The fouled compass

the fouled compass is a new short film by madison bycroft that takes its name from Adrienne Rich’s 1973 poem, Diving the Wreck.
the film takes floating as its point of departure, however this departure repeats itself, and is not oriented towards a destination.

the film explores floating as a methodology of disorientation and a practice of pleasure that is not goal oriented and instead fractured, wandering, abstracted and planktonic.

Credits :

Subtitles by sabrina soyer
I acknowledge the Awabakal and Yirrganydji peoples as the Traditional Owners of Country, where part of this film was made. Sovereignty was never ceded and I pay my respect to their past, present and future elders and communities, and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture.

The film features performances by Silvia Romanelli, Marie Baudet, Tilly Webber, Felipe Vasquez, Timothée Calame, Joel White, Gillian Adamson, Caitlin Dempsey, Mel O’Del, Angela Schilling and Madison Bycroft.

Camera by Joel White, Yoav Lutzky, Marie Baudet and Madison Bycroft, with footage from 2017 – 2020.

The gatekeepers costumes by Silvia Romanelli, Marie Baudet and Madison Bycroft.

The score includes three original songs:
Montagues and Capulets, Sergei Prokofiev: Suite from the 1935 Romeo and Juliet
The Ascot Gavotte by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe, from the 1956 Musical My Fair Lady
L’ài domandade di Sàbide – traditional song from Friuli Venezia Giulia

The film includes excerpts and inspirations from the writing of
Virginia Woolf
Melody Jue
Dionne Brand
Jacques Cousteau
Karen Barad
Gertrude Stein
Jackie Wang
Edouard Glissant
Gilles Deleuze
Romain Rolland
Legacy Russel

the film was written, directed, edited and scored by madison bycroft.