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Friday, February 1 MONTH
PEGGY AHWESH & JOE GIBBONS
Film Notes
The most recent edition of the Views from the Avant-Garde section of the New York Film Festival featured the premiere of newly preserved works by two of contemporary experimental cinema’s most revered artists, Peggy Ahwesh and Joe Gibbons. Pioneers of small-gauge filmmaking since the 1970s, Ahwesh and Gibbons are both superior storytellers who don’t necessarily rely on actors or scripts to tell their inquisitive tales. The filmmakers are longtime friends, and their works have a certain sympathetic resonance. Blown-up to 16mm from Super 8, these crucial pieces have never looked or sounded better. Seen today, the films are as surprising, thoughtful, and darkly funny as they were back in the day.
All films in this program were preserved by Bard College with support from the National Film Preservation Foundation. Preservation undertaken by BB Optics. Thanks to Peggy Ahwesh, Joe Gibbons, and Vanessa Haroutunian.
Peggy Ahwesh
MARTINA’S PLAYHOUSE
1989, 20 min, Super 8mm-to-16mm blow-up.
“In MARTINA’S PLAYHOUSE everything is up for grabs. The little girl of the title oscillates from narrator to reader to performer and from the role of baby to that of mother. While the roles she adopts may be learned, they are not set, and she moves easily between them. Similarly, in…Ahwesh’s playhouse of encounters with friends, objects aren’t merely objects but shift between layers of meaning. Men are conspicuously absent, a ‘lack’ reversing the Lacanian/Freudian constructions of women as Ahwesh plays with other possibilities.” –Kathy Geritz
Peggy Ahwesh
FROM ROMANCE TO RITUAL
1985, 20 min, Super 8mm-to-16mm blow-up.
“FROM ROMANCE TO RITUAL invokes and inverts the title of the 1920 book by Jessie L. Weston as it, like the book, draws connections between pagan history and ritual and mythology. In one scene, a very animated woman digs and scratches at the earth to give us a show-and-tell history of the megalithic site at Avebury. A bit tongue in cheek like playing around in the backyard (Prehistoric Sandbox 101) but not far from the truth in its reading of the erasure of matriarchal tendencies from traditional histories.” –P.A.
Joe Gibbons
CONFIDENTIAL PART 2
1980, 26 min, Super 8mm-to-16mm blow-up.
“Overtly a portrait of the filmmaker confessing his remorse at the scandalous manner in which he gathered material for his near-classic SPYING, here an eerie interpersonal relationship is developed between the filmmaker and his camera which culminates in violence. The ‘sin’ as act of the imagination and its degenerative effect on the personality.” –Henry Hills
Joe Gibbons
SPYING
1977-78, 31.5 min, Super 8mm-to-16mm blow-up.
“Too controversial to describe in detail, this film reveals the underlying voyeuristic nature of the cinema-phile.” –Joe Gibbons
“An exercise in applied voyeurism – a hilariously perverse MAN WITH A MOVIE CAMERA – in which the filmmaker secretly observes his neighbors (and their pets) sunbathing, gardening, or gazing out of the window.” –J. Hoberman, VILLAGE VOICE
Total running time: ca. 105 min.
Saturday, February 2
THERE WAS A FATHER
by Yasujiro Ozu
In Japanese with English subtitles, 1942, 87 min, 35mm
Film Notes
THE RULES OF THE GAME
by Jean Renoir
In French with English subtitles, 1939, 97 min, 35mm, b&w
Film Notes
THE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
by Roberto Rossellini
In Italian with English subtitles, 1949, 85 min, 35mm, b&w
Film Notes
Sunday, February 3
THE FLOWERS OF ST. FRANCIS
by Roberto Rossellini
In Italian with English subtitles, 1949, 85 min, 35mm, b&w
Film Notes
THERE WAS A FATHER
by Yasujiro Ozu
In Japanese with English subtitles, 1942, 87 min, 35mm
Film Notes
THE RULES OF THE GAME
by Jean Renoir
In French with English subtitles, 1939, 97 min, 35mm, b&w
Film Notes
Wednesday, February 6
W.R.: MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM
by Dušan Makavejev
In English, German, Russian, and Serbian with English subtitles, 1971, 84 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesThursday, February 7
NO MORE FLEEING
by Herbert Vesely
In German with no subtitles (minimal dialogue), 1955, 68 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesEMITAÏ
by Ousmane Sembene
In Wolof and French with English subtitles, 1971, 103 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesFriday, February 8
BEFORE THE REVOLUTION (BLU-RAY)
by Bernardo Bertolucci
In Italian with English subtitles, 1964, 115 min, Blu-ray
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesSaturday, February 9
THE LATE MATTHEW PASCAL
by Marcel L’Herbier
1924, 170 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesAKRAN
by Richard Myers
1970, 110 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesW.R.: MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM
by Dušan Makavejev
In English, German, Russian, and Serbian with English subtitles, 1971, 84 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesSunday, February 10
