University of the Underground

🚀 [OPEN CALL] Ground control to filmmakers! We invite you to join us on a journey to the cosmos, away from billionaire-owned space exploration and grey CGI renders, and towards infinite colourful futures. 🌌✨ We are looking for submissions for a new short film programme, premiering at the London Short Film Festival 2025 - co-curated by Nelly Ben Hayoun- Stépanian with Frameline Distribution, and Frameline San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, in collaboration with the SETI Institute. We’re seeking short films that challenge narratives of extraction, colonisation, and profiteering—focusing instead on alien territories, SETI (search for extraterrestrial Intelligence) research, utopian or dystopian off-world imaginaries, cosmic glamour, and genderfluid futures. 💫👽 🎬 Selected films will screen at the London Short Film Festival in January 2025 and then tour to San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival in June 2025, with a chance for distribution by Frameline and the University of the Underground. 🎥 Film Requirements: 🎞️Produced within the last 3 years (and should not have screened at the London Short Film Festival or Frameline prior) 🎞️Any budget 🎞️Max length: 15 minutes 📅 Deadline: 10th September 2024, 9am PCT / 5pm GMT Submit via LSFF FilmFreeway using the code ALIENEXTRAVAGANZA (£5 fee). 🌍🎟️ If you do not use the code, your submission will not be recognised as part of this programme. If your film is submitted using the code but is not on the theme of Alien Extravaganza as outlined above, the film will be automatically rejected and you will not be refunded. Submit your visionary work and be part of this cosmic journey! For those facing financial barriers, email us at [email protected] for fee waivers. SHARE IN YOUR NETWORK 💌 #QueerFilm #SpaceExploration #LSFF #Frameline #ExperimentalCinema #NellyBenHayoun #SETIInstitute #FilmFestival #AlienExtravaganza @londonshortfilmfest @framelinefest @setiinstitute @tour_de_moon @uniundergrd

AMSTERDAM, we’re coming for you. Idol Worship lands at Boom Chicago on April 21, and we’re thrilled to be joined by special guest Tabitha as our opener. Mink Stole and I will take the stage for an intimate, funny, and heartfelt celebration of underground cinema, John Waters, and our decades-long friendship. And making it even more special, this marks Mink’s very first time performing in Amsterdam. If you love cult movies, queer history, and a little bit of beautifully twisted storytelling, this night is for you. Tickets are on sale now: PEACHESCHRIST.COM #amsterdam #queeramsterdam #amsterdampride #minkstole #peacheschrist

R.I.P Láwû Makuriye’nt (AKA mango, Eobiont and half of Mirrored Fatality)❤️ @mirroredfatality @eo.biont ‘The stars are not wanted now: put out every one; Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun’ Today, we face the immense and infinite loss of our friend, my beloved ‘baby’, Láwû Makuriye’nt (AKA mango, Eobiont and half of Mirrored Fatality) at the age of 28. Láwû was a pillar of my life, someone who never ceased to inspire and to drive new alien, experimental and avant-garde creations. An unapologetic artist, gifted creator of new worlds, generous beyond reason, the most iconic human, the voice of a generation - one who engaged with the world with love, compassion but also rage. Rage for what History should never be again, Rage against the establishment, Rage and noise music as a form of healing. Láwû was the center of so many communities, a teacher and student - all encompassing member of the University of the Underground, Tour de Moon, Piccadilly Un:plugged, Doppelgangers3 and so much more. To say that they inspired everyone who was lucky enough to share their path- is not an understatement. Everyone and everything is crying today. And one today can only feel RAGE and ANGER for the ways in which we have to comprehend the inhumane loss we are left with. Today, we mourn the immense abyss that we are left to consider and comprehend now and in the future. On 8th March at 4pm we invite all of you to come and celebrate the avant-garde artist, the friend, Láwû Makuriye’nt in Piccadilly Circus, where their music will be played as a part of a project they contributed to prior to this tragic accident. Our love is with Samar and Láwû’s family and friends. If you wish us to read any of your words please feel free to share it with us. Also in link in bio, if you can donate to the GoFundMe to support the unexpected expenses for their family at this time 🙏

