The 8th annual Big Sky Documentary Film Festival is all set to run for ten days this Feb. 11-20 in Missoula, Montana. This year, the fest will have a whopping 140 film programs, a growth that necessitates an expansion from its regular home at the Historic Wilma Theatre — where it will occupy two screens — to also feature screenings at the former Pipestone Mountaineering store.
Special events at the fest include a free opening night screening of How to Die in Oregon sponsored by HBO Documentary Films. The film, directed by Peter D. Richardson, examines the impact the legalization of physician-assisted suicide has had on the state. (In 1994, Oregon was the first state to legalize the practice.)
Also, indie rock band Yo La Tengo will perform their acclaimed live score of the films of pioneering French underwater documentary film director Jean Painlevé, something they have done for other film festivals all over the world.
Special events at the fest include a free opening night screening of How to Die in Oregon sponsored by HBO Documentary Films. The film, directed by Peter D. Richardson, examines the impact the legalization of physician-assisted suicide has had on the state. (In 1994, Oregon was the first state to legalize the practice.)
Also, indie rock band Yo La Tengo will perform their acclaimed live score of the films of pioneering French underwater documentary film director Jean Painlevé, something they have done for other film festivals all over the world.
- 1/15/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
For many, Visionaries will feel like an incomprehensible documentary about a group of strange filmmakers who made incomprehensible films. For those who feel they may fit this description, this is your friendly .heads up. to enter into the film with an open mind and uninhibited curiosity. Every film featured in Visionaries has some meaning or purpose.
Workman interviews several groundbreaking and influential filmmakers of the experimental and avant-garde .genre. including Jonas Mekas, who serves as the film.s tour guide into the minds of cinematic artists like Stan Brakhage, Man Ray, Su Friedrich and Kenneth Anger. David Lynch offers insights as well, one of the most interesting is when he explains how when sound and images are projected together, the viewer.s mind involuntarily begins to construct a narrative. With this concept, it may be assumed that the viewer is the storyteller and each film may ultimately have an infinite number of stories it tells.
Workman interviews several groundbreaking and influential filmmakers of the experimental and avant-garde .genre. including Jonas Mekas, who serves as the film.s tour guide into the minds of cinematic artists like Stan Brakhage, Man Ray, Su Friedrich and Kenneth Anger. David Lynch offers insights as well, one of the most interesting is when he explains how when sound and images are projected together, the viewer.s mind involuntarily begins to construct a narrative. With this concept, it may be assumed that the viewer is the storyteller and each film may ultimately have an infinite number of stories it tells.
- 11/21/2010
- by Travis Keune
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Chicago – In Chicago, they are out and about on a daily basis. It is a simple pick-up truck, often bent and rusted with age. Most of the hauling areas in the back cabs of these trucks are outfitted with plywood extensions, increasing their ability to get more stuff in the back. They are the “Scrappers.”
This documentary follows two such men, as they prowl the alleys of Chicago, searching for the elusive metal that they can trade in for cash. Oscar is an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, working 14 hours a day to keep a subsistent level for his wife, child and family back home. Otis is a 73 year old African American man, proud and self-sufficient, who views scrapping as a noble and independent profession.
Co-directors Brian Ashby, Ben Kolak and Courtney Prokopas engage the two men, and use a point-of-view style to understand the often desperate circumstances of the scrap business and its practitoners.
This documentary follows two such men, as they prowl the alleys of Chicago, searching for the elusive metal that they can trade in for cash. Oscar is an undocumented immigrant from Honduras, working 14 hours a day to keep a subsistent level for his wife, child and family back home. Otis is a 73 year old African American man, proud and self-sufficient, who views scrapping as a noble and independent profession.
Co-directors Brian Ashby, Ben Kolak and Courtney Prokopas engage the two men, and use a point-of-view style to understand the often desperate circumstances of the scrap business and its practitoners.
