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RETARDATION

Short Synopsis:

RETARDATION is the second short film in the Male Nature Studies series.

”The Great Acceleration” gained momentum in the 1950s with the Western man at the wheel. The growth curves turned sharply upwards and so did, and still do, the human impact on the biosphere. But what if this man begins to see himself as a small part of nature instead of striving to "conquer" it? What if he abandons the pursuit of status and the ever-expanding claims to power? What if he slows down and throws his paralyzing yoke? Is he still a Man then?

In RETARDATION, Nils Agdler visualizes ideas of another future man – the resigned man, the regressed man, the liberated man, and possibly – the last man.

Long synopsis:

RETARDATION is the second short film in the Male Nature Studies series. The first film, REBIRTH, was produced in 2018. In these films, Nils Agdler examines alternative approaches to what is popularly called ”toxic masculinity”. In today's society, it has a great impact as a negative male role model, which could be expressed as a desire to constantly compete against and to dominate, both other people and the non-human.

RETARDATION takes its starting point in the emerging research field "Ecological masculinities", which is influenced by masculinities politics, deep ecology, ecological feminism and feminist care theory. ”The Great Acceleration” gained momentum in the 1950s with the Western man at the wheel. The growth curves turned sharply upwards and so did, and still do, the human impact on the biosphere. But what if this man begins to see himself as a small part of nature instead of striving to "conquer" it? What if he abandons the pursuit of status and the ever-expanding claims to power? What if he slows down and throws his paralyzing yoke? Is he still a Man then?

In RETARDATION, Nils Agdler visualizes ideas of another future man – the resigned man, the regressed man, the liberated man, and possibly – the last man.

  • Nils Agdler
    Director
  • Nils Agdler
    Writer
  • Nils Agdler
    Producer
  • Nils Agdler
    Key Cast
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Den sista mannen
  • Project Type:
    Experimental, Short
  • Genres:
    Performance, Videoart
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 45 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    December 1, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    500 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Sweden
  • Country of Filming:
    Sweden
  • Language:
    English, No Dialogue
  • Shooting Format:
    UHD-video
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Swiss Screenwriting and Cinematic Summit, March 2024
    Zürich
    Switzerland
    Best No-Dialogue Film
  • Defy Film Festival
    Nashville
    United States
    August 19, 2022
    World Premiere
    Official selection
  • Shockfest Film Festival
    Los Angeles
    United States
    December 10, 2022
    Official Selection
  • New York Tri-State International Film Festival
    New York
    United States
    December 29, 2022
    Best Experimental Short
  • Martinique International Film Festival 2023

    Martinique
    January 27, 2023
    Caribbean Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Toronto Indie Filmmakers Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    February 3, 2023
    Canadian Premiere
    Official Selection
  • Japan International Film Festival
    Tokyo
    Japan
    March 2, 2023
    Japanese Premiere
    Best No-dialogue Film
  • Sydney World Film Festival
    Sydney
    Australia
    June 1, 2023
    Australian Premiere
    Off On Selection / the official online selection
  • Boston Short Film Festival
    Boston
    United States
    July 4, 2023
    Boston Premiere
    Off On Selection / the official online selection
  • Venice Film Week
    Venice
    Italy
    August 13, 2023
    Venice Premiere
    Off On Selection / the official online selection
  • Obskuur Ghent Film Festival
    Ghent
    Belgium
    September 25, 2023
    Belgium Premiere
    Off On Selection / the official online selection
  • Lonely Wolf International Film Festival
    London
    United Kingdom
    Semi-finalist Summer 2023
  • Berlin Flash Film Festival
    Berlin
    Germany
    Winner of February 2022 Edition: Honorable Mention.
  • Serbest International Film Festival
    Kishinev
    Moldova, Republic of
    Quarter-Finalist 2022
  • First Women Film Festival
    Tabriz
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    Winner of awards: Best director and Best poster 2022
  • Zagreb International Film Festival
    Zagreb
    Croatia
    Official Selection 2022
  • Golden Giraffe International Film Festival
    Nice
    France
    Official Selection 2022
  • Snow Leopard International Film Festival
    Madrid
    Spain
    Official Selection 2022
  • Golden Lemur International Film Festival
    Lisabon
    Portugal
    Official Selection 2022
  • Close Film Festival
    Tabriz
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    Award Winner 2022
  • Tabriz Cinema Awards
    Tabriz
    Iran, Islamic Republic of
    Award winner 2022
  • Green Island International Film Festival

