Into the Endless Night
25 min
Supported by Mondriaan Fonds and EPFL Enter-the-Hyperscientific
Part of the “Interspecies Interfaces” residency project at EPFL and featured in the Solar Biennale, presented at EPFL Pavillions in “From Solar to Nocturnal”
As a research project, “Interspecies Interfaces” engaged with emerging developments in evolving contact zones between animals, technology, and humans. From this process, Wilson has produced a film that begins as an experimental documentary on bat cognition study. The film unfolds into a fictional scenario of two researchers navigating the edge of understanding as they work with EECCOO, an artificial intelligence operating as an interspecies interface between humans and bats. Years later, the researchers rediscover the system — in an evolved, mysterious form.
Featuring
Leandro - Andrés Morales
Maya - Ash Olivera
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Written and Directed by Matthew C. Wilson
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Creative Producer - Marta Lillioja
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Director of Photography - Pietro Bulgarelli, CCR
Art Director - Dilvio Bonilla
Editor - Alonso Víquez
Sound Design and Mixing - Diego Ezpeleta
Composer - Alex Catona
Sound Recordist - Jose Rommel Tuñón T.
Casting Director - Marta Lillioja
Color Grading & Titles - Mamahilda Studio
Gaffer - Alexis Spencer
Production Coordinator - Fanny Huc
First Assistant Camera - Elisa Mislov
Additional Camera - Eva Mardus, Matthew C. Wilson
Hair and Makeup Artist - Marilyn Gonzalez
Props and Consulting - Digital Naturalism Laboratories / Andrew Quitmeyer
Production Assistants - Jose Vargas, Ryan Morales
Drivers - George Espinosa, Fidel Chirú González
Paramedic - Anthony Gordón
Boat driver - Zumaiky Tascon
Notes on the script:
“The Bat that flits at close of Eve / Has left the Brain that won’t believe” is a quote from “Auguries of Innocence” by William Blake.
The “object permanence” portion of the script was developed in dialogue with Eva Mardus.
Commissioned and produced by the EPFL-CDH Artist in Residence Program 2024: Enter the Hyper-Scientific. Part of the “Interspecies Interfaces” research and residency project in collaboration with and with thanks to Emilia Tapprest. Special thanks to Curator and Head of Program Giulia Bini. Additional thanks to the many EPFL researchers who supported the research phase of the project through dialogue.
Associate Producers: Christian Herrera Herrera, Carolina Herrera Herrera, and Cine House Panamá
Camera, Lighting, and Equipment: Cine House Panamá
Lenses: Caramba Rental Costa Rica
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Special thanks - Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution
The film features bat cognitive research and training by Eva Mardus, Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution.
Special thanks to the entire Bat Lab at Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, especially Rachel Page, Gregg Cohen, Eva Mardus, Nair Cabezón, Raffaella Castiglione, Mirjam Knörnschild, Guadalupe García, and Argelis Sánchez. Additional thanks to Sonia Tejada.
Location support:
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Smithsonian Institution
Avifauna Foundation / Panama Rainforest Discovery Center
With thanks to Luisa Saldaña, Carlos Saavedra
Gamboa Rainforest Reserve
With thanks to Edgar Perez, Mayuli Pinilla, Indira Chin, and Pablo Perez