The term abject usually refers to a state of being low, down, even hopeless. Within certain film circles though, abject expressionism is a way to uplift –to make moving films from the most minimal of means. This approach is often linked to the Dogme 95 movement, launched by the Danish filmmaker Lars von Trier. Followers have included some of our homegrown talents – Midwestern filmmakers like Tom Palazzolo, Sadie Benning and Jim Trainor.
Here now to explain more is Eight Forty-Eight's film critic Jonathan Miller.
The series Abject Expressionism runs through the end of September at the Gene Siskel Film Center.