Always on
This project successfully funded on 22nd April 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
Greenland - a film exploring a shifting world
Ilulissat, Greenland
Aim
Hi I am Viviana Almas, a Lithuanian filmmaker based in the UK, and I’m travelling to Ilulissat in Greenland to make a film.
INTRODUCTION
The project explores how life in Ilulissat has changed over time, including relocation between settlements, shifts in daily life, and broader transformations taking place in the region today.
I've been very lucky to receive an invitation with partial support to attend a residency based in Ilulissat in Greenland for two months at the end of May, where I will be making a film. This is the first time I'm making a research-based film and also the first time that I'm inviting people to help support a film through crowdfunding. I am very excited about this project and I hope that with your help that I can make it a reality.
During the residency I will be working closely with Andreas Devonas Hoffmann, director of ACL at Arctic Culture Lab. I will visit abandoned settlements and attempt to understand how these places have evolved over the years, shaped both by environmental changes and changes to Greenland’s contemporary identity.
Earlier this year two of my films were selected for New Contemporaries, these works were an incubator for the ideas and themes I want to explore further with the film Greenland.
I work with both digital and analog film, and for this project I have chosen to use analog 16mm, which I will hand process myself. I believe the physicality of the film is the appropriate way to capture Greenland’s environment and people.
This is a crucial moment to support the project, as the residency is only two months away. There are several ways your contributions will be rewarded and I hope you find one that feels right for you.
Thank you for joining this journey and helping bring the film to life!
SYNOPSIS
Two travellers embark from Ilulissat on a voyage across the ice covered landscape. They activate a strange recording device in various locations as they seek to find an answer to the abandoned settlements and the disappearance of other people.
ABOUT THE FILM
Over the last three years, I have been making short films. I now I have the opportunity to develop this relatively new strand of my practice in greater depth by undertaking a two-month research-based residency in Greenland whilst working with skilled professionals from other fields.
During the residency I will research and develop the work, which will later be exhibited in Greenland and United Kingdom. I will be allocated studio space with access to a comprehensive library to assist me in deepening my established research, whilst writing and developing ideas for the film.
Andreas Devonas Hoffmann, director of Arctic Culture Lab (ACL), will support my work by introducing me to various locations in and around Ilulissat, connecting me with local residents, and offering regular critique sessions. The length of the residency is designed to allow time to build trust and relationships, and begin open-ended collaboration. This process will be fundamental to the way the film is made.
Several key professionals from different fields have already agreed to be part of the project: Matthew Ponton will support the project showcasing the final work in the gallery space and Greenlander Ane Lena will assist with my navigating the land. This provides me with extraordinary opportunities for learning and cross-disciplinary development which will continue to inform and underpin my practice as it moves forward. I aim to involve the people of Ilulissat, not just as actors or crew but as active collaborators in shaping the film. In this way, the members of the community become more than just subjects on screen, and help influence and guide how the film unfolds, and contribute their perspectives and experiences to the work itself.
REWARDS
Check out the rewards available for the project. All reward tiers are cumulative - if you don't see a lower reward listed in the description, don't worry, it's included.
Examples of large screen prints of existing works:
ABOUT THE TEAM
VIVIANA ALMAS - Filmmaker
Viviana Almas is an artist and filmmaker 2026 New Contemporaries artist. In 2024 she was awared the South West Graduate prize together with a nomination for the Felex Scholler photo award. Her work has been shown at JB Blunk Estate, California. Osnabrück Museum, Germany. The Truman Brewery, London. Anthology archives, New York, Esea Contemporary. Also a major solo show at the Culture and Communication center in Lithuania. Two of her recent films have been shown at South London gallery as part of New Contemporaries.
JOHNNY STANLEY - Producer
Johnny Stanley is a filmmaker and composer from London. Johnny has produced and directed short films and music videos including the short film Prince of Tears (2025) directed by Solomon Bowden. He has composed music for film and television including Line of Descent (2019) starring Brendan Fraser, and Kill Chain (2019) starring Nicolas Cage.
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made