Artist Talk: Josef Gatti 'PHENOMENA'

Hear from filmmaker and artist Josef Gatti as he discusses the making of PHENOMENA, his feature-documentary debut and a psychedelic odyssey into the fabric of the universe.

Working at the intersection of art, science and experimental filmmaking, Gatti uses innovative cinematography and practical experimentation to reveal nature's inner workings. Captured entirely by camera with no visual effects or artifice, PHENOMENA traces the forces and elements shaping the natural world, spanning from the subatomic to cosmological scales.

In this artist talk, Gatti will discuss his approach to filmmaking and the decade-long process behind PHENOMENA – from its beginnings as a series of short-form experiments to its evolution into an immersive feature film. The conversation will consider curiosity and experimentation as creative methods, and the possibilities that emerge when the languages of art, cinema and science converge.

Featuring music by Nils Frahm and an original score by Rival Consoles, PHENOMENA has screened at documentary film festivals internationally and was made in collaboration with Academy Award-nominated production studio Sandbox Films.

“[Gatti] takes a hyper-sensory approach … and in so doing, makes fundamental facts of the universe seem once more beguilingly mysterious to us.” – Variety

This artist talk takes place ahead of a screening of PHENOMENA at Palace Nova as part of Adelaide Film Festival.

About the Artist:
Josef Gatti is a filmmaker and artist based in Melbourne specialising in documentary and experimental film. His distinctive visual style is shaped by innovative cinematography and practical experimentation, bringing together art and science to create immersive experiences.

PHENOMENA marks his feature-documentary debut, made in collaboration with Academy Award–nominated production studio Sandbox Films. The project builds on the success of a multi-platform iteration of the same name, broadcast by the ABC (Australia) and screened at international film festivals and immersive exhibition spaces. It was named the second-best Australian series of 2021 by The Guardian, and described by DOC NYC as “a film that just has to be experienced”.

Beyond his documentary work, Josef works as a creative and cinematographer in Australia's music and arts scene, documenting and collaborating with some of Australia’s leading music festivals and acclaimed artists. Notably, in 2024 Josef directed the series Matter for Cercle Records.

About the Film:
A psychedelic odyssey into the fabric of the universe, guided by a filmmaker and his immersive practical experiments that blur the lines between art and science to reveal nature’s inner workings. Captured entirely by camera with no visual effects or artifice.

The unfolding awe-inspiring hyper-real imagery is elevated by music from legendary Nils Frahm and an ethereal electronic original score by Rival Consoles, transforming curious observation into a hypnotic audio-visual adventure spanning from the subatomic to cosmological scales.

Tracing the forces and elements shaping the natural world, PHENOMENA is a kinetic sensory experience, exploring the wonders of the universe and our connection to it.

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SANDBOX FILMS and SCREEN AUSTRALIA present in association with VICSCREEN a GATTI and MASHUP PICTURES production “PHENOMENA”

Image: Josef Gatti, PHENOMENA (2026)