- 6/27/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – Day Two of the Chicago Underground Film Festival saves one of its most underground features for the appropriately late 10:30pm time slot. “Modus Operandi” is an indescribable James Bondage spoof (pun intended) that puts the “Be-Be-Be” in the bonnet of an underground B-Movie blast.
Part intentional grindhouse parody, part little-boys-playing-with-special-effects-toys, Modus Operandi has more quality kills and women willing to get nekkid than most Friday nights switching between the Chiller Network and Cinemax.
Fate Opens the Door for Stanley Cashay (Randy Russell) in ‘Modus Operandi’
Photo credit: Frankie Latina Motion Pictures
Presidential candidate Squire Parks (Michael Sottile) has two important briefcases stolen from him at a key moment in the campaign. Only one man can retrieve such sensitive and potential blackmailing material, and that is Stanley Cashay (Randy Russell). Cashay is Black Ops, but has been underground since the murder of his wife.
When Cashay does get involved,...
Part intentional grindhouse parody, part little-boys-playing-with-special-effects-toys, Modus Operandi has more quality kills and women willing to get nekkid than most Friday nights switching between the Chiller Network and Cinemax.
Fate Opens the Door for Stanley Cashay (Randy Russell) in ‘Modus Operandi’
Photo credit: Frankie Latina Motion Pictures
Presidential candidate Squire Parks (Michael Sottile) has two important briefcases stolen from him at a key moment in the campaign. Only one man can retrieve such sensitive and potential blackmailing material, and that is Stanley Cashay (Randy Russell). Cashay is Black Ops, but has been underground since the murder of his wife.
When Cashay does get involved,...
- 6/26/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
Chicago – In a summer where even the most mainstream sect of the moviegoing public has begun turning its back on lazy mass-marketed mediocrity, it’s especially refreshing to be faced with the 17th Annual Chicago Underground Film Festival. The edginess, unpredictability, and even sporadic clumsiness of this festival’s offerings sharply contrast with the slick, routine pictures that often pass for “independent” filmmaking these days.
The films at Cuff are always exhilaratingly alive and defiantly uncommercial. This year’s festival offers a typically diverse smorgasbord of independent, experimental and documentary features, including several titles that are already gaining buzz as potential cult classics. Filmmakers and film lovers will unite at The Gene Siskel Film Center during the festival’s week-long run, from June 24th to the 28th, with repeat screenings continuing through July 1st. We’ll be providing coverage of the festival until closing night, so make sure to tune...
The films at Cuff are always exhilaratingly alive and defiantly uncommercial. This year’s festival offers a typically diverse smorgasbord of independent, experimental and documentary features, including several titles that are already gaining buzz as potential cult classics. Filmmakers and film lovers will unite at The Gene Siskel Film Center during the festival’s week-long run, from June 24th to the 28th, with repeat screenings continuing through July 1st. We’ll be providing coverage of the festival until closing night, so make sure to tune...
- 6/24/2010
- by adam@hollywoodchicago.com (Adam Fendelman)
- HollywoodChicago.com
I think this is my longest collection of links yet. Enjoy!
Professor Chuck Tryon is working on a new book, which should be awesome since his first one was so great. In preparation, he’s interviewing indie filmmakers about their experiences working in our new digital culture and posting the results online. His first interview is up and it’s with fellow professor Chris Hansen, whose films are routinely reviewed on Bad Lit. Hansen provides some great, insightful answers about the challenges of still getting one’s films in front of viewer eyeballs amid the deluge of video online these days. The interview is up in two parts, and you should read them both: Part One and Part Two. In a vaguely related link, the Film Doctor linked to a superb article by Caitlin Kelly on True/Slant called appropriately enough “Why Crap Gets Read And Real News Doesn’t:...
Professor Chuck Tryon is working on a new book, which should be awesome since his first one was so great. In preparation, he’s interviewing indie filmmakers about their experiences working in our new digital culture and posting the results online. His first interview is up and it’s with fellow professor Chris Hansen, whose films are routinely reviewed on Bad Lit. Hansen provides some great, insightful answers about the challenges of still getting one’s films in front of viewer eyeballs amid the deluge of video online these days. The interview is up in two parts, and you should read them both: Part One and Part Two. In a vaguely related link, the Film Doctor linked to a superb article by Caitlin Kelly on True/Slant called appropriately enough “Why Crap Gets Read And Real News Doesn’t:...
- 6/6/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
The Chicago Underground Film Festival is always a special occasion, but the 17th edition of this venerable institution, which runs on June 24 – July 1, is a little bit extra special. This year, Cuff will be honoring the lifelong underground film champion Jonas Mekas with their Lifetime Achievement Award!
Mekas will be in attendance at the festival at will appear at several screenings in his honor. On the 25th, there will be a screening of the new documentary Visionaries: Jonas Mekas and the (Mostly) American Avant-Garde, at which director Chuck Workman, Mekas and underground film historian Fred Camper will participate in a Q&A. Then, on the 26th, several of Mekas’ own films will screen and he’ll be presented with his award.
As for the rest of the fest, Cuff usually has some sort of unifying theme, at least as far as the features go. It’s not typically a stated theme,...
Mekas will be in attendance at the festival at will appear at several screenings in his honor. On the 25th, there will be a screening of the new documentary Visionaries: Jonas Mekas and the (Mostly) American Avant-Garde, at which director Chuck Workman, Mekas and underground film historian Fred Camper will participate in a Q&A. Then, on the 26th, several of Mekas’ own films will screen and he’ll be presented with his award.
As for the rest of the fest, Cuff usually has some sort of unifying theme, at least as far as the features go. It’s not typically a stated theme,...
- 6/3/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
"Cinema is the art of appropriation — whether taking that which is before the camera or that which has already been filmed." J Hoberman in the Voice: "We'll never know who first discovered the possibility of re-editing existent footage, but, as Jay Leyda noted in his pioneering Films Beget Films, 'We can be sure that the practice is as old as the newsreel itself.' These days, film history is a hall of mirrors in which not just film footage but filmmakers may be incorporated in other filmmakers' work. Johan Grimonprez's Double Take gives Alfred Hitchcock a new role; Chuck Workman's Visionaries popularizes a persona invented by Jonas Mekas."...
- 6/2/2010
- MUBI
Chuck Workman’s documentary Visionaries continues to receive mixed and muted reviews, but it’s really great to see the underground being discussed in such various venues. Wfmu has the best review I’ve read so far, written by someone who really knows and understands underground film history. This is this week’s must read link. It was also fun to read a review-slash-interview with Workman on Hollywood business-oriented website The Wrap. Of course, articles on websites like these don’t include links to references on its subjects — e.g. Mekas, Anthology, Anger, et. al. — so uninformed readers can learn more. C’est la vie. But Workman says something I truly believe and is a guiding principle behind Bad Lit these days: “there’s an audience among people who don’t know experimental film, but would enjoy it if they saw it.” A couple websites posted up late reports from...
- 5/30/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
By Steve Pond
At a time when the independent movie business is in disarray and the industry is pinning its hopes on 3D, sequels, remakes and comic-book franchises, can there really be a place for avant garde cinema?
Sure, says director Chuck Workman, whose documentary about experimental cinema, “Visionaries,” screens this Thursday and Friday at the Seattle International Film Festival.
“There’s always been an audience for experimental film, ...
At a time when the independent movie business is in disarray and the industry is pinning its hopes on 3D, sequels, remakes and comic-book franchises, can there really be a place for avant garde cinema?
Sure, says director Chuck Workman, whose documentary about experimental cinema, “Visionaries,” screens this Thursday and Friday at the Seattle International Film Festival.
“There’s always been an audience for experimental film, ...
