An emerging voice in cinema, Socrates Saint-Wulfstan Drakos, has made a significant impact at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) with his film, Unerasable!. This poignant work captures the harrowing journey of a displaced filmmaker, providing a window into the struggles faced by those fleeing oppression.
The film’s narrative centers on a character named CP, an independent filmmaker who was tortured for his involvement in pro-democracy activism in his Southeast Asian homeland. After fleeing in 2018 and spending years undocumented in Thailand, CP’s journey continued westward in search of dignity, only to encounter new challenges, particularly with bureaucratic systems. The film intertwines elements of personal survival with broader political themes, depicting the stark realities of life under authoritarian regimes.
Exploring the Journey Behind “Unerasable!”
Drakos, who uses a pseudonym for safety reasons, describes his connection to CP as long-standing. The two filmmakers were once friends, sharing aspirations in their early careers. However, when CP vanished from their community in 2018, Drakos was left in the dark about his fate. It was not until 2022 that CP reached out, asking for help on a film project.
“I felt like my heart was broken,” Drakos recalled, reflecting on CP’s story of torture and marginalization. The filmmaker realized that CP’s experiences had been largely erased from collective memory, compelling him to document this lost narrative. He aimed to create a visual representation of CP’s life that could restore a sense of identity and presence.
Drakos traveled extensively to capture footage for the film, making trips to Thailand, Sweden, and back to CP’s homeland. The film blends personal diary elements with found footage, aiming to evoke a sense of memory and history.
A Unique Cinematic Approach
Describing the tone of Unerasable!, Drakos emphasized that it is not a conventional documentary. Instead, it is a reflective diary infused with fragments from cinema’s vast history. The film’s aesthetic mirrors the fragmented experiences of its subject, creating a collage of memories that reflect the complexities of censorship and identity.
Drakos’ collaboration with the experimental music group, Ear to the Earth, further enhances the emotional depth of the film. Their compositions align seamlessly with the film’s narrative, emphasizing the emotional landscape Drakos sought to portray.
“My hope for this film is that CP finds some peace,” Drakos stated. “I want it to resonate with audiences and travel the festival circuit.”
On February 4, 2023, CP witnessed the world premiere of Unerasable! at IFFR. During the Q&A session, he openly expressed his emotional response, revealing that he cried multiple times while watching the film. The scenes that struck him most included poignant moments related to his family and his experiences of solitude and loss.
Drakos reflected on the profound connection CP felt with the film, noting that it articulated emotions CP had struggled to express.
In crafting his alias, Drakos selected the name Socrates, inspired by the philosopher’s commitment to truth. The surname Saint-Wulfstan, a rare choice, adds to the uniqueness of his identity in the film industry.
As Unerasable! continues to garner attention, it stands as a testament to the resilience of displaced creators and the power of film to document untold stories. Drakos’s work not only highlights individual struggles but also serves as a broader commentary on memory, exile, and the pursuit of dignity in the face of adversity.