Synopsis
Kenneth Anger’s Lucifer Rising is a psychedelic invocation of myth, magic, and cosmic transformation. This visionary experimental film blends occult symbolism, hypnotic imagery, and ritualistic performances to create a trance-like cinematic experience.
Drawing from Egyptian mythology and esoteric traditions, Lucifer Rising explores themes of rebirth, rebellion, and the awakening of new spiritual forces. Shot across dramatic landscapes from ancient temples to volcanic craters, the film is a visual and sonic ritual, featuring a legendary soundtrack by Bobby Beausoleil.
A key work of underground cinema, Lucifer Rising is both a hallucinatory spectacle and a subversive reimagining of religious iconography, standing as one of Anger’s most ambitious and influential works.
Additional Info
🎥 Short Film Lineup
Alongside Lucifer Rising, we’re screening a selection of strange, absurd, and thought-provoking short films that explore transformation, reality shifts, and unseen forces at play:
- Compulsory Conscription (Iran, Abbas Tahaie) – A group of children, forcibly enlisted as soldiers, return years later to reclaim their space.
- Deaf Orphans of Streamcast (US, Zazie Kanwar-Torge) – A neo-surrealist road trip blending maximalist interiors with the vast, open highway.
- Deep Space Laika (Mexico, Rodrigo Alonso Reyes Fabre) – The first dog in space travels beyond the known universe, unaware of what awaits.
- Dream Code (US, Narottama Panitz) – A pixel-art autobiography exploring the blurred lines between reality, gaming, and simulation.
- Principito (Spain, Yann Gil) – A child’s beloved toys disappear into a mysterious dark hole, transforming into bizarre adult objects.
- Snakes & Ladders (Iran, Mostafa Rostampour & Atefeh Rezayan) – A child is caught in a twisted game of power and fate.
- Vasomotor Rhinitis (Georgia, Mikheil Gabaidze) – A surreal Chekhov-inspired satire on fear, status, and the absurd consequences of a sneeze.
- Yesterday I Found… (Poland, Kinga Klajbor) – A surreal animated short reframing the meaning of everyday objects.
🎟️ The Audience Choice Award Returns!
Vote for your favourite film of the night—whether it left you laughing, unsettled, or completely speechless.
🎨 Exclusive Screen-Printed Poster by Rhonda Davies
A limited-edition, hand-crafted screen-printed poster will be available on the night, designed by Liverpool artist Rhonda Davies and printed at Liverpool Community Print Station.
🍻 What Else to Expect?
✔ Special Screening: Lucifer Rising (1972) by Kenneth Anger
✔ Short Films: A mix of cosmic horror, surreal comedy, and cinematic chaos
✔ Drinks & Raffle: Snacks + refreshments, and a chance to win unique prizes
✔ Community Cinema Atmosphere: Hosted at DoES Liverpool, an open, welcoming creative space
📅 Event Details:
📍 Where: DoES Liverpool, The Tapestry, 68-76 Kempston St, Liverpool, L3 8HL
📅 When: Friday, 4th April 2025, 7:30 PM
🎟️ Tickets: FREE (donations welcome to support the event)
🎟 Reserve your ticket now before we sell out!
Location
PVTV Fringe Flicks, 1st Floor, The Tapestry, 68-76 Kempston Street, Liverpool, L3 8HL
