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AFLOAT

RIFFY AHMED

2018

OVERVIEW: 'Afloat' is an experimental narrative film that paints a portrait of Japanese performance artist: Ayumi Lanoire. The film opens as a telephone call between the subject and Person X, which meanders and leads the audience through the various layers that make up her persona leading one to question whether she is in fact a myth or reality. ​ BIOGRAPHY: RIFFY is an award winning film director and visual artist. She has vast experience working across the art and film world from directing short films, short docs, video art installations, performance art, commercial content and curating interactive art shows. Her work has been screened and exhibited in various festivals and platforms such as Channel 4, The Times, Arte Creative, London Film Festival, ICA, INtransit / Nour Arts Festival and the Saatchi Gallery. RIFFY looks to tell stories of unlikely heroes we don’t always see on the big screen (particularly framed around women, BAME and diaspora identities) yet can touch and relate to audiences universally through the 3 big ‘E’s’: Enchantment, Enlightenment and Engagement. RIFFY is the 2016/2017 Hospital Club Foundation's Emerging Creative for Film and Television. ​ DIRECTOR STATMENT : As a director my voice is distinctive in that I tell stories of unlikely heroes we don’t always see on the big screen (particularly framed around women, BAME and diaspora) yet can touch and relate to audiences universally through enchantment, enlightenment and mystery. My film 'Afloat' touches on those very things mentioned above in bringing to the forefront the story of a fascinating character/subject who lives a dichotomous life as a city worker and performing artist, living in the western world. I had originally met Ayumi in an art gallery where I saw her performing and was really intrigued in seeing such contrasting images together: a geisha poledancing. I felt very enchanted by this juxtaposition and endeavoured to contact her to see if we could work together. Upon meeting one another, I realised this character was more fascinating then expected and was very unlikely in that she lead several lives and was layered, which was the stimulus for me to write and direct a film about it. Coming from a diaspora background myself (being British, half Bahraini-Arabic and Bangladeshi) I have always felt a sense of wondering and questioning around the formation of my identity and its place. Thus, I look to tell stories where those questions and experiences are conveyed in transformative ways, which people can relate to in ways that they know they are not alone. 'Afloat' is a very visual and sensory film where my vision as both an artist and filmmaker creates worlds that are both tangible and unreal.

OVERVIEW:
'Afloat' is an experimental narrative film that paints a portrait of Japanese performance artist: Ayumi Lanoire.
The film opens as a telephone call between the subject and Person X, which meanders and leads the audience through the various layers that make up her persona leading one to question whether she is in fact a myth or reality.

​
BIOGRAPHY:
RIFFY is an award winning film director and visual artist. She has vast experience working across the art and film world from directing short films, short docs, video art installations, performance art, commercial content and curating interactive art shows. Her work has been screened and exhibited in various festivals and platforms such as Channel 4, The Times, Arte Creative, London Film Festival, ICA, INtransit / Nour Arts Festival and the Saatchi Gallery.
RIFFY looks to tell stories of unlikely heroes we don’t always see on the big screen (particularly framed around women, BAME and diaspora identities) yet can touch and relate to audiences universally through the 3 big ‘E’s’: Enchantment, Enlightenment and Engagement.
RIFFY is the 2016/2017 Hospital Club Foundation's Emerging Creative for Film and Television.

​

DIRECTOR STATMENT :
As a director my voice is distinctive in that I tell stories of unlikely heroes we don’t always see on the big screen (particularly framed around women, BAME and diaspora) yet can touch and relate to audiences universally through enchantment, enlightenment and mystery.
My film 'Afloat' touches on those very things mentioned above in bringing to the forefront the story of a fascinating character/subject who lives a dichotomous life as a city worker and performing artist, living in the western world. I had originally met Ayumi in an art gallery where I saw her performing and was really intrigued in seeing such contrasting images together: a geisha poledancing.

I felt very enchanted by this juxtaposition and endeavoured to contact her to see if we could work together. Upon meeting one another, I realised this character was more fascinating then expected and was very unlikely in that she lead several lives and was layered, which was the stimulus for me to write and direct a film about it.

Coming from a diaspora background myself (being British, half Bahraini-Arabic and Bangladeshi) I have always felt a sense of wondering and questioning around the formation of my identity and its place. Thus, I look to tell stories where those questions and experiences are conveyed in transformative ways, which people can relate to in ways that they know they are not alone.

'Afloat' is a very visual and sensory film where my vision as both an artist and filmmaker creates worlds that are both tangible and unreal.

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