Shirley Bruno

Haitian-American filmmaker and artist Shirley Bruno's film and video works take their point of departure from neglected histories as well as from myths, rumors, dreams, superstitious beliefs, and memories both real and imagined. Her films Tezen and An Excavation of Us are included in the permanent collections of Centre National des Arts Plastiques France, Leal Rios Foundation Lisbon, and Vidéographe Montréal. Exhibitions and screenings of her work have been presented at Berlinale, Locarno International Film Festival, Hammer Museum, MoMA P.S.1, Maison Européenne de la Photographie among others. Her work has been funded by Sundance Institute, Creative Capital Award, Jerome Hill Foundation, NYSCA, and NYFA.Shirley holds a Masters with Distinction from London Film School and a Masters II with Mention from Le Fresnoy - Studio National des Arts Contemporains where she was an artist-fellow. She lives in New York and works alternatively between Haiti and France. Her films continue to screen internationally on TV5Monde, Tënk, and Kweli TV. She is working on her latest short Eat the Land and developing a feature film entitled Fresh/Saltwater Heart.

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ABOUT FRESH/SALTWATER HEART

Fresh/Saltwater Heart is a visual meditation over a collection of BIPOC voices recounting stories of being in water – personal stories from the seas, lakes, rivers, and swimming pools. Composed of animation, archival footage, and live-action recreations of interviews, we explore the role of water in shaping communal narratives and shared histories. We delve into the complex relationship between water and memory, highlighting how bodies of water hold stories, traditions, and ancestral connections.

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