Winners of the 2012 Moving Image Commission, Karin Kihlberg and Reuben Henry’s film The Order of Things is part natural history, part science fiction…  

The film tells the story of the Great North Run from the perspective of the physical course itself, its architecture, structures and materials. Turning anthropological study on its head, The Order of Things explores the man-made surroundings of the world’s largest half-marathon, drawing on influences as diverse as natural history films to government guidelines on the aesthetics of road-building. 

The work is a continuation of Kihlberg and Henry's ongoing interest in the built environment. The Order of Things uses the conceit of a science fiction narrator to create an homage to the architecture, engineering and industrial design that forms both the course of the Great North Run and the backdrop to our daily lives. 

There was an accompanying book available during the exhibition at NewBridge Space, Newcastle.

We interviewed Karin and Reuben at the launch of the film and the book on 6 September, and found out what the audience thought about their new film: