Compline Poster

Compline 2009

★ 6.01 votes18 min📅 2009-10-10

Nathaniel Dorsky's *Compline* (2009) is a poetic meditation on endings and transitions, framed as both a visual love letter to Kodachrome film stock and a farewell to its enduring warmth.

Director: Nathaniel Dorsky

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Compline (2009) about?

*Compline* (2009) reflects on closure and legacy through the lens of its creator's lifelong attachment to Kodachrome film. The 18-minute short frames everyday moments as luminous, prayer-like imagery, symbolizing both an ending and a celebration of the medium's visual poetry.

Who directed Compline?

Compline was directed by Nathaniel Dorsky, an experimental filmmaker renowned for his lyrical, light-infused cinematography and longtime use of Kodachrome.

Who stars in Compline?

Cast details for Compline (2009) are not publicly listed.

Is Compline (2009) worth watching?

As a concise, visually stunning farewell to Kodachrome, *Compline* (2009) offers a meditative experience for fans of experimental cinema. Its brevity and thematic depth reward patient viewers, even if its niche appeal limits broader recognition.

How long is Compline?

Compline (2009) has a runtime of 18 minutes.

About Compline (2009) — Nathaniel Dorsky's Kodachrome ode and cinematic farewell

Nathaniel Dorsky's *Compline* (2009) is a poetic meditation on endings and transitions, framed as both a visual love letter to Kodachrome film stock and a farewell to its enduring warmth. Shot in his signature style, the 18-minute short blends fleeting natural light with quiet intimacy, capturing a world brimming with transient beauty. The film's title refers to the final canonical hour of evening prayer, evoking a sense of closure while honoring tradition. Dorsky, who shot *Compline* entirely in the endangered Kodachrome emulsion, transforms the medium's rich hues into a cinematic benediction—a delicate duet between creator and craft, memory and loss.

Here, Dorsky's lens lingers on the interplay of light and shadow, turning everyday scenes into luminous reflections on time's passage. The absence of dialogue or conventional narrative invites contemplation, as if each frame is a whispered prayer in a twilight world. *Compline* isn't just a technical milestone; it's an emotional farewell to a film stock that shaped a career, imbued with reverence for the tactile and the transient.