70268 kWh

Directed by Camelia Ben

Synopsis:
With the exams just two days away, Sarah convinces Zak to take part in the most energetic of student competitions…

Director Statement:
I discovered the existence of an eco-friendly nightclub that opened in the Netherlands in 2009 but the concept was not exported and it closed its doors. My awareness of and my involvement in ecological issues led me to question the ways in which cinema and the visual arts could take up these subjects and reinvent the imaginary. So I saw in this eco-nightclub the opportunity for a very short film.

70268 kWh makes this concept possible! The goal of our characters is simple: to create as many kilowatt-hours as possible while dancing to win the student competition! The more people move, stamp their feet, jump, release their energy and have fun together, the more electricity they create. This electricity can then be used. In other words, nothing is lost, nothing is created, everything is transformed.

Through fiction, we want to create a film in which the eco-nightclub would be part of the norm and an ecological, liberating, everyday gesture, without guilt. Far from the sometimes common idea of ecology as restrictive and morose, we wanted to combine ecology, festivity and community.

Also, we tried to produce 70268 kWh in the most eco-responsible way possible. It was essential for us to link the subject of the film and its form (its production method) to be coherent in our approach. For example, I wanted to limit the number of sets. So the film takes place in two sets, close to each other and accessible by public transport and only one car was used to transport equipment. When it came to lighting the sets, we wanted to keep the need for additional lighting sources to a minimum. The catering for around thirty people was made up of seasonal fruits, with palm-oil-free cakes wherever possible and no Coca-Cola-type drinks. Meals were home-cooked. Most of the costumes we wore came from our own wardrobes. When a buy was essential, it was made in a second-hand shop with the idea that it could be reused.