W.R.: MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM
by Dušan Makavejev
In English, German, Russian, and Serbian with English subtitles, 1971, 84 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesLEFT AND REVOLUTIONARY CINEMA: THE WEST, PGM 2
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesNO MORE FLEEING
by Herbert Vesely
In German with no subtitles (minimal dialogue), 1955, 68 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesMonday, February 11
Tuesday, February 12
Wednesday, February 13
Thursday, February 14
WE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER
by Maurice Pialat
In French with English subtitles, 1972, 110 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesMODERN ROMANCE
by Albert Brooks
1981, 93 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesFriday, February 15
MODERN ROMANCE
by Albert Brooks
1981, 93 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesWE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER
by Maurice Pialat
In French with English subtitles, 1972, 110 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesSaturday, February 16
WE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER
by Maurice Pialat
In French with English subtitles, 1972, 110 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesMODERN ROMANCE
by Albert Brooks
1981, 93 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesSunday, February 17
MODERN ROMANCE
by Albert Brooks
1981, 93 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesEC: Harry Smith's FILM NO. 12 (HEAVEN AND EARTH MAGIC)
by Harry Smith
1950-61, 66 min, 16mm, b&w
Film Notes
WE WON’T GROW OLD TOGETHER
by Maurice Pialat
In French with English subtitles, 1972, 110 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: VALENTINE’S DAY MASSACRE
Film NotesMonday, February 18
EMITAÏ
by Ousmane Sembene
In Wolof and French with English subtitles, 1971, 103 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesAKRAN
by Richard Myers
1970, 110 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesTuesday, February 19
THREE LIVES
by Kate Millett
1971, 70 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesLEFT AND REVOLUTIONARY CINEMA: THE WEST, PGM 2
This screening is part of: A TRIBUTE TO AMOS VOGEL AND ‘FILM AS A SUBVERSIVE ART’
Film NotesWednesday, February 20
DUTCH WIFE IN THE DESERT
by Atsushi Yamatoya
1967, 85 min, 35mm, b&w
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesPREHISTORY OF THE PARTISANS
by Noriaki Tsuchimoto
1969, 120 min, 16mm, b&w
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesThursday, February 21
MINAMATA: THE VICTIMS AND THEIR WORLD
by Noriaki Tsuchimoto
1971, 120 min, 16mm, b&w
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesFriday, February 22
DARK WATERS
by André de Toth
1944, 90 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesTWO FOR THE ROAD
by Stanley Donen
1967, 111 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesGOOD-BYE
by Katsu Kanai
1970, 52 min, video, b&w
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesSaturday, February 23
THE RIVER’S EDGE
by Allan Dwan
1957, 87 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesSANRIZUKA: HETA VILLAGE
by Shinsuke Ogawa
1973, 146 min, 16mm, b&w
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesTHE SPIELER
by Tay Garnett
1928, 62 min, 35mm. From the collection of George Eastman House.
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesDARK WATERS
by André de Toth
1944, 90 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesTHE WHITE HARE OF INABA
by Yoshihiro Kato
1970, 131 min, 16mm-to-video
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesSunday, February 24
TWO FOR THE ROAD
by Stanley Donen
1967, 111 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesRITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE PGM 7: BUTOH ON FILM
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesTHE RIVER’S EDGE
by Allan Dwan
1957, 87 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesRITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE PGM 8: MICHIO OKABE
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesTHE SPIELER
by Tay Garnett
1928, 62 min, 35mm. From the collection of George Eastman House.
This screening is part of: ANDREW SARRIS: EXPRESSIVE ESOTERICA
Film NotesMonday, February 25
RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE PGM 9
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesTuesday, February 26
GUSHING PRAYER
by Masao Adachi
1971, 72 min, 35mm
This screening is part of: RITUALS IN THE AVANT-GARDE: FILM EXPERIMENTS IN 1960-70s JAPAN
Film NotesTHEATER RENTAL: Dirty Looks NYC presents: "Have you Ever Seen a Transsexual Before?" - Videos by Chris E. Vargas
by Chris E. Vargas
Film Notes
Wednesday, February 27
Thursday, February 28
HONEYMOON
by Dan Sallitt
1998, 90 min, 16mm
This screening is part of: THE FILMS OF DAN SALLITT
Film NotesALL THE SHIPS AT SEA
by Dan Sallitt
2004, 64 min, digital video
This screening is part of: THE FILMS OF DAN SALLITT
Film Notes