling methods typical of scripted films. Reis has also been an avid contributor to the Montreal graffiti scene producing works in the streets and art galleries alike.

JESSICA PETUNIA BIO (LEAD ACTRESS): Originally from Detroit, Jessica Petunia has long been inspired by the interplay between art and the urban environment. She is currently studying photography at Dawson College and has a project entitled 'Jessica Petunia Was Here,' which explores the idea of self-portraiture as tagging. This is her first film.