Resonans Fringe Poetry & Film Festival was created to open pathways of connection centred on conversations about humanity’s relationship with its environment.
What inspired you to create this event?
Resonans Fringe Festival was created to open pathways of connection centred on conversations of humanity’s relationship with its environment, and to multimedia expressions which can be more encompassing than the one-channel type of happenings. An immersive, multicultural gathering that also celebrates the 15 years of RED DOOR MAGAZINE.
What is the main message or theme you hoped attendees would take away from this event?
The product is the process – the process is the product. That has been the motto of the festival. As a multimedia, multicultural, multilingual festival, the main idea is to create local and international friendships, opportunities, and room for ideas that highlight diversity and the vast cultural landscape we can tap into when we open up spaces and make room for important conversations.
How do you think this event stood out from other poetry or multimedia performances?
This is the first fringe festival in Copenhagen and the only multimedia fringe festival in Denmark. It stands out due to its magnitude and its diverse offerings, but also due to the fact that it is highly centred on the idea of serving as a platform for Danish / Nordic / and minority languages.
Can you tell us more about the poets and artists that participated? How did you select them?
The curating of the festival was done in several layers. Patrick Horner, Canadian poet and co-director of the film festival Nature & Culture (day 6 of RESONANS – at EMPIRE BIO) collaborated with schools in Denmark and Canada so that the youth could decide on the preliminary selection, and then we gathered and made the final film selection.
Pablo Saborío took care of the selection of the ecological anthology of poetry included in the book that celebrates the festival, and I, founder of Red Door and of this festival, have taken great joy in extending an invitation to previous collaborators of Red Door in all its phases through the years, or to new voices whom I consider valuable for these initiatives.
For the music offerings, Kronborggade 3 curated the bands playing at KULTURNATTEN during our street party, and Spilletstedet STENGADE worked with us to create a program that was exciting and representative of the concept of the festival.
What kind of poetry styles or themes were at the event?
There was an ample variety of expressions, from traditional poetry readings, haikus, and open mics, to more expressive performative poetry, multimedia poetry, installations, art exhibitions, live music in various genres such as psychedelic rock, pop, and even a local chorus… a book fair, a film festival, and a street party, so ideally something for everyone.
How did poetry, as a form of expression, align with the multimedia aspects of the event?
With my background in performing arts, I have learned that POETRY is the only performing art that does not require the gigantic budgets and times of production of other performing art activities, but which encompasses a bit of everything. It can contain music, or theatre, be presented on television or radio or as an installation, become a sculpture or a painting and walk out in a march with the crowd. It can serve as a vessel to contain the messages that matter to our communities. So to center a whole festival on the idea of finding the poetic language is to serve as an invitation to be marvelled, to allow for surprises, for compassion, for new ways of seeing what’s all around us. Of course, each form of creation had room for itself, was curated, and each day had a specific structure so that the voyage was somehow guided but allowed for exploration.
What kind of multimedia elements were featured? How did they enhance the poetry performances?
There were 30 events, 150 films (from poetry films to documentaries, short films, animation and experimental films) around 10 concerts, a street party, a film festival, a book fair, 6 exhibitions, and a book publication.
Can you share details about the technology or art installations involved during the event?
This varies from artist to artist, some had a focus on analogue materials, others were deeply submerged in the exploration of digital technologies, while most combined the two and some sort of performative or participatory element.
How did you ensure the multimedia elements complemented rather than overshadowed the poetry?
Poetry usually stands its own ground. This is a festival curated by a poet, done in collaboration with many cultural organisations and individuals who are deeply involved in the poetry genre, BUT who all work in other areas, so I wouldn’t say this is a poetry festival. A fringe festival that focuses on the poetics of our connection with the world around us, is a more adequate form of describing it. Having lived my whole life travelling and existing with poetry I can tell you it always takes first seat and is never overshadowed. Poetry knows how to share the stage, how to give the main attention to the things that matter, and how to question when silence isn’t the correct response.
Where can people find out more information about your initiatives and get involved?
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Elizabeth Torres, known artistically as Madam Neverstop, is a Colombian-American poet, translator, and multimedia artist whose work bridges poetry, soundscapes, and visual arts through a range of mediums. With a background in Media & Film, Fine Arts, and an MFA in Performing Arts (Writing Specialization) from The Danish School of Performing Arts, her artistry reflects her personal journey as a political asylee and immigrant, exploring themes of displacement, identity, and minority representation. Her creations span poetry, textiles, paintings, and film, often presented as immersive installations. Elizabeth has published over 20 poetry collections in multiple languages, including her Ambroggio Prize-winning work, La Lotería: Sorteo Nocturno. An internationally recognized voice, she has presented at cultural festivals and universities across the globe.
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