Film ⏯︎ JUMP・echoes of solitude

Fionn Han
Sep 8
4 min read

Updated: Sep 9

#Filmmaking #Architecture #Urbanplanning #ArchaeologicalWalk

JUMP｜short film
P á l á s Cinema premiere｜Behind-the-scene
Inis Mó r｜Galways Public Archipelago
Dún Aengus：A 3000-year-old cliff-edge fortress

Architecture at the Edge (AATE) 2024 ╳ Film & Architecture Workshop

Between 2019 and 2022, Galway recorded 102 suicide deaths — the highest in the west of Ireland. Centered on the Blackrock Diving Tower, one of Galway’s most iconic leisure spots, this short film explores how architecture weaves itself into the rhythms of local life while also drawing attention to a lesser-known yet alarming reality: the region’s suicide rate. JUMP reflects on the overlooked importance of self-care, reminding us that it is not an act of selfishness or indulgence, but a vital investment in our well-being and capacity to live fully.

JUMP premiered at Pálás Cinema on 5 October 2024, as part of the 'Galway's Public Archipelago (Islands) Film Shorts' programme.

Pálás Cinema premiere・Being With-In / In-Difference

Lemonot (Sabrina Morreale+ Lorenzo Perri) ╳ Convivial strategies of resistance

This film was created during the eight-day workshop at the AATE Festival 2024, organised in partnership with the Copenhagen Architecture Festival (CAFx). The course responded to the thematic provocation of ‘island’, using filmmaking as a tool to investigate the tension between natural environments and urban planning — with both historical depth and a forward-looking perspective.

“Characterisation is neither objective nor innocent,” noted Sophie Stilling, Assistant Professor at the Royal Danish Academy of Architecture, Design and Conservation. For me, her words opened a new way of thinking: how film and movement can serve as mapping methods to represent what we observe, while also giving shape to critique. It became a novel lens through which I could reorganise my wild thoughts into communicable materials.

Fionn with Asst. Prof. Sophie Stilling at the Mick Lally Theatre, Druid lane, Galway.

“The built environment reflects the physiological and physical needs of the society that created it,” remarked Emmet Humphreys, Senior Architect at Galway City Council. Although I have lived in this city for a year, the guided tour around Galway’s outskirts was eye-opening — unveiling hydrologic cycles intertwined with mythological stories.

After discussing Galway's cultural history and sharing comparative studies with the USA, Emmet led participants on a guide tour from Terryland Forest Park to the city centre.

“How can place-making happen in the city?” asked Lemonot, the thought-provoking duo who blur the boundaries between architecture and performance. Their training at the Architectural Association in London has shaped their practice, prompting them to think through space and frame conviviality as a social construct — one that captures gentle resistance and spatial activism born from citizens. I was deeply impressed by Lemonot’s bold and innovative way of turning visions into reality.

During the group evaluaiton session, Lorenzo offered feedback and advice as participants shared their ideas and production progress.

As a participant, I found every evaluation session with Sabrina and Lorenzo deeply enlightening. Every group discussion was a chance to encounter new perspectives, aesthetic debates, and fresh sparks of inspiration.

It was a true pleasure to work alongside so many talented architects/artists — Noelle, Padraig, Ane, Laura, Yulin, Daniel, Lucia, Christian, David, Alicia, Maeve, Em, Ledewij, Christine, and Ben. Without your creativity and proactive engagement, these eight days would not have been nearly as rewarding in bringing our first films to life — even through the challenges and intensity of the process!

Inis Mór・Galways Public Archipelago

Archaeological Walk ╳ Dún Aonghasa

Finally, I would like to express my deep gratitude to Frank Monahan, director of Architecture at the Edge (AATE festival), whose kindness throughout the workshop was remarkable — from offering me nutrition supplements when he noticed I had a cold, to providing extra tripods so we could shoot steadily. I truly appreciated the course design, which featured exhibition openings, film screenings, and even an archaeological field trip to Inis Mór with professional guide Michael Gibbons and the wonderful photographer Jess Clara Harkin.

This archaeological field trip explored the karst limestone and Celtic forts of Europe’s western fringe, taking participants to Dún Aengus—a 14-acre cliff-edge fortress encircled by the best-preserved Chevaux-de-Frise in Europe.

As a composer with a strong affinity for film but who had never produced one before, this experience was transformative. I had been hesitant to shoot before, but now I find myself filming my trips more attentively and with greater curiosity. This journey made me realize that a good film is never completed overnight (or even in seven nights); rather, it is delicately built piece by piece, capturing the fleeting sparks and subtle beauties of everyday life :)