📣 Calling all students📣 LETS TALK ABOUT ALTERNATIVE FUTURES AND WHAT YOU GONNA DO ABOUT IT! From Milan to London to Glasgow, Nelly will be in conversation; sharing the making off behind their pluralistic large scale projects with socio- political impact, community engagement and accessibility at their core. Expect ETs, doppelgangers, moonbounce, humanoids, decentralised platforms and more practical tips on innovation, production, fundraising, risk assessments and experimental practices.... 🚀✨ Here’s where you can catch Nelly in action: 📍 Milan Istituto Europeo di Design 🗓 Wednesday, 16 October 2024 | 10:00 AM 🔗 Link in bio 📍 London Royal College of Art- on experimental practices 🗓 Thursday, 7 November 2024 | 11:00 AM 🔗 Link in bio 📍 London Central Saint Martins (Material Futures) 🗓 Wednesday, 6 November 2024 | 5:30-6:30 PM 🔗 Link in bio 📍 Glasgow Glasgow School of Art 🗓 Thursday, 14 November 2024 | 3:30 PM 🔗 Link in bio 📍 London Chelsea School of Art 🗓 Tuesday, 3 December 2024 | 5:00 PM 🔗 Link in bio Don’t see your school... too London-centric?!- no worries, email us at [email protected] and coordinate schedule with your teachers. Let’s make new futures happen! 🌍✨ PLUS, the University of the Underground is back! Yess, that’s right!!! Sign up for our newsletter at universityoftheunderground.org to stay updated on all the exciting news 🚀🚀🚀🚀🚀 #NellyBenHayounstepanian #universityoftheunderground @tour_de_moon @uniundergr

👽 ARE WE ALONE? One fundamental question, isn’t it? Alien Extravaganza is a 90-minute programme of short films premiering at the London Short Film Festival and Frameline—exploring Alien Aesthetics, cosmic glamour, genderfluid futures, and all things extraterrestrial. If you’re dreaming up off-world imaginaries, we want to see your films! 🚀✨ Brought to you by Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios, San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival, and London Short Film Festival. Selected films will screen at the London Short Film Festival in January 2025 and the San Francisco International LGBTQ+ Film Festival (the longest-running queer film exhibition) in June 2025. Plus, you’ll have a chance to get distributed by Frameline! 🎥 🎥 Film Requirements: 🎞️Produced within the last 3 years (and should not have screened at the London Short Film Festival or Frameline prior) 🎞️Any budget 🎞️Max length: 15 minutes 📅 Deadline: 10th September 2024, 9am PCT / 5pm GMT Submit via LSFF FilmFreeway using the code ALIENEXTRAVAGANZA (£5 fee). 🌍🎟️ If you do not use the code, your submission will not be recognised as part of this programme. If your film is submitted using the code but is not on the theme of Alien Extravaganza as outlined above, the film will be automatically rejected and you will not be refunded. Submit your visionary work and be part of this cosmic journey! For those facing financial barriers, email us at [email protected] for fee waivers. SHARE IN YOUR NETWORK 💌 #QueerFilm #SpaceExploration #LSFF #Frameline #ExperimentalCinema #NellyBenHayoun #SETIInstitute #FilmFestival #AlienExtravaganza @londonshortfilmfest @framelinefest @setiinstitute @tour_de_moon @uniundergr

What does it take to be free? What does it take to think freely? and what does it take to actually stop a totalitarian regime from happening? Release all political prisoners. We believe in freedom of thinking especially at a time of resurgence of the far right and authoritarian regime. Our heart today is with Navalny’s family and with all our friends who are standing up against totalitarianism with courage and determination. Here is a snippet from a conversation with university of the underground @uniundergrd board member Nadya Tolokonnikova @nadya of Pussy Riot @pussyriot and Nelly discussing the release of Navalny back in 2021. #FreePoliticalPrisoners #UniversityoftheUnderground #transnational #education #creativeeducation #freedomofspeech #nellybenhayoun #nellybenhayounstudios @yulia_navalnaya

