‘Sunshine State’, by acclaimed artist and filmmaker Steve McQueen (known for the Academy Award-winning 12 Years a Slave), is an immersive, multichannel video installation comprised of two synchronized screens. The work juxtaposes the searing imagery of a burning sun with scenes from the musical drama The Jazz Singer (1927), delving into profound themes such as family trauma and the history of blackface.

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) commissioned an exhibition featuring ‘Sunshine State’ for their fiftieth anniversary edition in Depot Boijmans van Beuningen in January 2023, after which the installation made its U.S. premiere at Marian Goodman Gallery in Los Angeles on 23 September 2023.

Over the course of four years, Indyvideo collaborated closely with McQueen and his team to develop and refine the installation’s complex technical design, ensuring the seamless synchronization of visuals and sound. From Rotterdam to Los Angeles, we managed every aspect of the technical realization, creating an immersive and impactful viewing experience for audiences on both continents.