Once Upon a Screen: Explosive Paradox

Published as part of “Once Upon a Screen,” a series of video essays about film viewing and childhood trauma, produced by Ariel Avissar and Evelyn Kreutzer, for the Cine-Files Journal of Cinema Studies, Issue 15.

The most mentioned video essay in the Best Video Essays of 2020 Survey conducted by Sight & Sound Magazine.

“One of my all-time favourite videographic works by foundational artist and essayist Lee, or indeed by anyone.” - Catherine Grant

“This audiovisual essay marries form and content in such an affecting manner that I was completely drawn into the essayist’s world. The universality of the space that Lee re-enacts/re-presents urged me to think back to the complexity of early childhood memories.” - Liz Greene

”With his entry in the Once Upon a Screen collection, Kevin B. Lee confirms that he is an incredible storyteller.” - Johannes Binotto

“Explosive Paradox undoubtedly is one of the most personal and moving audiovisual essays that I have after watched, and at the same time presents a convincing criticism of the way Hollywood glorifies violence, not only in films themselves, but also in the way these films are celebrated by film critics and Academy Awards. A wonderful piece of videographic criticism and art.” - Jaap Kooijman

“One of the reasons why Kevin B. Lee’s work is ground-breaking in video essays because his imagination is always one step ahead. He is constantly reminding us that working with the body of cinema is working with your memories and affections, and circumventing material limitations. Here, childhood cinema is projected on a shadowy wall of a former movie theatre, Platoon is remembered between leaves and trees’ reflections. Violence of the past, violence of the present. An essay about memory and the permanence of racism. Video essays are tools to reedit the present.” - Carlos Natálio

“This video is a shock to the system of film analysis.” - V Renée