Ilana Rein

We Are All Cylons

A transmission, grounded as an entertainment, begins. Its dynamic message connects with people throughout the world. The viewer, who then becomes a fan, is compelled to spread and share the message. The story leaks in to the real world because it resonates with real lives — a feedback loop of projection on the transmission medium has been created. more

Julie

Julie, shot over the course of seven years and edited in 2008, is about trauma. My focus here is on the initial, tentative steps toward processing ideas and emotions following the unexpected death of a sibling. In the absence of a sister who died too young — her brother confronts a world of guilt, anger, and irretrievable absence. more

Radio Prayer

Radio Prayer documents a United States encountered through footage recorded during two cross-country road trips. Radio broadcasts heard throughout the piece place the viewer in the not-too-distant past of the winter of 2004. At this time, the United States is fully engaged in Iraq and there are widespread concerns over the possibility of terrorist attacks during the Christmas holidays. “Protagonist,” who is seen periodically, continually switches stations, scanning the dial and piecing together meaning from fragments of news, music, and talk radio. more

Periphery

Periphery: Videos 1-3 are the first installments in an ongoing documentary project chronicling the personal experiences of Americans — New Yorkers mostly — and their specific responses to world events. The first part was filmed 5 weeks after September 11, 2001 and part two was filmed in July of 2002. The project evolved as a response to what can be described as media complicity in creating a seemingly endless war, a war that is inextricably linked to private interests but is couched in patriotic fervor. more