    India
    Winner December 2022: Best Experimental Short Film
  • Andromeda Film Festival
    Istanbul
    Turkey
    Award Winner 2022
  • 8 & HalFilm Awards

    Italy
    Winner Happy New Year Ed. 2022: Best Art House Film
  • Sweet Democracy Film Awards
    Cannes
    France
    WINNERS JANUARY 2023: BEST SUPER SHORT FILM
  • Naples Film Awards

    Italy
    Winner December 2022: Best Experimental Film
  • Stanley Film Awards

    Italy
    Winner 10th Edition 2023: Best Super Short Film
  • Your Way International Film Festival

    Malta
    Official Selection Nov.-Jan. 2022-23
  • Frida Film Festival

    Italy
    Official Selection 2023
  • Cuckoo International Film Festival

    India
    Winner, February 2023
  • 8 & HalFilm Awards
    Dubai
    United Arab Emirates
    WINNER SPECIAL EVENT IN DUBAI, FEBRUARY 2023: BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
  • 8 & HalFilm Awards
    Berlin
    Germany
    WINNERS SPECIAL EVENT IN BERLIN FIRST EDITION, MARCH 2023: BEST SUPER SHORT FILM
  • Sweet Democracy Film Awards
    Cannes
    France
    WINNERS ERNEST HEMINGWAY PRIZE, MARCH 2023: BEST SUPER SHORT FILM
  • Liverpool Indie Awards
    Liverpool
    United Kingdom
    Winner Winter Season 2023: Best Indie Super Short Film
  • New York Neorealism Film Awards
    Rome
    Italy
    WINNER MARCH 2023: BEST SUPER SHORT FILM
  • Milan Gold Awards
    Milano
    Italy
    Best Experimental Film, March 2023
  • Athens International Monthly Art Film Festival
    Athens
    Greece
    Honorable Mention, March 2023
Distribution Information
  • FILMFORM - The Art Film & Video Archive, Stockholm, Sweden
    Distributor
    Country: Sweden
    Rights: Video on Demand, Theatrical
Director Biography - Nils Agdler

Nils Agdler is a Swedish visual artist, photographer and filmmaker. He received a MFA from Konstfack in Stockholm, followed by studies in fine arts at Valand Academy in Gothenburg. In his artistic practice, Agdler is interested in contemporary social and visual phenomena, representation and history, posthumanism and colonialism, primarily working in the fields of photography and film. He has been collaborating with the artist and filmmaker Timo Menke in several film projects such as Fugitives from the Fields (2005), Gifted Men (2015) and Brothers to Sisters (2018). Over the past 20 years, he has worked on issues that concern men and masculinities, and produced several exhibitions related to this theme. His work has been shown at museums such as The 5th Moscow Biennale, Pori Art Museum in Finland, Gothenburg Art Museum and Kalmar Art Museum in Sweden and Ostrale Biennale O21 and O23 in Dresden, Germany. Recently also at festivals such as Super Shorts Film Festival in Los Angeles and London, Shockfest Film Festival, Obskuur Ghent Film Festival, Defy Film Festival, Très Court International Film Festival, Sidney World Film Festival, Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen, 35th Kasseler Dokfest, Exground filmfest in Wiesbaden, Festival des Cinémas Différents. He is distributed by Filmform – The Art Film and Video Archive, Sweden.

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