Below are four examples of Sandra Alland’s hybrid film / literature collaborations. More short films are available on San’s YouTube channel and Vimeo channel.
Equivalence; a film-story, 2020, 39 minutes
Equivalence Access Info:
Captioned; integrated BSL interpreting and BSL performance; integrated audio description.
Equivalence Description:
A genderqueer, disabled circus performer tries to understand Einstein’s Equivalence Principle – while living it. Eight people play the same non-binary character as San’s story unfolds live and on film. Produced during San’s residency as Associate Artist at Scotland’s Anatomy Arts. Live performances include Transpose (Barbican, London), Anatomy (Summerhall, Edinburgh), and Edinburgh Filmhouse (supported by Film Hub Scotland). The text version of Equivalence was first published in Thought X (Comma Press, 2017), and republished in Anything Not Measurable Is Not Real (Proper Tales Press, 2019). Supported by Canada Council for the Arts.
Water,logged; a film-story, 2020, 8 minutes
Water,logged Access Info:
Captioned; visual description available.
Water,logged Description:
Who gets access to water? Who gets to make ‘political’ art? The aural/textual story follows two fictional members of the band Pussy Riot as they visit an art exhibit in Edinburgh. The film images move with San’s voice-over, featuring footage of water sources from Glasgow and the west of Scotland. Screenings include Kinesthesia Festival (London/online, 2021) and Bi+ Arts Festival (Toronto/online, 2021). Published in Gutter Magazine and Anything Not Measurable Is Not Real (Proper Tales Press, 2019). Supported by Canada Council for the Arts.
Bilingual Poet’s Dilemma; a film-poem, 2017, 5 minutes
Bilingual Poet’s Dilemma Access Info:
BSL; captioned; audio described.
Bilingual Poet’s Dilemma Description:
This British Sign Language and English poem written and performed by DL Williams playfully shows the difficulties of translation between BSL and English. Co-directed by San and Ania Urbanowska for Stairs and Whispers: Deaf and Disabled Poets Write Back (Nine Arches). Screenings include the exhibition Concealed/Reveal: Disabled Artists Driving Creativity (Bristol Museum & Art Galleries, 2023-24), as well as festivals such as The Film Bunch (London/online, 2020), DeafFest (Wolverhampton, 2019), Scottish Queer International Film Festival (Edinburgh, 2018) and Ledbury Poetry Festival (2017).
Able: a film-poem, 2011, 6 minutes
Able Access Info:
Captioned; visual and sound poetry description available.
Able Description:
Stop-motion photography and recorded voice create a metaphoric and literal vision of barriers to access. San’s text mixes poetry and sound poetry with benefit applications, border control terminology, and medical and blood donor questionnaires. Part of Tracey Moberly’s Tweet-Me-Up at Tate Modern (London, 2012). Other features include VIII Bienal de Arte Contemporáneo (Madrid, 2022-23), Queer City Cinema (Regina, 2019) and Feral Feminisms (Toronto/online, 2016).