“A man with a bullet wound wakes up with memory disorders in an underground parking lot in Tel Aviv. As he struggles to recall recent events, a woman wakes up in a Shanghai hotel from a similar dream. A fragmented conversation with a pet shop owner on the phone sets off an abstract mystery in Tel Aviv and Shanghai. Through a fragmented stream of events, the film explores anxiety and instability between two strangers on the phone.”

“The Insomniac City Cycles” creates an odd landscape where buildings intersect in unbelievable ways, and breathe along with a thriving city. These images have a deeply haunting quality, which feels reflective of the current trend in ‘alternative reality games’ that present a slightly skewed vision of the world around us. This sentiment is also echoed in the lo-fi, almost VHS quality of the shots that highlight the distorted landscapes. These nightmarish landscapes are a central theme throughout the production, and their success in creating an uncomfortable, claustrophobic atmosphere that acts as the greatest prevailing attribute of the production.

Complimenting the haunting visuals is a soundtrack full of rich electronic noise that fluctuates from serene to intrusive in a seamless matter. Fans of genres such as ambient, drone, noise and experimental electronic music will be engrossed by the soundscape presented within the project. The soundtrack could stand on it’s own as an immersive audio experience, and complements the warping of the cityscape and feverish visions of its subjects. However, to those who have a distaste for experimental electronic soundscapes, the score is more likely to induce nausea instead of intrigue.

Within such a strong visual and audio presentation, it is unfortunate that the story does not follow suit. In part this may be attached to the origin of the project, which was originally a commission for the Venice Biennial of Architecture that later was extended into a feature length film. What starts off as a somewhat intriguing dialogue of a man trying to make sense of his existence within the constricting city that seems to want to swallow him up, transitions into a sort of film noir murder/mystery. The evolution of the story feels wholly unnatural, and is not helped by stilted performances. However, it is easy to emphasize and focus on the technical aspect of the production to carry interest through the entire duration and the story does serve to elongate the immensely engrossing visual and audio expertise of Ran Slavin.

“The Insomniac City Cycles” will only hold interest to a select few, and even in a series that seemed to speak directly to my own aesthetic it is somewhat limited by a tacked on story with no real depth. However, what the production does do right in cinematography, special effects and sound design, chillingly reflects that kind of fugue state brought about through insomnia and dulled ruminating thoughts. Overall, Slavin offers a truly nightmarish vision soaked in confusion and paranoia that is bound to draw fans who can appreciate the discomforting aesthetic of the project.