Premiered at the solo show 'The Will to Believe' at Palfrey in London, 2022.

Documentation by Damien Griffiths.

The Will to Believe follows the psychodramas and shenanigans of the string puppet Victor Lustig who, after performing a succesful magic show, with a touch of arrogance informs the viewers about his lifestyle of wellness and luxury. Walking the fine line in between reality and imagination, Viktor is guided by the riddles of a human rabbit, navigating his existential journey through times of failure and success, believe and disbelief. Victor might be a magician who just wants to be seen, but if Victor is a stringpuppet, then who controls the strings?

Taking a magic show as an initial inspiration, the film is about what is perceived as real. On a deeper level the work is about how we make sense of the world, how we create hope, expectations and ideas about who we are. With the script of the film entirely based on other films, tv shows, books and quotes, the film traces the way that cultural myths, popular media and capitalism fuel the way we identify.

Film stills: