100 Years of Absolute Film

Inspired by the theory of musical counterpoint, rectangles move along strict paths in space, growing and shrinking and producing an illusion of depth.

This originally soundless film generates sound in our mind: Geometrical forms break free from their strict paths of movement and arrange themselves into a complex rhythm.

While working on this film, Eggeling developed his Eidodynamik theory, whose basic principle is based on the projection of coloured lights into the sky – and which is unfortunately lost today.

The painter Ruttmann takes out a patent for a process to produce moving image: glass sheets mounted on top of each other are painted with oil paints and photographed from above with a camera.