Conversation in Space

Conversation in Space is a 1961 Philippine non-narrative experimental animated short film directed by Rodolfo "Rody" Paras-Perez, an UP-alumnus. Developed as Perez's thesis film under commission of University of Minnesota, it has no plot and dialogue entirely that illustrates with vivid and captivating abstract animation using collage and paint.

Conversation in Space
Opening title
Directed by	Rodolfo Paras-Perez
Produced by	Rodolfo Paras-Perez
Cinematography	Rodolfo Paras-Perez
Edited by	Rodolfo Paras-Perez
Release date	1961 (1961)
Running time	2 minutes and 48 seconds
Country	Philippines

Release

Despite having completed in 1961, Conversation in Space was screened at the first film festival held in Manila on 1971.^[1]

Legacy

Conversation in Space is arguably the first non-commercial animation^[a] as well as one of the earliest experimental films from the Philippines, with its animations expand audience's perspectives of Southeast Asian modern and contemporary art.

In 2018, the film was screened at National Gallery Singapore’s ‘Painting with Light,’ an annual festival of international films on art, making it the earliest animation short film in the Philippines to be rediscovered.^[2][3]

Notes

1. Although in some articles said "animation" is primarily used as "advertisement" or "commercial" in the 1950s, Larry Alcala did a short black-and-white animation on 8mm film at one point but never re-discovered.