Nov 6th 2025

Join Colombian French artist and filmmaker Laura Huertas Millán for an evening exploring the coca plant through the lens of the pharmakon—a substance that can both poison and cure—while reflecting on colonial histories, Indigenous knowledge, and ecological violence.

Followed by a conversation between Laura Huertas Millán and the artist Claire Pentecost. Presented in partnership with Video Data Bank.

“Huertas Millán…blends archives, first-person accounts, and myths with immersive and intuitive cinematography, taking viewers along narratives across foliage, time, and space”—Hoor Al Qasimi and Jiwon Lee, Sharjah Biennial 15: Thinking Historically in the Present

“Unique and boundary-pushing”—Justine Peres Smith, Hyperallergic

FREE for SAIC students, $5 for SAIC/AIC faculty and staff, $6.50 for @filmcenter members, $8 students and seniors, and $13 for the general public.

CATE events include real-time captions (CART). The Film Center is ADA accessible and equipped with hearing loops; for additional requests, visit saic.edu/access or contact cate@saic.edu.

CONVERSATIONS AT THE EDGE is the School of the Art Institute of Chicago’s award-winning series for groundbreaking film and media art. From eye-opening screenings to unforgettable performances and talks, CATE is made possible through a unique partnership between the SAIC’s Department of Film, Video, New Media, and Animation, Video Data Bank, and the Siskel Film Center.

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