By Bryan Newbury
December 11, 2006

In literary circles, there are two schools of thought regarding Henry Charles Bukowski. The first reveres, going so far as to stand him next to Whitman and Villon in the poetic pantheon. The second finds him craftless, boorish and generally not their kind of people. “How many ways can you look at rough sex or horse races,” this second group, usually consisting of equal parts obsequious academic intellectuals and overly sensitized hausfraus, will go on. The first group answers, “Quite a lot,” and braces for fisticuffs while group two laments the state of contemporary verse.

This sketch could be a bit of a simplification, but finding a gray area when it comes to Buk is like seeking common ground between English and Argentine football fans. A fitting tribute to the man. Bukowski wasn’t one for nuance.

Whatever camp one falls into, there is no disputing his selling power. In the twelve years following his death, Charles Bukowski is more than a cottage industry. From 1994 to the present, he’s had more books of poetry released than many do in a lifetime. He’s sold more than most. Matt Dillon stars in a recent adaptation of his second novel, Factotum, and the chances of seeing Buk’s pockmarked mug on a tee shirt at a rock show are exponentially greater than when he was alive.

This presented a daunting task to director John Dullaghan. When a cult figure reaches this kind of popular apogee, the longtime fans tend to get a bit restless. For the many who have shared a kinship with this drinking class hero, this level of attention is a bit unwelcome. At the very least, the 2003 release of Born Into This must have appeared opportunistic to die-hard Bukowskians. This is a group of men and women who have been known to steal titles, drink heavily and heckle Phillip Roth. Dangerous characters.

On the other hand, Bukowski fans are thrilled with even a passing glance. There is no limit to books, recordings, broadsides or… tee shirts… that a devotee might collect. Though the exposure may strike the hard core as unseemly, it must be taken into consideration that Buk was not in the company of Auden or Bunting, eschewing biography for the work itself. To the contrary, few have cultivated such a cult of personality. The more Bukowski content there is, the fans say, the better.

Dullaghan had a tightrope to walk. Yes, there is an audience for this film. A rabid one at that. That audience, however, tends to define cynical. Sure, that certain number will own a copy; but the chances of them widely deriding it as bullshit are very high.

It is with pleasure that the reviewer can report Dullaghan has the balance of a cat. Born Into This is beyond a triumph. For fans of Bukowski, and even of contemporary literature, it is an essential addition. Read the rest of this entry »

Distinguished FEATURE Documentary Award
James Longley
IRAQ IN FRAGMENTS
Typecast Pictures, Typecast Releasing, HBO Documentary Films

Distinguished SHORT Documentary Award
Marcelo Bukin
ANGEL’S FIRE (Fuego de Angel)
Rec Stop and Play, Global Humanitaria

2006 IDA/ABCNEWS VIDEOSOURCE AWARD Winner
JONESTOWN: THE LIFE AND DEATH OF PEOPLES TEMPLE
Stanley Nelson
Firelight Media, Seventh Art Releasing, WGBH, PBS

2006 PARE LORENTZ AWARD WINNER
AN INCONVENIENT TRUTH
Davis Guggenheim
Laurie David, Lawrence Bender, Scott Z. Burns
A Lawrence Bender/Laurie David Production, Participant Productions, Paramount Classics

2006 IDA/CONTINUING SERIES AWARD WINNER
AMERICAN EXPERIENCE
Mark Samels, executive producer Sharon Grimberg, series producer
PBS
Episodes Submitted: “The Boy in the Bubble” (Barak Goodman, John Maggio, dirs./prods.), “Eugene O’Neill” (Ric Burns, dir./wtr.); Marilyn Ness, Steve Rivo, Robin Espinola, Mary Recine, prods.) “John and Abigail Adams”(Peter Jones, dir.; Elizabeth Deane, prod./wtr.), “Las Vegas” (Stephen Ives, dir./prod.; Amanda Pollak, prod.)

2006 IDA LIMITED SERIES AWARD WINNER
OFF TO WAR
Brent Renaud, Craig Renaud
DCTV, Discovery Times Channel

2006 IDA/DAVID L. WOLPER STUDENT DOCUMENTARY ACHIEVEMENT AWARD WINNER
REPORTER ZERO
Carrie Lozano – University of California, Berkeley

The film started as and examenation of the disappearing wetlands, but when Katrina struck, vertern IMAX filmmaker Greg MacGillivary immediately began shooting the resulting damage that hits Louisianna.