- 5/25/2010
- by Steve Pond
- The Wrap
We’re going to start off with links to several film still galleries, which seemed to be all the rage this week:
Filmmaker Phil Solomon put up a quartet of B&W film stills from his 2002 Psalm III: “Night of the Meek” in anticipation of a new screening. Enter the very colorful mirror world of Harry Smith via 7 film stills found by Dinca. Making Light of It has a selection of screen captures from Brakhage’s Love Songs, plus scans from Emmett Williams’ experimental poem Sweethearts. Bob Moricz put up a single still of the legendary — and his personal mentor — George Kuchar from Moricz’s own film Brainbox. Bonus: A still of actor Jesse Stanowski, whose face you’ll never see again in film, from Palace of Stains. Not underground, but Candlelight Stories has a link to an awesome Ultraman painted art gallery featuring work from 1965 to 1972. Ok, that’s it for the galleries.
Filmmaker Phil Solomon put up a quartet of B&W film stills from his 2002 Psalm III: “Night of the Meek” in anticipation of a new screening. Enter the very colorful mirror world of Harry Smith via 7 film stills found by Dinca. Making Light of It has a selection of screen captures from Brakhage’s Love Songs, plus scans from Emmett Williams’ experimental poem Sweethearts. Bob Moricz put up a single still of the legendary — and his personal mentor — George Kuchar from Moricz’s own film Brainbox. Bonus: A still of actor Jesse Stanowski, whose face you’ll never see again in film, from Palace of Stains. Not underground, but Candlelight Stories has a link to an awesome Ultraman painted art gallery featuring work from 1965 to 1972. Ok, that’s it for the galleries.
- 5/16/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Back when I first turned Bad Lit into an underground film website, an early boost in traffic, awareness and respectability came when film link archivist David Hudson started linking here at his original home on GreenCine Daily. Now when I’m compiling my weekly Film Links posts, I always think back to those days. Of course, Hudson is still doing his thing, although now he’s over at The Auteurs and on Twitter, and I found it amusing that last week the link master linked to my post of links. It’s like the ultimate loop of film linkage! Thanks, David. Here’s this week’s batch:
This is a long one — and a great one! — so it’s going first: Ed Halter surveys the prolific career of filmmaker Kevin Jerome Everson. I’ve only personally seen a smattering of Everson’s work at festivals and such and I’ve always enjoyed it,...
This is a long one — and a great one! — so it’s going first: Ed Halter surveys the prolific career of filmmaker Kevin Jerome Everson. I’ve only personally seen a smattering of Everson’s work at festivals and such and I’ve always enjoyed it,...
- 5/2/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
So, with this week, I’m thinking up and trying to implement new ways to pull links from more diverse sources, so that I’m not just linking to the same types of posts. Although some of my “regulars” are posting consistently interesting things, too. Let’s start mixing it up!
You might have to register for these, but first here’s a classic review from the 1975 New York Times by Richard Eder for a re-release of Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie’s Pull My Daisy, the notorious 1959 Beat film. Then, more recently, Dave Itzkoff interviews Chuck Workman, the director of Visionaries, a documentary about Jonas Mekas and the history of avant-garde film. The site Guest of a Guest also reviews Visionaries and includes an early — and I mean early — acting clip of Robert Downey Jr. in one of his dad’s films. Another blast from the past, Making Light...
You might have to register for these, but first here’s a classic review from the 1975 New York Times by Richard Eder for a re-release of Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie’s Pull My Daisy, the notorious 1959 Beat film. Then, more recently, Dave Itzkoff interviews Chuck Workman, the director of Visionaries, a documentary about Jonas Mekas and the history of avant-garde film. The site Guest of a Guest also reviews Visionaries and includes an early — and I mean early — acting clip of Robert Downey Jr. in one of his dad’s films. Another blast from the past, Making Light...
- 4/25/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
"There is no such thing as abstract film. Every frame is real" - Kenneth Anger
Cinema is an adventure of perception. Perception being synonymous with subjectivity, a word, perhaps the very state of being, which seems to be used in more of a negative context with film rather than a positive one. This subjective state is, I think what gives cinema its wonderfully vibrant nature; its lustful, tenacious constantly shifting form. Cinema is real because it is subjective; subjective because it is real... every frame.
Okay, all right enough lecture... Chuck Workman's Visionaries is not a lecture either, don't worry. Flowing over with a great exuberance, Workman's doc is an ample introductory history to the avante-garde, particularly the "New American Cinema", and a nice love letter to fans of Stan Brakhage, Maya Deren, Bob Downey, Peter Kubleka, the quoted Anger, and dozens of other filmmakers on the cutting edge.
Cinema is an adventure of perception. Perception being synonymous with subjectivity, a word, perhaps the very state of being, which seems to be used in more of a negative context with film rather than a positive one. This subjective state is, I think what gives cinema its wonderfully vibrant nature; its lustful, tenacious constantly shifting form. Cinema is real because it is subjective; subjective because it is real... every frame.
Okay, all right enough lecture... Chuck Workman's Visionaries is not a lecture either, don't worry. Flowing over with a great exuberance, Workman's doc is an ample introductory history to the avante-garde, particularly the "New American Cinema", and a nice love letter to fans of Stan Brakhage, Maya Deren, Bob Downey, Peter Kubleka, the quoted Anger, and dozens of other filmmakers on the cutting edge.
- 4/25/2010
- Screen Anarchy
There are few genres of film as polarizing as avant-garde cinema. Growing out of 1920s surrealism and artists like Salvador Dali and getting a foothold during the 1960s with Andy Warhol, experimental films either inspired audiences to think about what they were seeing and discuss the art of film or were dismissed as nonsensical garbage. The documentary Visionaries, by Oscar-winning director Chuck Workman, rises above polarization and, instead of praising or rejecting, it instead lets you understand the machinations behind the avant garde movement. Splicing together both old and new interview footage with underground directors such as Jonas Mekas, Bob Downey, Kenneth Anger and Stan Brakhage, along with footage from their films, the documentary analyzes the motivations behind filming seemingly random footage and puts it in a context that even those that have previously dismissed the genre can begin to appreciate. The film actually embraces its detractors, acknowledging that many...
- 4/22/2010
- cinemablend.com
Yes boys and girls we're just a few days out from the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival here in New York City, which I will be attending all by my lonesome. If there are any New York readers who happen to attend a film and would like to contribute to the coverage, than drop me a line at: benumstead@gmail.com
On the evening of Wednesday, April 21st, things kick off with the world premiere of... uh... Shrek Forever After. Yeah, Ok... while that may not be totally twitch inducing, the fest has some eclectic offerings from April 22nd - May 2nd, that I'm sure will float yer boats.
From established fest successes making one last hurrah before release, like Neil Jordan's latest fairy tale twist, Ondine, and J Blakeson's Isle of Man set thriller The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, to premieres like longtime Shane Meadows' collaborator Paul Fraser's debut,...
On the evening of Wednesday, April 21st, things kick off with the world premiere of... uh... Shrek Forever After. Yeah, Ok... while that may not be totally twitch inducing, the fest has some eclectic offerings from April 22nd - May 2nd, that I'm sure will float yer boats.
From established fest successes making one last hurrah before release, like Neil Jordan's latest fairy tale twist, Ondine, and J Blakeson's Isle of Man set thriller The Disappearance Of Alice Creed, to premieres like longtime Shane Meadows' collaborator Paul Fraser's debut,...
- 4/20/2010
- Screen Anarchy
While most of the eyes in film are on either SXSW or ShoWest out on the West Coast, folks out on the East Coast are gearing up for Tribeca Film Festival coming up next month. Last week, the fest announced the first group of films, which included the World Narrative films, the Documentaries, as well as Showcases and Special Events.
