Alexa Velez-Of the Air (2021)

WINNER: Of the Air is a short film that examines our disconnect from the natural world, engaging with the element of air from a physical and emotional perspective. The film is a reaction to the climate crisis in the form of a duet between a living, breathing body and the air. The piece takes place in a small apartment kitchen, where the main character finds herself relying on an air conditioner for relief in the middle of a heat wave. The air conditioner is one of many machines humans have created to harness the forces of the natural world. However, on a grander scale, we are at the mercy of these forces. -Alexa Velez