Chasing out the Winter

2020

Chasing out the Winter

I created this film in February, 2020, right before the worldwide lockdowns caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. I was staying in Walenstadt, Switzerland with my then partner at the time - and decided to document my time there, attending the Fasnacht festival. These celebrations are to signal the end of winter to welcome in the spring, and involve costumes, parades, and lots and lots of drinking.  I also wanted to highlight the Guggamusik, a traditional style of brass band music that has been unfortunately slowly dying out, and which I fell in love with. The film was intended to be experimental, aiming to share the feeling of wonder and fun, but also combined with the confusion and uncertainty associated with experiencing a cultural traditional different from your own. It is available to watch above.