A truly intriguing entry in this year’s Wavelengths program, Invention by contemporary artist Mark Lewis is an extraordinary, city symphony film, that calls into question the minutiae of every day urban living taken for granted.

Save for its opening and conclusion, Invention is completely silent, beckoning the audience to immerse themselves in the camerawork and subject matter, which includes various cities as Paris, São Paolo, and Toronto. Lewis’ film maneuvers around space in a manner that’s reminiscent of fellow Canadian filmmaker Michael Snow’s work in the 1960s, or even for a recent example, Gaspar Noe’s Enter the Void (minus the computer generated assistance). At a brisk 87 minutes the film requires the utmost level of patience, however each segment is an incredible feat of cinematic technology, with the ability to hypnotize even the most agitated spectator.

Coming across as one of the strongest avant-garde works that TIFF has to offer this year, Invention is not to be missed, as it certainly makes fora truly captivating audience experiences. Whether or not you are able to handle nearly 90 minutes of silence is another question, but for those willing to go outside of their comfort zone, its well worth the consideration.

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