Chronopolis

Piotr Kamler's 1983 animation describes a vast city suspended in the sky. The immortals who live there have grown weary of eternal life and spend most of their time producing strange objects. The subject is time itself. The immortals manufacture instants and store them; rather than explain the operation, the narrative shows it through repeated movements and geometric forms. Kamler is a Polish-born animator and made the film frame by frame over several years. The sound design and electronic music stand out as much as the image; some versions carry a narration voiced by Michael Lonsdale. There is almost no dialogue. Who it's for: those who like experimental animation and abstract science fiction. Who it's not for: viewers expecting narrative; the film is built almost entirely on form and texture.