11:11
Directed by Sophia Gordon
Screening at IL KINO, July 9th, 2026
A witch explores synchronicities through a divination ritual. A study on synchronicities and phenomena of high strangeness, "11:11" examines the connections between initiation, ritual, and the universal sequences surrounding us.
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11:11 explores synchronicity, ritual, and what you describe as "phenomena of high strangeness”. What first drew you to these ideas, and what made you want to explore them through film?
I’ve been a practicing witch for most of my life. I try to incorporate it into all I do, including my art, which, over the last several years, I’ve found is most effective when used in my film work. My fascination with synchronicities began with an obsession with Mothman and the Silver Bridge collapse in Point Pleasant, WV. I started to see angel numbers constantly, alongside recurring themes and motifs. For me, these synchronicities exist within a limited window of time, whether it’s a few weeks or a few months. |
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I started 11:11 with the feeling that now was the time to make a film about synchronicities. At the very beginning of the project, all I had were a handful of angel numbers I kept seeing and several new video effects I had created and knew I wanted to use. From there, I let the universe guide me using various types of divination and trance methods.
Your work embraces VHS, glitch, and other analog media. What keeps drawing you back to these formats? More recently, younger audiences have become fascinated with VHS aesthetics and older media technologies. How do you feel about that renewed interest?
As a neurodivergent individual, I’ve been drawn to glitch and circuit-bent media for quite some time. It speaks to me because my brain works differently. It’s unique, just like those glitches.
Digital tape formats and analog media have been a huge part of my life (whether in the background or at the forefront). I grew up with VHS. We probably taped everything that was on television at the time, especially Nick at Nite marathons. I’m enthralled with the structure of television broadcasts, so VHS tapes and VCRs are an obvious link to that for me. VHS, especially, has that DIY feel I’ve come to embrace in my art too. It embodies all of those things so well.
As a neurodivergent individual, I’ve been drawn to glitch and circuit-bent media for quite some time. It speaks to me because my brain works differently. It’s unique, just like those glitches.
Digital tape formats and analog media have been a huge part of my life (whether in the background or at the forefront). I grew up with VHS. We probably taped everything that was on television at the time, especially Nick at Nite marathons. I’m enthralled with the structure of television broadcasts, so VHS tapes and VCRs are an obvious link to that for me. VHS, especially, has that DIY feel I’ve come to embrace in my art too. It embodies all of those things so well.
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Anemoia and vicarious nostalgia are fascinating, and even more so when it's your turn to see the stuff you experienced firsthand become the focus. It's interesting to see younger audiences gravitating towards older media formats or, at least, their aesthetics. I’ve even had teenagers wax poetic to me about AOL and dial-up internet. I guess there is something romantic about that iconic screeching sound as you cross your fingers, hoping you don’t wake anyone up at 1:00 am. You can hear it, feel it, and see it as the connection is initiated. Getting there is its own experience. People make a similar claim about vinyl. Those things you can hold in your hands and have a connection with that you can’t get in an abstract digital format. It’s not just a few clicks away. That old technology requires effort, patience, and following the steps. You are involved with its function, a part of the process. I think we’re all longing for more of that in general.
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You mention in your bio that your works explore “the importance of mental health, concepts of cybernetics, chaos magick, horror, and science fiction”. Interested in hearing more about this and what other projects you're currently working on?
Cybernetics and science fiction became a focus for me as I was developing my process with VHS and analog equipment. Experimenting with old technology alongside newer technology and forcing them to work together brought that concept to mind. Body horror played a role in that too. A lot of my work that features cybernetics leans heavily into that sub-genre.
Horror has had a major influence on me, starting at an early age when practical effects were the coolest things I had ever seen. Now, as an adult, I’m finding more and more that horror is one of the most effective ways for me to express various subjects.
Chaos magick has had a significant impact on my process, the tools I use, and the way I blend witchcraft into my films. Sometimes it’s subtle, and other times that magick element is clearly present. Over the years, it’s gotten increasingly prominent in my work.
Cybernetics and science fiction became a focus for me as I was developing my process with VHS and analog equipment. Experimenting with old technology alongside newer technology and forcing them to work together brought that concept to mind. Body horror played a role in that too. A lot of my work that features cybernetics leans heavily into that sub-genre.
Horror has had a major influence on me, starting at an early age when practical effects were the coolest things I had ever seen. Now, as an adult, I’m finding more and more that horror is one of the most effective ways for me to express various subjects.
Chaos magick has had a significant impact on my process, the tools I use, and the way I blend witchcraft into my films. Sometimes it’s subtle, and other times that magick element is clearly present. Over the years, it’s gotten increasingly prominent in my work.
