Short Film by Professor Vito Adriaensens (Rowlands) to Premiere at Raindance Film Festival

By
Cody Beltis
September 22, 2020

Into The Silver Ether, a short film by Adjunct Assistant Professor, Vito Adriaensens (Rowlands), will premiere at the 28th Annual Raindance Film Festival in its International Shorts Programme. Raindance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the UK. It is based in the heart of London’s buzzing West End film district. Raindance Film Festival is officially recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the US, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, and the British Independent Film Awards. The dates of the Festival are October 28 to November 7, 2020. 

Into the Silver Ether is about an aspiring model who goes to have her picture taken in New York in 1927. A supernatural horror, the short investigates the mythical qualities of photography. Shot on 16mm and hand-developed, the film yearns to be mistaken for a lost Carl Theodor Dreyer experiment.

Adriaensens (Rowlands) is an Antwerp and New York based writer, director, producer, and professor. He has previously taught in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Ghent, and Antwerp, and he is also a film instructor at the Brooklyn based film non-profit Mono No Aware. His producing debut, C. Craig Patterson's a GIRL, was selected for the Austin Film Festival, and his experimental film, Entre Les Images, won the Cadence Video Poetry Award at Northwest Film Forum and is touring festivals internationally. He works primarily on celluloid and is currently developing his first feature film.

'Into the Silver Ether' promotional image

Raindance is dedicated to fostering and promoting independent film around the world. Based in the heart of London, Raindance combines Raindance Film Festival, training courses — which are offered throughout the year at 10 international hubs — and the British Independent Film Awards. The organization was founded in 1992 by Elliot Grove as a thought experiment: can you make a film with no money, no training and no experience? The first Raindance event was a masterclass with Dov Simens held in London in April 1992.

Just over one year later, in October 1993, Raindance Film Festival was born, held at London’s Prince Charles Cinema and Ciné Lumière, giving What’s Eating Gilbert Grape its UK premiere. Since then, Raindance has hosted the UK premieres of The Blair Witch Project, Dead Man’s Shoes, Memento, Ghost World, Capturing the Friedmans, Down Terrace, I Origins and Old Boy. 

The 28th Raindance Film Festival will be offered all around the UK, with limited content available worldwide. Due to COVID-19, Raindance Film Festival will take place primarily online, with many films and immersive experiences available free of charge, but audiences should consider donating through the Raindance website so they can continue to champion independent filmmakers. You can experience the festival via virtual premieres, live Q&As with international filmmakers and industry panels through the Raindance Player, powered by Shift72.

Still from 'Into the Silver Ether'