idle eye
An idle eye casts an idle gaze. Idle Eye is a film production company and artist collective based in Amsterdam. We champion audio-visual experiences that question established norms and encourage contemplative thought.
Our ethics rely on a belief in a slow and intentioned process which pushes a filmmaker to explore their own thoughts and worlds, considering carefully how these might find their ways into a film. To this end, we work both with new and established artists, keen to both affect and learn from them.
Idle Eye is directed by Rafael Manuel, Naomi Pacifique and Albert Kuhn. Founded 5 years ago during Rafael and Naomi’s studies at the London Film School, our work has been featured by ARTE, Variety, Screen Daily, Cineuropa, The Eye Film Museum’s See NL and Vice. Our films have screened and been awarded at festivals including Berlinale, Locarno Film Festival, International Film Festival Rotterdam, and San Sebastian International Film Festival, among others.
Our first two short films were awarded at Berlinale and Locarno Film Festival. 'Filipiñana' by Rafael Manuel won numerous prizes and awards in festivals around the world, including the Silver Bear Jury Prize for Short Film at the 70th Berlinale, and our second film, 'after a room', by Naomi Pacifique was awarded the Pardino d’Argento Swiss Life at the 74th edition of Locarno Film Festival in August 2021.
We have since worked on short films by Albert Kuhn, Leonardo Martinelli, Tatjanna Fanny and Désirée Pfenninger. Our combined previous backgrounds in philosophy, literature and journalism drive us to work on projects with socio-political intentions.