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I have an ongoing video project called Miller’s Grove Public Access that started as a video diary of sorts where I created short films in the style of television shows to express personal experiences with my mental health. At the time, I wasn’t seeing many artists talking about it, much less about more stigmatized disorders. I have bipolar 1, OCD, and PTSD, three things that are still very much misunderstood even with the recent rise of mental health awareness. After showcasing two of the short films I created in 2018, I saw strong interest from other artists, so I held my first open call that same year and produced the first two Miller’s Grove Public Access broadcasts. Another broadcast with all-new content was showcased in 2020. It’s a project I took a break from, as navigating the landscape of mental health has become very different and at times more difficult than it was before the pandemic (but in other ways). It took me some time to figure out how I wanted to say what I wanted to say for the next broadcast. Thankfully, the writing process is finally underway.
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As for other projects in the works, there are many, each at a different stage. It’s a regular thing for me, so ideas can easily get placed on the back burner if I’m not careful, but I’m getting better at staying focused and more consistent in my practice. I recently started a new sketchbook where I make a collage for each project, so I’m developing concepts in a way that feels more tangible and productive. It also keeps me artistically active each day even if it’s just for 15 minutes. It's my filmmaker’s grimoire.
The piece that’s furthest along right now is centered on recent personal life changes, told through the lens of alchemy. I’ve been describing it as autobiographical body horror.
The piece that’s furthest along right now is centered on recent personal life changes, told through the lens of alchemy. I’ve been describing it as autobiographical body horror.
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Making an effective micro-short can be surprisingly difficult. What do you think is the key to creating a film that leaves a lasting impression in such a short runtime?
Establishing tone immediately is the most important. From there, I’d say examine the film’s structure and narrow down the necessary elements. That can come during the final draft of a script, or it might take up until the editing process. Sometimes it’ll come naturally to me; I can rely on intuition, as I did with 11:11. Other times, I have to create rules or guidelines for myself. My shortest film, Summer Valley, takes the form |
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I saw that you're also the founder of TeleUphoria Media Network. Would love to hear more about this “experimental broadcasting project", and if you have any other upcoming projects in the works.
It all started with Miller’s Grove Public Access. The first two broadcasts were shown in a gallery setting as an installation piece. The 2020 broadcast was intended to do the same, but when the pandemic hit, I had to find another way to show it. I decided to use live streaming, which ended up capturing the spirit of what I was doing better than the previous gallery setting. I was able to create a set broadcast schedule for folks to tune in to, rather than keeping it available at any time. There was also a downloadable TV guide that allowed viewers to read artist statements and learn more about the project. |
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When I got another idea for a themed open call, in which I wanted to use the same television broadcast format, I decided to create a single place for these “channels” to live. Thus, TeleUphoria Media Network was born. Its mission doesn’t stop there, though. It’s meant as a safe space to experiment and a platform to make videomaking more accessible by encouraging a DIY approach.
The most recent broadcast, Channel 43 (a showcase of horror and science fiction films), aired in 2021, so TeleUphoria has been on hiatus for a while. It's a lot for one person to do, and it takes a big chunk of the year to complete, from the open call to the final broadcast date. It’s a passion project for sure. However, as I mentioned earlier, a new Miller’s Grove Public Access broadcast is in the works, though a definite release date is still a bit far away. What I can tell you is the open call will be different this time, but I’m excited to change things up and bring both Miller’s Grove Public Access and the TeleUphoria project back after such a long break.
The most recent broadcast, Channel 43 (a showcase of horror and science fiction films), aired in 2021, so TeleUphoria has been on hiatus for a while. It's a lot for one person to do, and it takes a big chunk of the year to complete, from the open call to the final broadcast date. It’s a passion project for sure. However, as I mentioned earlier, a new Miller’s Grove Public Access broadcast is in the works, though a definite release date is still a bit far away. What I can tell you is the open call will be different this time, but I’m excited to change things up and bring both Miller’s Grove Public Access and the TeleUphoria project back after such a long break.
Producing material that pushes the boundaries of technology, Sophia Gordon’s work spans a variety of mediums including video, performance, installation, music, animation, motion graphics, illustration, graphic design, and writing. Both glitch art and circuit bending as well as the compatibility of old and new technologies are prominent features within her practice. Her most recent projects have explored the importance of mental health, concepts of cybernetics, chaos magick, horror, and science fiction.
Sophia graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Film and Television Production. There, she developed a passion for experimental story structure and the meticulous nature of the editing process. Over the course of the last 8 years, she has developed a style inspired by public access television and lo-fi digital tape formats.
Currently residing in the Greater Nashville Area, Sophia continues to bring her aesthetics to new mediums. She is the founder and operator of the experimental broadcasting company TeleUphoria Media Network, where she curates two themed channels (Miller’s Grove Public Access and Channel 43). She is also a member of the transgressive art collective Trance//Furnace.
Sophia graduated from the Savannah College of Art and Design with a BFA in Film and Television Production. There, she developed a passion for experimental story structure and the meticulous nature of the editing process. Over the course of the last 8 years, she has developed a style inspired by public access television and lo-fi digital tape formats.
Currently residing in the Greater Nashville Area, Sophia continues to bring her aesthetics to new mediums. She is the founder and operator of the experimental broadcasting company TeleUphoria Media Network, where she curates two themed channels (Miller’s Grove Public Access and Channel 43). She is also a member of the transgressive art collective Trance//Furnace.
