This costume is part of a 2015 performance project by Sam Beklik, exploring the transformative power of cinema and its impact on personal identity. The design represents an individual’s obsession with films, highlighting how cinema serves as a gateway to alternate worlds, allowing viewers to momentarily escape reality. Films offer a brief respite from life’s challenges, eliciting emotions that resonate deeply, much like what this individual has experienced—moments of laughter, sadness, and reflection. Through his immersion in movies, he has gained new perspectives on life, shaped by the diverse narratives and characters on screen, which have influenced his worldview, both positively and negatively. In today’s world, people consume films in different ways—some casually in their free time, while others, like this man, devote themselves fully to the medium, even collecting films or investing significant resources into the experience. His costume, made from videotape or magnetic film, reflects his profound passion for cinema. It’s a bold statement, conveying how deeply films have affected him. The choice of material is symbolic, representing the physicality of media and the emotional weight of the stories contained within it. This project goes beyond costume design, becoming a visual narrative on how films can leave lasting impressions, communicate emotions, and capture memories. The costume encapsulates the philosophy of media and art, serving as an invitation to others to embrace and express their love for cinema. For film enthusiasts, this performance project is a celebration of the powerful influence that movies have on our lives and identities. / Photography: Maryam Mohammadi.