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When the Microcinema folks asked if Asthmatic Kitty Records would like to jury the 2008 Independent Exposure Contest I was more than honored that our label would be following in the footsteps of last year's judge, Hal Hartley. I was more than flattered that I would be making selections from what turned out to be more than 500 films, whittling it down to 12(?) finalists and three top prizes. It might seem like an odd fit on the surface that a record label would be curating a film festival, but as the judging moved forward a pleasant camaraderie was formed between Asthmatic Kitty and Independent Exposure that arose out of a shared philosophical and aesthetic ideology. There is the fact that we are both independent entities, that we both hope to bring challenging, experimental, and thought provoking media to the masses. There is also a spirit of playfulness and humor that I believe we share. It is these values that went into the jury process and are hopefully reflected by my selections.
There was no thematic agenda during the selection process, but there are some incidental and synchronistic themes that are now apparent with hindsight. Color, animals, sound, movement all begin to reference each other and provide commentary as a group. Yes, I realize these are vague themes and present in most films, but here these things seem to dance a little closer to each other and what seems to be if not to the same beat, at least to the same drummer. Of course, you the viewer will be the best judge of the selections and if they work effectively as a video mix tape. Thank you Independent Exposure for the opportunity and thank you viewer for your eyes and time. Celebrate with me the creativity and passion that went into making these films.
Winners
Rise: This film snuck up on me. The patience and visual economy of this film was a refreshing change of pace. It reminds me of some of my favorite filmmakers (Tarkovsky, Kieslowski, Malick) in its ability to create suspense and narrative with little more than rhythm, landscape and objects. If Matthew Barney was a naturalist and a restrained romantic his films might resemble Ryan Jeffery 's work, but even Barney would be hard pressed to capture the essence of smoke, sky and hair.
Kino: Armel Hostiou's Kino is the antithesis to Jeffery's Rise. Gone is the restraint and in its place is a visual collage that assembles and disassembles the history of film narrative. The approach to film is one of collective cinematic memory and assault of the senses. It is rapturous, passionate, sexy and dangerous all in the span of 90 seconds. It is the trailer for every movie ever made.
Birdcalls: This is a stretch, but Birdcalls is a strange mix of McLuhan mediology, Audubon cataloging, and post-abstract expressionist calligraphy. It is sound as text as image as sound. Birdcalls is extremely clever, while transcending that cleverness to create a beautiful visual language and story.
-Michael Kaufmann - curator - Asthmatic Kitty Records
All films in a printable format
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Kino
directed by Armel Hostiou
France,
Animation,
2005,
00:01:30
An experimental, live-action, stop-motion animated celebration of the cinema.... more info
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Jump Rump Rump Bump
directed by Hevi Wong Jeong and Murphy
Canada,
Animation,
2006,
DV,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:08:00
An over-achieving, six-year-old girl named, Mooney, has a a secret life at night. But she has to eat her dinner first!... more info
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Villa Mafia
directed by Rimantas Lukavicius
Lithuania,
Experimental,
2006,
digital video,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
01:45:00
The deep forest lake hides the secret. It is the place where urban meets natural.... more info
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Kapitaal (Capital)
directed by see administration contact , Ton Meijdam and Béla Zsigmond
Netherlands,
Animation,
2005,
digital video,
B&W,
Other,
00:06:10
An impression of the enormous amount of visual stimuli that we are harassed by every day. The amount is so big that its commercial effectiveness has become utterly dubious.... more info
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Lake Affect
directed by Jason Livingston, Jason Livingston and Jason Livingston
USA,
Video Art / Film Art,
2007,
other video,
Color,
Dolby A,
00:01:46
Particles make up the sub-strata, bunnies proliferate. A late-season thunderstorm opens a portal to the animal world.... more info
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Rise
directed by Ryan Jeffery
USA,
Experimental,
2007,
16mm,
Color,
Dolby A,
00:07:00
Each film plays as a chapter recounting the creation of humankind in a fantastical manner. The first chapter Fallen, depicts an Eve-like character’s introduction to technology and the divine consequences of ... more info
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Cricket
directed by Rafaël
Spain,
Experimental,
2006,
Color,
00:01:30
Cricket-cricket-cricket-cricket-cricket-cricket-cricket-cricket...... more info
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Yinwanggitarre
directed by alexander Herzog and Bernd Norbert Würtz
Germany,
Music,
2006,
digital video,
Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:03:45
synopsis yinwanggitarre
The film is based on a pretty simple idea.
We fixed a small camera at the hock of a fishingrod in a way that the whole underwater fishing-action could be recorded. We shot about... more info
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Batterie RK - Schlagzeugen
directed by Carsten Aschmann
Germany,
Experimental,
2004,
Beta,
B&W,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:05:00
There are six passages that show the relationship between drummer and drums. The drums get his own life, and leading the drummer and the drummer has his life, and played the drums and inverse the process. The... more info
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Slum Noir
directed by Jahmad Rollins
USA,
Animation,
2007,
digital video,
B&W/Color,
Magnetic Stereo,
04:10:00
Slum Noir: (A Dark Slum, Dark Slum, Slum beautiful,Black Ghetto,and Barrio Negro.)
Children of the slums survive shadow buried streets hidden behind masks. Chasing after a masked young girl carrying a myste... more info
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Mantis
directed by Erin Dunn
USA,
Animation,
2007,
HD Video,
Color,
Other,
00:01:36
"Discovery of the Sprite" a collection of animated shorts is based on a series of large-scale highly-detailed, multimedia drawings by Erin Dunn. Dunn layers dense visual images by experimenting with materials... more info
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The Tourists
directed by Malcolm Sutherland
Canada,
Animation,
2007,
video,
Color,
Dolby A,
00:03:00
Another transient day at the beach.... more info
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Underground
directed by Audrey Lam
Australia,
Animation,
2007,
16mm,
B&W,
Magnetic Stereo,
00:04:20
Subway subservience subverted when a subterranean submerges the subconscious!
Underground undone by undulating undercurrent!
An anti-hero annihilates anticipation! ... more info
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The Mark
directed by Tom Barndt and Samara St. Croix
USA,
Comedy / Satire,
2007,
00:04:30
A lawyer rents a room to a human lightning Bolt
... more info
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Birdcalls
directed by Malcolm Sutherland
Canada,
Animation,
2006,
digital video,
Color,
Dolby A,
00:05:00
The written languages of birds come to life.... more info
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Reviews and Other Info:
There currently are no reviews available
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Exhibition:
Program MC-852 may be licensed for exhibition |
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