“Kosmos” is a study of translucent crystals. (In his typically tactile approach, Fleisch grew the crystals directly onto the filmstrip.) At times, images of the crystals rush past us, changing on every frame. At times, the images are slowed down to one or two per second, and they are allowed to “bloom” into focus. Some look like turquoise chunks embedded in glass, others like bubbling black water. The shimmering, glassy electronic noise score complements the images well. In the film’s exciting conclusion, the crystals seem somehow to be rushing towards the viewer, and to be transformed into pure energy, as fiery points of lights dance chaotically all over the frame. In its modest way, this short film lives up to its title, and gives us a glimpse into the hidden structure of a universe.