Hurricane on the Bayou will be released nationwide to IMAX theaters on December 22.  MacGillivary follows a group of four musicians, both legendary and rising, as they uncover the culture of New Orleans; explore the beautiful, alligator filled bayous on airboats; recount their personal stories of Katrina; and most of all, bring the focus to the rapidly disappearing wetlands that are New Orleans’ first line of defense against the destrucition of the city and culture

When: February 24-March 3, 2007
Where: Burkina Faso
What: Africa’s largest film festival.  All films have an African connection whether it be subject, location, or filmmaker.  In additiona to film screenings and competition, discusion forums and film markets are held.
Website: http://www.fespaco.bf/index_en.html

Bad Boys of Summer, World Premiere (2007, 76 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Tiller Russell and Loren Mendell

Battling prison violence and racial tension, the coach of the San Quentin Giants tries to change the lives of his convict baseball players during their final season together.

Ballad of AJ Weberman, US Premiere (2006, 83 min. UK)

Written/Directed by James Bluemel and Oliver Ralfe

A portrait of obsession and eccentricity this film tells the story of AJ Weberman, Bob Dylan’s most infamous fan, founder of Garbology, and New York counter-culture odd-ball.

Children of God: Lost and Found, World Premiere (2007, 75 min., USA)

Directed by Noah Thomson

CHILDREN OF GOD: LOST AND FOUND is a first-person account of growing up in the controversial, evangelical Christian cult known as the CHILDREN OF GOD. Director Noah Thomson tells his story and the story of others like him who were born into the group and later left as young adults.

Dream in Doubt, World Premiere (2007, 56 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Tami Yeager
When his brother is murdered in America’s first post-9/11 revenge killing, Rana Singh Sodhi begins a journey to reclaim his American dream and fight the hate that continues to threaten his community.

King of Kong, World Premiere (2007, 79 min., USA)

Directed by Seth Gordon*

Obsession and the pursuit of excellence push diehard gamers to break World Records on classic arcade games like Q*bert, Joust, Pac-Man, and Donkey Kong.

*Gordon is a Slamdance alumni director, Slamdance 2002 Anarchy Online Film “Squirt”

Off the Grid: Life on the Mesa, World Premiere (2007, 70 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Jeremy Stulberg and Randy Stulberg

In the remote New Mexico desert, disillusioned Gulf War veterans, desperate teenage runaways and survivalists form a post-modern “Wild West” with a vigilante code all its own.

Red Without Blue, World Premiere (2007, 74 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Brooke Sebold, Benita Sills & Todd Sills

The intimate bond between two identical twin brothers is challenged when one decides to transition from male to female; this is the story of their evolving relationship, and the resurrection of their family from a darker past.

Rock the Bells (2006, 105 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Casey Suchan and Denis Hennelly

Personifying the fierce independence and Do-It-Yourself spirit of the Hip Hop movement, producer Chang Weisberg puts everything on the line for his impossible dream of reuniting notorious no-shows The Wu-Tang Clan.

Row Hard No Excuses, World Premiere (2007, 83 minutes, USA/Spain)

Written/Directed by Luke Wolbach

Two middle-aged American men set out to win the “world’s toughest race”—three thousand miles across the Atlantic in a rowboat—is it a noble quest or an ill-fated nightmare?

Unsettled, World Premiere (2007, 80 min, USA)

Written/Directed by Adam Hootnick

During the Gaza withdrawal of 2005, three young Israelis will be forced from their homes, two soldiers will be sent to evict them, and one activist will try to help her country avoid a war. Can one generation change history? Narrative Special Screening Features

Documentary Special Screening Features

Alice Neel, World Premiere (2007, 81 min., USA)

Written/Directed by Andrew Neel

Portrait painter Alice Neel (1900-1984) abandoned almost all the comforts of a “normal” life and family in her quest to document the 20th century, one soul at a time.

Previous Film: Darkon, (2006, 90 min.)

Documentary Feature, SXSW Audience Award

Ganja Queen, World Premiere (2007, 120 min., Australia)

Directed by Janine Hosking

Behind the scenes of the controversial trial of Schapelle Corby, a young woman accused of smuggling ten pounds of marijuana into Bali, Indonesia.

Previous Film: My Khmer Heart (2000) Winner, Best Documentary: Hollywood Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival, Melbourne Film Festival, Mademoiselle and the Doctor 2004, Silverdocs finalist, Joris Ivens finalist, Amsterdam 2004, Melbourne Film Festival, Sydney Film Festival.

