Ten Years of Microcinema, Presented by Microcinema International
In 1996, Microcinema began presenting short films and videos from around the world in the backroom of a cyber café. Since that time, they have screened over 1500 short works from all corners of the globe - in microcinemas and sundry theaters in over 43 countries.
1996 saw the very beginnings of the popular video revolution. The introduction of the Hi-8 format, which was small and compact, made good quality video accessible to the general consumer. Over the years, computers and software further revolutionized the art form by allowing for relatively inexpensive editing, as well as sound, motion, and graphic design. The explosion of content that resulted stimulated the re-birth of local cinema clubs - these aptly named "microcinemas" continue to grow in numbers and importance in the film and arts communities.
The last ten years has witnessed compelling shifts in short film production – conceptually and aesthetically. Independent Exposure X was created to present these trends to a contemporary audience. Houstonian Patrick Kwiatkowski and San Francisco-based Joel S. Bachar, founders of the group, have always been ‘media agnostic’ – works based on celluloid, a cellphone, hand drawn or computer generated are all considered relevant to the independent moving image arts of 1996 through 2005 and beyond. The moving image works in tonight’s program present not only 10 years of Independent Exposure but provide a glimpse of the breadth and depth of the talent that exists in the independent media community. They also offer a compelling and unique insight into a vast and diverse creative spirit existing today.
Ovarvideo
Camara Municipal de Ovar
Biblioteca Municipal de Ovar
Rua Arquitecto Januario Godinho
Ovar,
3880-152
Portugal
Ovarvídeo Festival aims to promote and to make video known as a valid form of art expression. It also offers a wide space for the emergence of new talents and provides a significant contact between authors and a growing, young audience, also very interested in participating in the development of this acute "media" for the new millennium. Ovarvídeo Festival also aims, obviously, to endow Ovar district with a permanent infrastructure, totally devoted to this area.
All these objectives have been in the genesis of this Festival connected to the audiovisual area, made true by Ovar City Council, which promotes its occurrence every year.
Ovarvideo was born in 1996. Since then, it has been a national video show whose ever growing continuity, four years after its date of birth, leaves no doubt as to the achievement of a desired goal from Ovar film community – to make ovarvideo, in a near future, the main cultural reference within Portuguese audiovisual setting.
