The Unanswered Question

The Unanswered Question, with a score of the same name written by Charles Ives in 1908, explores through opposites the ways in which we as humans attempt to find ourselves. Similar to the two distinct energies in the music, beautifully seductive strings, and discordant “questioning” horns, the film contrasts raw, explosive, self-absorbed movement with outward, tender, stillness; a white nebulous manufactured space with a lush natural environment; extreme closeups with wide shots. By cutting between these differing qualities, places, and framings, The Unanswered Question narrows in on the moment when one exhausts oneself and finally wakes to the world around.