Kuleshov (2025)

Dustin Zemel and Ben Popp's experimental short film explores the Kuleshov effect, a theory from early 20th-century filmmaking that suggests editing can manipulate how audiences understand a character's emotions. The film uses a series of scenes featuring the same actor with varying expressions to demonstrate this principle. Through careful shot selection and editing, Zemel and Popp show how placing images together can create dramatically different emotional responses. The film examines perception, empathy, and the power of storytelling. A creative look at a classic cinematic concept, it offers insight into how we interpret emotions on screen.