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2007 Marked the 12th season of Independent Exposure and for many of us it was a watershed year. With the popular ascent of YouTube, the appearance (and disappearance) of Google Video and other online options to view short films, we were concerned that the “microcinema movement” may become nearly obsolete. Indeed many of our favorite venues around the world have closed doors (including our beloved Axiom theater in Houston). But the desire to watch films in a social setting with a live audience is as strong as it has ever been over the last 12 years of our screening series. New screening programs are budding across the US and the world, new microcinemas are opening their doors, and the “old vanguard microcinemas” continue to expand and broaden their programming - the volume of short films being presented at these venues is unprecedented. Short films are also being screened more at museums and festivals worldwide – it has never been a better time for the short film maker.
All of these developments certainly make our job that much more difficult – this year alone we had over 800 submissions - but someone has to watch and curate all of these films so that audiences worldwide can enjoy the craft of our artists.
We curated six programs for 2007 - each one an important showcase for contemporary, progressive, artistic, and socially and culturally relevant short films and videos. Each program was thoughtfully curated to present short works in our famously diverse and eclectic style with the objective being to challenge, intrigue, surprise, and most importantly - to entertain audiences worldwide.
In 2007 Independent Exposure screened at film festivals, microcinemas and events worldwide. In several cases, the films elevated the overall atmosphere higher through the synergy than if the films were the sole focus of those in attendance. Event organizers let us know that the presence of these films added a depth to the event that could not have been matched by any other media contribution. At the Virgin Mobile Festival in Baltimore, Microcinema was the sole provider of entertainment in between musical acts. Over the course of the two-day event, 10 ½ hours of short film from the Microcinema and Independent Exposure collection were screened to the 50,000 attendees. We swear we heard laughter during several pieces, and we’re positive that the audience applauded during some films played prior to The Police taking the stage. In October, we were fortunate enough to be included in the Asthmatic Kitty curated Unusual Animals party “Houston: Our Ears Depend On You”. We screened film all day at the Diverseworks Gallery in downtown Houston. Check out some pictures on Flickr.
One venue in particular, our long-time supporters Out North, in Anchorage, Alaska (cool, huh) held their own two month long festival where every edition of this year’s Independent Exposure was screened. Finally, the screening that officially closed out was held in San Francisco at the Minna gallery on 11/19/07. One of our favorite editions, Halloweird, was the focus. We were amazed at the press surrounding the event, it truly felt like the community got behind that screening. We want to graciously thank everyone for their support this year and previous years.
We continue to seek out venues in far away places – and we also look for new and unique partners to help us present the series . In 2008, through a new partnership with Asthmatic Kitty – we expect to screen the 13th season of Independent Exposure at various Unusual Animals events across the United States.
Congratulations!
In 2007 we were lucky to have American independent filmmaker and auteur Hal Hartley work with us to select our top three filmmakers and also our “Best of 2007 Edition" . Jody Kramer of Vancouver, BC too top prize with her animated short “Pinch” which , according to Hartley is a short animated film that h as , “great expressive drawing, great shifts of perspective – spatial, psychological, and dramatic all at once. Know ing how it ends is not the end of appreciating it.” Hartley’s second selection, Paul Whittington’s “Android 207” has , “unrelenting execution…confident and compelling.” “The Autobiography of Tom Stern, " Hartley’s third choice has Hartley, “want(ing) to see more work in this direction by this filmmaker.”
Our Best of 2007 series will screening through the world in the remainder of 2007 and 2008.
Thank You
We would like to thank Panasonic Broadcast for its unflagging support of Independent Exposure. (we need to mention the camera and projectors here) We thank our venue partners for developing and maintain their communities – we know how much work that takes! But most of all we thank the artists whose creativity and passion provides the fuel for all of us.
For 2008 we expect to continue to grow the program and screen in even more microcinemas and venues. Panasonic Broadcast once again is our primary partner and is supporting us in our mission to seek out and present contemporary moving image artists from around the world. Asthmatic Kitty is our new supporting partner and will help us to bring in more innovative artists than ever. Our Independent Exposure 2008 Call For Works will be out shortly so stay tuned for announcements about prizes and our new juror.
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