Steven Soderbergh and Alexander Rodnyansky present Once Within a Time, an experimental arthouse film written and directed by 83-year-old Godfrey Reggio. Imagine the free-flowing creativity of Disney’s Fantasia in the style of Georges Méliès’ 1902 silent film A Trip to the Moon (widely considered the first film ever made) and then add a dash of psychedelics. The result is something akin to Once Within a Time, a mind-bending surrealist fantasy that must be experienced on the big screen.

The original music composed by Philip Glass (who worked with Reggio on the 1982 indie musical Koyaanisqatsi) is the reason why I initially sought out this film before realizing that it is entirely wordless. The music isn’t just important here, it is critical, serving as the emotional and emotive lifeblood of the story. With no comprehensible dialogue, the driving force of the film is undeniably the score. From the barbaric opening number to the whimsical tapestry that coats the kaleidoscope of visuals, Philip Glass creates another unforgettable masterpiece–which would also make for a phenomenal opera (manifesting this now).

Clocking in at only 51 minutes, with 10 of those minutes dedicated to the rolling credits, Once Within a Time is an avant-garde expressionist comedy where nothing and everything makes sense. It is a full sensory experience that celebrates art, music, and the gift of time. This multidisciplinary work–which includes puppetry, stop-motion animation, film tinting, and shadow-play, among others–explores humanity’s relationship with five fundamental elements: earth, air, water, fire, and money, and how the narrow line between annihilation and redemption is reaching a critical moment.

The juxtaposition of seeing modern-day technology and public figures depicted in this old-fashioned aesthetic feels unsettling in a way that is hard to describe. iPhones and emojis are translated into tangible characters, visualized in archaic style after being put through the insanely creative mind of director Godfrey Reggio. Is that Greta Thunberg’s face on an artist’s wooden display doll? Is that Mike Tyson in a wrestling ring wearing a feather coat? One can extrapolate many meanings from every frame, like an endless spool of thread of infinite length, but it seems the true meaning that Reggio puts forth is open to audience interpretation where there are no wrong answers.

Once Within a Time isn’t just a film to watch but rather, one to experience. The film ends with a question: “Which age is this: the sunset or the dawn?”. This question is posed in multiple languages so everyone can participate in this philosophical conversation starter. Despite its apocalyptic leanings and purposefully open-ended storylines, Once Within a Time doesn’t leave audiences in a state of doom and gloom. Rather, it expands the mind and leaves shreds of hope for future generations that rebirth will always come. There is no “happily ever after” because “after” is “now” and we will continue to exist in the “now”, forever.

Playing at Braindead Cinemas this Friday, October 20th.