Swedish title: Den nya mannen
Watch the film on Vimeo:
https://vimeo.com/305576000
REBIRTH is the first short film in the Male Nature Studies series. The second film, RETARDATION, was produced in 2021. In these films, Nils Agdler examines alternative approaches to what is popularly called ”toxic masculinity”. In today's society, it has a great impact as a negative male role model, which could be expressed as a desire to constantly compete against and to dominate, both other people and the non-human.
The conception of The New Man emerged in the 1970s, and has since then reappeared from time to time, with varying ideals about how he should look, feel and act. There are often major inherent conflicts within the same ideal, which can cause great confusion for the man at the individual level.
The work with REBIRTH has been based on questions about what it is like to be a white, middle-aged man in the western society today, what the hegemonic masculinity looks like and if there are other ideals to follow? How does the white man react when his privileges diminish or disappear, when he no longer belongs to a chosen ”we” but is mixed up with "the others"? It is easy to see destructive parts of men's actions around the world, but what is actually a good masculinity? Are male role models important or are human role models enough? And will men in the near future become redundant when women will be able to reproduce themselves without the help of a man?
In REBIRTH, Nils Agdler visualizes ideas of a coming new man, the unprotected and vulnerable man, the new-born man and the man as nature.
Produced by Nils Agdler for a solo show at Ahlbergshallen in Östersund, Sweden, November 2018. In October 2020, Rebirth was also included in the group show Analogue Funny Weather, at Eldhunden in Stockholm, Sweden.
Also selected at festivals such as Martinique International Film Festival, Super Shorts Film Festival in London and Los Angeles, Defy Film Festival in Nashville, 24th Très Court International Film Festival, Sydney World Film Festival, Berlin Flash Film Festival and 67th International Short Film Festival Oberhausen.
Winner of Best New Voice award at Obskuur Ghent Film Festival in Belgium, 2022.
Distributed by FILMFORM - The Art Film & Video Archive, Stockholm, Sweden.
Credits:
Production, performance, photo, sound recording and editing by Nils Agdler. Additional sound and sound mixing by Martin Ekman.