Explorations and Documentations: 10 Short Films from the North American Experimental Cinema
Sunday, November 25th, 2012, 16h
Clinton Street Theater, 2522 Southeast Clinton Street, Portland, OR 97202
Thursday November 29th, 2012, 19:30h
Artists' Television Access, 992 Valencia Street, San Francisco 94110
Curated by Brenda Contreras
This program emerged directly as a product of the daring spirit of the underground film community. Composed of 16mm, VHS, Super 8, digital and archival footage, the works in ‘Explorations and Documentations’ are culled from the curator’s personal geographical journey. This survey of experimental films from Mexico, Canada, and the United States take on views disparate from traditional cinematic storytelling regarding gentrification, fallen heroines, portraiture, poetry, sexual encounters, and imagined journeys.
Featuring works by: Barbara Hammer, Ricardo Nicolayevsky, Dolissa Medina, Navid Sinaki, Elena Pardo, Rafael Balboa, Leslie Supnet, Morris Manuel Trujillo, Karl Lind & Cat Tyc, and Dalia Huerta Cano.
Full programme:
- Jane Brakhage (Barbara Hammer, 1974, 16mm)
A documentary on the pioneer woman, her wisdom, philosophy and common sense: Jane Brakhage as herself is the viewpoint rather than Jane Brakhage, wife of the filmmaker, Stan Brakhage.
- Naomi (Ricardo Nicolayevsky, 2005, Super 8)
Part of a collection of 9 portraits titled the Mexico City Portraits. This series showcased "Portraits of women film and video makers, born or residing in Mexico City."
- The Moonsong of Assassination (Dolissa Medina, 2010, Video)
A documentary creation story about Tex-Mex “Tejano” music singer Selena, who in 1995 at the brink of crossover success, was shot and killed at age 24 by the president of her fan club, Yolanda Saldivar.
- The Assumption (Navid Sinaki, 2011, Digital and VHS)
A man in conversation with Death recalls the cities, the men, and textures that he loved, as well as those that broke him apart.
- Mi Barrio (Elena Pardo, 2009, 16mm and Video)
A portrait of a neighborhood in Mexico City.
- Intermezzo (Rafael Balboa, 2006, 35mm)
For the very first time I had the chance to work with original music strings & frequencies provided by Julio Clavijo. The entire film is made with 35mm found footage, after much destruction by chemicals the results really bites people.
- Sun Moon Stars Rain (Leslie Supnet, 2009, Super 8)
Sun Moon Stars Rain is a psychedelic visual elegy, lamenting the death of Mother Nature's children.
- PRELUDE (Morris Manuel Trujillo, 2009, 16mm found footage)
A found footage experimental short film made of abandoned, later found, worked and hand painted on; images loaded with symbolism, both autobiographical and premonitory.
- Striping (Karl Lind & Cat Tyc, 2006, SD)
A hacked VCR remembers a poem by Cat Tyc.
- Alle Mensen en Andere Ziveraar (Dalia Huerta Cano, 2010, 16mm)
An exploration on a confused state of a trapped and wild experience on supposedly dancing forever or never with someone. An experimentation with 16mm double exposure and by hand developing using extra materials as buckets, sand and any film scratcher. Co-directed with belgian artist Patrick Danse.
