Heather Lang

Robert Neville is a scientist who was unable to stop the spread of the terrible virus that was incurable and man-made. Immune, Neville is now the last human survivor in what is left of New York City and perhaps the world. For three years, Neville has faithfully sent out daily radio messages, desperate to find any other survivors who might be out there. But he is not alone.

Artifice explores the delayering of the performative facade to reveal the generational and societal trauma that artists internalize. The performers struggle to grapple with the “characters” they have created in a bid to win the attention and approval of their community turned audience. As they begin to strip away the false layers, they both confront and embrace their primal selves in a process and practice of healing.

In five acts, this film explores the language of loss through dance, narrative scenes, and performance art, conveying the complexity of grief in the, often wordless way it impacts all our lives.