Effi & Amir (born in Israel, living in Brussels) are a pair of artists who’ve worked together for over 20 years. In By the Throat, they explore a specific idea: human discourse (seen and studied in multiple ways) and the way in which strange/foreign sounds are understood as different or alien, in the same way as distinct territories can be considered hostile or lead to the definition of borders.
If the language is a rich and powerful code, By the Throat takes that definition to a deeper place. The film moves from manifestations of Shibboleth – a language test that distinguishes, interprets and determines a group of people and their origins. Effi & Amir take this biblical term and bring it to contemporary light, noting how Shibboleth is used to identify migrants seeking asylum. By The Throat is a cinematographic approach to political, anatomical and geographic issues, guided by an astute deconstruction of the idea of language. This can be a bridge, but also a barrier, it is not restricted to the word, but to tones, textures and signs, which as the film will say – can save us from death. A fascinating film because it presents, studies and questions the most delicate nuances of a language, and how a simple sound can become a symbol of resistance and survival. (Inês Lima Torres)
Director's Bio
Effi & Amir (born in Israel, living in Brussels) are an artist duo that has been working together since 1999. Their work is mainly video-based and often involves performative elements and participatory methods. Apart from their own projects, they collaborate with other artists as editors, effects designers and animators. They teach and give video workshops to a variety of audiences - professionals and amateurs.
