The video is inspired by Leonard Cohen’s song “Who by Fire”, which gives his interpretation of the Hebrew prayer “Unetaneh Tokef” recited on New Year’s Day (Rosh HaShanah) and Yom Kippur.
Rosh HaShanah, according to Jewish belief, is the beginning and thus the anniversary of the creation of the world and at the same time the day of God’s judgment, which opens a “heavenly book of chronicles” in which the fate of each person is inscribed according to his deeds.
The video uses the period of 10 days from New Year’s Day (Rosh HaShanah) to the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur), which exists according to the Jewish faith, as an analogy and thematic background. Day 2 to Day 9 show exemplary scenes of man’s actions towards nature and the environment as well as towards his fellow human beings and society:
- Day 1: Rosh Hashana
- Day 2: Man to the land
- Day 3: Man to the water
- Day 4: Man to the air
- Day 5: Man to the animal
- Day 6–9: Man to man
- Day 10: Yom Kippur, day of final judgement
“On Rosh Hashanah (New Year’s Day) it will be written and sealed on Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement), how many will pass over and how many will be born, who will live and who will die, who in his time and who before his time, who by water and who by fire …”
Mashup video by Jürgen Baums, found footage video.art, length: 25:17 minutes
Germany, Krefeld, November 2022
Scenes from 112 YouTube videos and 24 stock videos were used for the project.
Screenings and awards at short film festivals (German archive)
Concept and process: Mashup-Videos