Now, the festival is getting a bit more star-heavy, as films starring such actors as Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Casey Affleck, and even Jessica Alba have joined the list of those titles appearing at the fest. All of these films are now coming to the festival this year, as well as the world premiere of Shrek Forever After.
The fest runs from April 21st to May 2nd. Check out the full list of new films after the jump, and be sure to keep it here, as the full list of...
Now, the festival is getting a bit more star-heavy, as films starring such actors as Colin Farrell, Robert Duvall, Casey Affleck, and even Jessica Alba have joined the list of those titles appearing at the fest. All of these films are now coming to the festival this year, as well as the world premiere of Shrek Forever After.
The fest runs from April 21st to May 2nd. Check out the full list of new films after the jump, and be sure to keep it here, as the full list of...
- 3/16/2010
- by Matt Raub
- The Flickcast
The Tribeca Film Festival opens on April 21, 2010 and a variety of films will be on display, from documentaries and international films, to big budget films like "Shrek Forever After" (which will make its world premiere at Tribeca).
Today the festival has announced its entire feature film lineup, and you can check out below what films will be on display.
2010 Tribeca Film Festival:
Encounters
"The Chameleon ("Le Cameleon")," directed by Jean-Paul Salomé, written by Jean-Paul Salomé and Natalie Carter. (France, USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Climate of Change," directed by Brian Hill. (USA/UK) – North American Premiere, Documentary. "Every Day," directed and written by Richard Levine. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Last Play at Shea," directed by Paul Crowder and Jon Small (concert footage). (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. "Meet Monica Velour," directed and written by Keith Bearden. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Monogamy," directed by Dana Adam Shapiro, written by Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan Weiner.
Today the festival has announced its entire feature film lineup, and you can check out below what films will be on display.
2010 Tribeca Film Festival:
Encounters
"The Chameleon ("Le Cameleon")," directed by Jean-Paul Salomé, written by Jean-Paul Salomé and Natalie Carter. (France, USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Climate of Change," directed by Brian Hill. (USA/UK) – North American Premiere, Documentary. "Every Day," directed and written by Richard Levine. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Last Play at Shea," directed by Paul Crowder and Jon Small (concert footage). (USA) – World Premiere, Documentary. "Meet Monica Velour," directed and written by Keith Bearden. (USA) – World Premiere, Narrative. "Monogamy," directed by Dana Adam Shapiro, written by Dana Adam Shapiro and Evan Weiner.
- 3/15/2010
- by amcsts@gmail.com
- AMC - Script to Screen
Edward Burns, Chuck Workman and Alex Gibney will all unveil the world premieres of their newest films at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival, running from Apr. 21-May 2 in lower Manhattan.
The three filmmakers will present their latest work as part of the fest's Encounters section, announced today, which encompasses 14 films from established talent. Filling out its program, the fest also revealed another 17 films in its Discovery section, which focuses on emerging talent, and another eight films in its Spotlight section, featuring movies built around performances from such artists as Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall.
"Our Discovery and Encounters sections complement one another -- one highlights fresh talent that is breaking onto the scene, while the latter continues to offer original films that reflect pop culture and contemporary issues," senior programmer Genna Terranova said. New York native Burns will bring "Nice Guy Johnny,...
The three filmmakers will present their latest work as part of the fest's Encounters section, announced today, which encompasses 14 films from established talent. Filling out its program, the fest also revealed another 17 films in its Discovery section, which focuses on emerging talent, and another eight films in its Spotlight section, featuring movies built around performances from such artists as Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Jessica Alba, Robert Duvall, Colin Farrell, Amanda Peet and Rebecca Hall.
"Our Discovery and Encounters sections complement one another -- one highlights fresh talent that is breaking onto the scene, while the latter continues to offer original films that reflect pop culture and contemporary issues," senior programmer Genna Terranova said. New York native Burns will bring "Nice Guy Johnny,...
- 3/15/2010
- by By Gregg Kilday
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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