Super Amigos, World Premiere (2007, 82 min, Canada/Mexico)

Written/Directed by Arturo Perez Torres

Mexico City is not Gotham City, but if you were to run into any of the five masked activists who protect this metropolis, you’d wonder if you were not living inside a comic book.

Previous Films: Wetback – The Undocumented Documentary
Awards: Winner, Spectrum Award, Full Frame Documentary Film Festival; Winner, Best Documentary, Cinequest Film Festival; Winner, Audience Award, Chicago Latino Film Festival; Winner, Best Story, Festival Pamplona Punto de Vista.

LOS ANGELES, Dec. 5 (UPI) — Director Jonathan Demme has been tabbed to head a film documentary about former U.S. President Jimmy Carter entitled “He Comes in Peace.”

The film from Participant Productions will feature the results of Demme’s cinematic crew as they follow Carter on a national book tour for the former president’s new work, “Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid,” The Hollywood Reporter said.

Via UPI

“The president’s book tour occurs at a crossroads where the world of religion intersects with global politics,” Demme explained. “This picture is just an extraordinary honor for me. I loved Carter when he was president, and I’ve loved him more and more since he left office. He makes me feel so proud to be an American.”

Carter’s book tour began on Nov. 11, three days prior to his book’s release, and has focused around the politician’s efforts towards peace in the Mideast.

The Reporter said that “Peace” will mark Demme’s most recent foray into the documentary field; earlier, he headed up production on “Neil Young: Heart of Gold” and “The Agronomist.”

8^th Madurai Documentary and Short Film Festival 2006

Venues: Madura College, Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Lady Doak College, Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, MUTA Hall and Usilampatti

6 December 2006

Madura College

12:00 Printed Rainbow 15 mints
12:20 Tales from the Margins 23 mints
1:00 Lunch Break
2:00 Kol Tales 62 mints
3:10 Bol Gow Bol 06 mints
3:15 The Mall on top of my house 06 mints
4:00 Bare 10 mints
Lady Doak College

3:00 Ilayum Mullum 90 mints
Tamilnadu Theological Seminary

5:30 Final Solution 74 mints
6:45 The House on the Gulmohar Avenue 30 mints
7 December 2006

Madura College

10:00 Final Solution 72 mints
11:30 The Right to Survive 52 mints
1:00 Lunch Break
2:00 Dancing Aloud 01 mints
2:05 Every Day 07 mints
2:15 The Beard 24 mints
2:45 Luminous Shadows 43 mints
3:30 The One Tree Project 24 mints
Lady Doak College

3:00 Sehjo Film and discussion 60 mints
4:00 Q2P 53 mints
Tamilnadu Theological Seminary

6:00 Karen Education Surviving 29 mints
6:30 Lanka, the other side of war and peace 77 mints
7:30 Temporary loss of consciousness 35 mints
8:00 Voyage 26 mints

8 December 2006

Madura College

10:00 Place to stay 06 mints
10:10 The Catch 35 mints
10:45 Thumpalil Indru kudiyarasu Dinam 10 mints
11:00 Kannamoochi 10 mints
11:15 Images that you didn’t see 05 mints
11:20 Song of the Road 02 mints
11:25 Asthamanam 11 mints
11:35 Poorvagrah 20 mints
12:00 Calcutta Pride March 12 mints
12:15 Portrait of Sakhi 07 mints
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Lunch break
2:00 Smarana 32 mints
2:40 Holiday 47 mints
3:30 Waste As Development Aid 25 mints
Lady Doak College

3:00 Waiting 39 mints
3:45 Dancing Aloud 01 mint
3:50 Bare 10 mints
4:00 The Mall on top of my house 06 mints
4:10 Place to stay 06 mints
4:15 Bol Gow Bol 06 mints
4:20 Every Day 07 mints
4:30 Tales from the Margin 23 mints
Madurai Institute of Social Sciences

10 :00 Final Solution 72 mints
12:00 Notes from the Crematorium 30 mints
1:00 Lunch break
2:00 K.P.Sasi and Sehjo package �

Tamilnadu Theological Seminary

5:00 The split city 70 mints
6:30 1000 days and a dream 60 mints
7:30 Kutti Japanin Kulandhaigal 70 mints

