Nina Kharazmi || Photography, Video

Alice: Modern Tale of Wonder

A surrealist portrayal of a young adult’s struggle in search of truth beyond the realm of her preconceived reality

As human beings age, they become increasingly constrained by the social world. Innocence and curiosity from childhood escapes, as our understanding of reality becomes solidified over time. At a point of transition in life, many people find themselves questioning their purpose. This is especially true of young adults moving from the role of dependency to the independent world of professionalism. Who am I? What should I be doing? What will I become? These questions are often answered with a false sense of certainty and limited within supposed normalcy.

Throughout life, external influences have shaped our perceptions of the world. The media, parental pressures, and peer judgments have all contributed to these views. In the process of socialization and learning, we often lose touch with the ability to question our perceived truths. What is reality? What is the ‘real’ world?

This film presents these concerns through surrealist experiences of a young adult in an urban setting. The story begins by presenting a world void of color. This black and white realm is symbolic of the preconceived notions of the world based on our own knowledge and experiences. In this universe, everything has a place and manner of being. People move rapidly throughout their daily lives, which represents the idea that we are always running out of time. As a result, people are forever chasing the future while forgetting to be present in the moment.

The delusional black and white world is shattered once events take place that disrupt the norm. The young girl then follows her own curiosity in search of truth. By opening her mind, an alternate universe of color is exposed. She is then led to contemplate her own beliefs and identity, which is portrayed through the use of masks. Through self-discovery, she learns that she had been blind to the color of her own world all along.

The themes of time, curiosity, and identity are presented and inspired by the works of Lewis Carroll.


Nina Kharazmi || Photography, Video

Life is made of stories.

Violence, corruption, abuse.

Somewhere between past & present lies truth.

Discover truth and you will find power,

The power to change the world.

The power to fight for freedom, justice & hope.

By exposing the dark side of the human condition,

There may be light.

As truth is enlightenment.

And people have the power,

The power to change the world.