A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness

This collaboration between artists and filmmakers Ben Rivers and Ben Russell follows an unnamed character (played by singer Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe, aka Lichens) while he spends time in a small commune on an island in Estonia, paddles off to be alone in the wilderness of Northern Finland, and then burns down his cabin before leaving to take the stage as a singer and guitar player in a black metal band performing in Norway. A Spell to Ward Off the Darkness features no conventional narrative; in fact, the protagonist never speaks, nor is any explanation or exposition offered to frame his actions (even the locations are unidentified). More visual art than traditional storytelling, this may appeal to a small group of hardcore cineastes but will likely frustrate most viewers. Not a necessary purchase. (S. Axmaker)