🩻 Throwback to our X-Ray Records featuring unreleased songs & audio by Massive Attack, Pussy Riot, Noam Chomsky, Jónsi of Sigur Rós & more…❤️💫 Swipe to see the unique vinyl-type records made with audio cut into radiography film 💿👉🏽 We collaborated with Collecteurs and the Bureau of Lost Culture to create this fundraiser in March 2019 - All proceeds went to the charity of University of the Underground, helping us provide free and transnational education for the next generation of creatives 📝🚀🔥 The University of the Underground will be re-opening in September 2024 with a new programme & we are currently exploring NEW ideas for our next fundraiser! 1. Comment with your ideas below 🤩👇🏽💡 2. Sign into University of the underground newsletter (link in bio) for updates + be the first to know when you can apply! #UniversityoftheUnderground #Freeeducation #transnational #education #creativeeducation #artfundraiser #artdonations #artstudio #xray #xrayrecords #xrayart #vinyl #xrayvinyl #vinylrecords #vinylrecord #vinyllover #vinylcollection #vinylcommunity #vinylcollector #recordcollection #records #vinylgram #massiveattack #collecteurs #bureauoflostculture

🎂Today the @uniundergrd turns 6! 🎂 6 years of championing free, pluralistic and transnational eduction. To date, we have… * We have invited 370 unique practitioners to host lectures and workshops 😇 * We have welcomed 110 international students 🎈 * Since the pandemic 2020 provided free and public online classes to over 20,422 visitors 👏 * Provided an accredited free master 📚 * Ran 7 research programmes with more to come 🔥☄️🧯 * Collaborated with world-leading institutions @sandberginstituut @unitednations @hannaharendtcenteratbard @wetransfer @wepresent @thevinylfactory @britishfilminstitute 🏔️ * Hosted research trips to the desert, Cairo, Tbilisi, Mexico, New York, Amsterdam, London and beyond! 🛤️ ‼️🚨⏰And that’s not just it… we have an upcoming program on ECONOMICS! Stay tuned on our socials and newsletter to find out more (you can subscribe via the link in bio). We’d like to thank everyone who has been a part of this journey, its been wild but we’ve loved every second! #universityoftheunderground #tourdemoon #wetransfer #wepresent #nellybenhayounstudios

Tour de Moon's @tour_de_moon Moon Arkestra, formed of 9 talented musicians drawn from an array of youth countercultures, travelled through towns and cities in England 11 May - 16 June 2022 as part of Moon Convoy, a fully sustainable convoy of vehicles. They took part in the Whistleblowing Programme by University of the Underground @uniundergrd . Arkestra members put together a series of experiences and creative interventions involving political theory and musical practice. Together they explored how whistleblowing (revealing secret information as a part of public institutions) can be considered a creative practice and outlet to rethink our world being political, economic and sociological- within and outside of institutions. Sign up to our newsletter in bio to be the next to hear about our upcoming programmes! 🔥🔥🔥 Edited by Marina Terranova ✨ #universityoftheunderground #tourdemoon #whistleblowing

RIP our beloved board member and great supporter Hector Roca. Hector met all our students as a part of our programme in New York City in 2019 @gleasonsgym . The programme was looking at sports and diplomacy and imagining new politics post nation-states. This loss is immense and we will miss him terribly. We thank him for all he taught us and we send our love to his family and everyone at @gleasonsgym 🤲❤️🙏🥊 #hectorroca

EPISODE 5 of our Tour de Moon Legacy Podcast series is OUT NOW! Listen in our stories and bio. Episode 5 covers Exploration. Host Dionne Scougul @dionnescougul chats to @pedroclubofficial boxing coaches Natasha Patterson @coach_tasha17 and Leon Cristovao @leon_cristovao_ about the Legacy of Moon Games. In this clip Natasha discusses the impact of Moon Games, and what the inflatable environment allowed participants to explore. #tourdemoon #uniundergrd

More photos from our Holiday Showcase at @earthackney , documented by @mellozwrld 🔥🔥🔥 #tourdemoon #universityoftheunderground