and it is stupid / but it is true

I’ve been transfixed these last few weeks by the snippets of the Vincent Moon film about the Danish band Efterklang, called An Island. The movie was indeed filmed on an island, in the summer, with over 200 musical collaborators for their haunting, magnificent music. I heard about this film late one Oregon night recently, when the rain was pouring outside and I sat, mesmerized by this film from one of my favorite current filmmakers.

Alike – Efterklang

Vincent Moon is best known to me for being the messy, moody, impressionistic mastermind behind not only much of the Blogotheque series, but also so many of my favorite videos from The National. Meeting him once at Noise Pop in San Francisco still ranks as one of my very best nights.

The lyric I chose for the title of this post gets at me in a way I think the film will — that tug between heady intelligence and inherent truth. An Island was filmed in August 2010, released around this time last year, and spurred 1178 private screenings in homes, clubs, common houses, dorm rooms, theaters, parks, and bars all over Europe and the world. The only caveat was that the screening had to be free, and had to bring more than five people to watch together. I like every aspect of that, and am so sorry I missed being part of that community as it was unfolding.

So now I undoubtedly have to get my hands on this full DVD (you can buy it here), as I am generally a fan of transformative island music experiences. I might even host a screening myself outdoors this summer, late to the game but nonetheless inspired. Who’s in?

Also, the word “efterklang” translates from Danish into “echo,” in English. Which just goes to show that the Danes know how to craft themselves some dang fine onomatopoeia.