BING

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> Bing Clip 2.mov (7.3MB)

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Synopsis
An elderly man pulls a tooth from his mouth and places it on the tracks of an on-coming train. The train excites his memory to the loss of his first tooth, his proudest moment. A whimsical tale of magic, faith and memory in a bleak urban world.

Director's Statement
In a black and white wasteland of bland suburbia, an elderly man pulls a tooth
from his jaw - and grins. Propelled by a potent belief, he places it on the railway tracks, and waits. Aged and bedraggled, his clothes portray defeat but his body and face show pure anticipation. In the jarring landscape, an oncoming train shatters the tooth to pieces. Memories, hope and fantasy swim before his eyes.

As the clattering train recedes, the old man leaps for joy. He's clearly mad.
Yet a glittering prize now lies waiting on the railway tracks....Is there magic? Is memory real? Can dreams come true through sheer force of will? Shot in Melbourne, Australia, on a simple Bolex camera, Bing is a social fable
in a vivid, impressionist style.

The loss of the first tooth is a meaningful childhood rite of passage: a first sign
of imminent maturity. The old man relives this rite, treasures the memory of his proudest moment: a fresh-skinned boy leaves a tiny tooth on his window ledge, flushed with expectation. The air shimmers with promise and tooth fairy dust.

In an aging body, surrounded by decay, the old man lives again his childlike sense of joyful expectation. Small teeth disengage from the body so larger, stronger teeth can take their place. But how can this old man's flesh regenerate? We feel the futility of hope and delusion: the loss of this tooth can only be - loss. But a mysterious, faceless coin glints tantalisingly from the railway tracks. Is it magic? Is the old man delusional? It seems he's been rewarded for his childlike persistence and faith.

Bing evokes magic in its vivid, intense style. Visuals are striking, music and
sound effects larger than life. In the yanking of a tooth, the glint of an eye,
the yapping of a madwoman's dog, performances are punchy and bold - with
a distinct comic edge. Above all, Bing invokes the heightened, expressive style of the era of black and white silent films.

A charming short drama about reality, magic and faith.



Awards/Festivals

Bing chosen for Official Selection in: 2002/2004

• Telluride International Film Festival. USA.
• Melbourne International Film Festival. Australia.
• Chicago International Film Festival. USA.
• Hawaii International Film Festival. USA.
• Palm Springs International Film Festival. USA.
• Flickerfest International Film Festival. Australia.
• Dresden International Film Festival. Germany.
• St Kilda Film Festival. Australia.
• Commonwealth Film Festival. UK.
• Message to Man Film Festival. Russia.
• Bilboa Film Festival. Spain.
• Melbourne Comedy Festival.
• Los Angeles Cinematheque. USA.

Dresden International Film Festival. Germany. Winner best sound Bing.

Melbourne Comedy Festival. Winner best use of postproduction Bing.

St Kilda Film Festival. Winner best sound Bing.

Technical Information
Title: BING
Duration: 8 minutes
Format: 35mm Black & White
Screen Ratio: 1:85:1
Preview Copy: 4:3 Letter box
Sound: DOLBY DIGITAL 5.1
Country Of Origin: Australia
Language: English
Year Of Production: 2002
Investors: Private/AFC

Key Cast & Crew
WRITTEN & DIRECTED Eron Sheean
STARRING Jim Alexander, Maureen Andrews, Levi Rattray Wood
CINEMATOGRAPHER Eron Sheean
ADDITIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY Marin Johnson
MUSIC Anthony Pateras
SOUND DESIGN Terry McDermott
SOUND MIX Steve Burgess

Press Quotes

Hawaii International Film Festival Review:
‘Overall, what is most noticeable about BING is its spotlight on teeth – the human-like fangs owned by a fox terrier, the black and white film stock to emphasize them, and the main character’s own pair, which are missing a few members. However, it is his loosened tooth – its exact color and make we discover in the end – in this short that promotes a semi-Proustian flashback and a survey of how one man’s pride can be his most cherished possession.’ ~ Paul Ventura

Los Angeles Cinematheque:
‘Surreal, beautiful take on the power of a memory.’