Protected: The Last Carnival Cruise

The Last Carnival Cruise is an imaginary trip inspired by the mass tourism industry, leisure, old age and the idea of a journey with no return. Shot in Super 8 in 1980 by Miralda on board a cruise, as a part of his unfinished By boat, by train and by plane project, the video, which has recently been edited, is presented as a tale in seven episodes: “Say Goodbye”, “Loading Potatoes” “Journey Rules”, “Gogo Food”, “Enjoyment Tips”, “Upside Down Rite” and “Unloading Zone”.

The video opens as the cruise ship sets sail from harbour and the passengers say their farewells, followed by an initiatory visit around the vessel, which is held like a processional rite through the hallways, a banquet of sweets and a dance in the large ballroom. These joyful, tumultuous scenes are followed by other, deserted ones, with hallways occupied only by suitcases which, at the end of the trip, are unloaded and stowed by the crew. The journey is connected to the dramatic events that 5 years later occurred to the Achille Lauro ship, hijacked by the Front for the Liberation of Palestine (FLP).