“The Footsteps”
Featuring Carl Hancock Rux, Daniel Bernard Roumain, Bora Yoon & Jeffrey Zeigler | Director: Elena Park
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Cinematographer: Justin Ervin | Sound Designer: Garth MacAleavey | Editor: Steven E. Mallorca
“The Footsteps” (1909) taps the alchemy of four powerhouse performers: Carl Hancock Rux joined by Daniel Bernard Roumain, Bora Yoon, and Jeffrey Zeigler in their first-ever joint collaboration. Created in collaboration with National Sawdust, where the richly dramatic poem was filmed, dynamic camerawork and cinematic editing capture the poem's arc from quiet languor to eerie danger.
Rux first became acquainted with Cavafy while studying comparative literature at the American University of Paris. “He belonged to something I understood within myself—something lonely and beautiful and destined to live unexplainable and full of mysteries,” Rux explained. “I chose ‘The Footsteps’ by Cavafy because initially, upon reading it, it reminded me of something I wanted. It reminded me of everything that this country had been through in the last few years,” referencing the Trump administration, recent Black Lives Matter protests, and the Me Too movement. “And so something about this poem, when I first read it was a reminder that things end because they're supposed to, and that there is an awareness that we can all have of the ending of a thing, if we choose to see beyond the place that we are in.”
“As a composer, I live in a world of rhythm, and space,” said Daniel Bernard Roumain. “And I think this particular poet, and these particular words, occupy a very special rhythm and encompass a very special space.” Bora Yoon added, “There’s so much sonic imagery and a lot of sensory phrases and things that evoke memory and association. Painting the poem’s trajectory became about contour: how do we support Carl's words and cadence, and the imagery as it's being painted?” Jeffrey Zeigler, who will also perform in live Festival events, said, “My relationship with Cavafy has been evolving quite a lot, and with each collaboration, it's like opening up another layer into this world. I'm learning more about the person and the various dimensions that he embodied.”
Duration: 9 minutes
