Circle of Signs is a piece about the wildfires rampaging through California, but so much more. It is about climate grief, the hopeless situation capitalism and colonialism has left the planet and youth to take on, and so for this video, I decided to collaborate with a teenager on the entire creative trajectory. It was a tremendous learning experience. Seraphia Behr is 15 and stars in the film, she is a first time actor, and we created the ideas and images together. In this piece, I somehow felt how the suppression of natural burning forests equated to the suppression of the voices of the youth. Somehow, Seraphia is California embodied, struggling with and ultimately reclaiming her wildness, her beauty, her insecurities, her vision for her future, and the lineage of women she comes from. I learned a lot. It was an honor to make this piece for Mariee, and I also got to bring together many amazing female artists whose work is featured in this piece. - Director’s statement


Credits:

Music by Mariee Siou

Directed by Samantha Shay

Created in collaboration with Seraphia Behr

A Source Material Production

Produced by Arabella Morgan & Samantha Shay

Performed by Seraphia Behr

Director of Photography Victoria Sendra

Assistant Director Cinthia Konopacki

Voiceover by Seraphia Behr & Samantha Shay

Edited by Samantha Shay

Colorist Silvia Grav

Costume Designer Fien Lute

Featured Visual Artists Júlíanna Ósk Hafberg & Freyja Eilíf

Gaffer Erla Margrét Gunnarsdóttir

Sound Recording on set Josh Wilkinson

Hair & Make-up Kolbrún Anna Vignisdóttir

Catering Arabella Morgan

Set Photography Sunna Ben

Graphic Design FISK Projects

Film Equipment Victoria Sendra & KUKL Iceland

Film Locations Íslenski Reiðskólinn, Listaháskóli Íslands, Hvammsvik Hot Springs Sponsored by Baka Baka, Brauð & co., Hvammsvik Hot Springs, Kryddhúsið, SIGMA, SIGMA, & Nebraska Reykjavik.

Screenings & Festivals::

Garifuna International Indigenous Film Festival, November 8th, 2023, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Prague Music Video Awards, November 10th, Prague, CR - Award: Best Lyric Video

Oska Bright Film Festival, March 11th, 2024, Brighton, UK