9 December 2006

MUTA Hall

10:00 Motion Report 17 mints
10:20 Pareliya 50 mints
11:30 A fellow of enterprise 07 mints
11:40 Natural Uruguay and Consciousness
of Washington 44 mints
12:30 The one tree project 24 mints
1:00 Lunch break
2:00 The who walked mountains 32 mints
2:30 Audition 07 mints
2:40 Gaze 10 mints
2:50 Tune in 14 mints
3:10 Low tide 18 mints
3:30 Six minutes 15 mints
3:45 Talween 22 mints
4:20 Alo Alo 20 mints
4:40 A man in a cup 05 mints
4:45 Antonio’s Break fast 35 mints
5:30 Solace 12 mints
5:45 Fernando’s First Show 04 mints
5:50 Super Hero 04 mints
6:00 Seruppu 72 mints
7:30 Waiting 39 mints
7:40 Girl climbing trees 05 mints
7:45 The offering 10 mints

9 December 2006

Madurai Institute of Social Sciences, Madurai

10 a.m. Chhou Dance of Purlia 44mints
10:45 Samanvay 47 mints
11:30 Thumpalil Indru Kudiyarasu Dinam10 mints
11:40 Pee 26 mints
12:15 Kannamoochi 10 mints
12:30 Asthamaanam 11 mints
12:45 The Beard 24 mints
1:00 Lunch break
2:00 Images that you didn’t see 5 mints
2:10 Kutti Japanin Kulandhaikal 72 mints
3:30 Song of the Road 02 mints
3:40 Pandiyarajan film

10 December 2006

MUTA Hall

10 a.m. Health Matters 77 mints
11:15 Older 09 mints
11:30 Apherghis 59 mints
1:00 Lunch break �
2:00 7 Islands and a Metro 70 mints
3:15 Printed Rainbow 15 mints
3:30 Q2P 53 mints
4:30 The House on Gulmohar
Avenue 30 mints
5:00 K.P.Sasi – retro 60mints
6:00 Bare 10 mints
6:15 Sehjo- retro 60 mints
7:15 Waiting 39 mints
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Now that the entry period has ended, PUNTO DE VISTA can announce that it has received 408 films for competition. A selection process shall be applied in order to arrive at the titles of the films which shall finally compete for the awards at the festival itself, to be held in Pamplona from the 23rd of February to the 3rd of March 2007.

By category, the International Documentary Film Festival of Navarra has received 245 full-length films and 163 short documentaries from 46 different countries. 34 of these entries are co-productions between two or more countries.

By country, documentaries produced in Spain account for the largest number with 155 films, followed by the United States with 23, Great Britain and France with 20, Germany with 14, Argentina and Belgium with 13, and the Netherlands with 10. The Punto de Vista Festival has received 9 films from India, 8 from Poland, 7 apiece from Mexico and Iran, and 6 from Chile, Portugal and Switzerland. Russia and Turkey are competing with 5 documentaries, Canada and Finland with 4, and Israel, Italy and Lithuania with 3. Australia, Bosnia, Denmark, Peru, Romania and Serbia have each sent 2 films. Afghanistan, Armenia, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Cameroon, China, Columbia, Croatia, Cuba, the Czech Republic, Japan, Montenegro, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, Sweden and Venezuela have each entered one film for the competition.

PRIZES
Those documentaries finally selected, to be screened in Pamplona during the festival, shall opt for the Punto de Vista First Prize for the Best Film (€ 9,000), the Jean Vigo Prize for the Best Director (€ 5,000), the Prize for the Best Short Film (€ 3,500) and the Audience’s Special Prize (€ 2,500). The international jury may also award up to two special mentions, involving a prize of € 1,000 each.

The principal novelty among the prizes is the creation of the Jean Vigo Prize for the Best Director in the Official Competition Section, to be awarded as of 2007. This new award strengthens both the spirit which inspired the festival in the first place and its commitment to the work of Jean Vigo from the very outset. The creation of the prize has been possible thanks to the close ties between Punto de Vista and the family of the great French filmmaker.

In addition to the Official Section, the Punto de Vista Festival programme is also to include different informative sections, retrospectives, presentations and premieres.

The 2007 IMAGE
The pictures used on the Punto de Vista 2007 poster were chosen from the “KIEV 12” series by Navarra-born photographer Clemente Bernad. The photographs were taken by Bernad on his visit to Orphanage 12, a state institution for orphaned and abandoned children with learning problems in Kiev (Ukraine). The orphanage has close ties with the Burlada-based NGO Arco Iris Solidario.

The entire “Kiev 12” series will be on show in Civican during the Punto de Vista Festival. The exhibition portrays the lives of the children at this educational centre from Clemente Bernal’s own personal point of view.

“HOW THEY BECAME HOMELESS” a documentary by tony montgomery, this film is an incredible depiction of how some people wind up on the streets,substance abuse and criminal behavior heavily populates this group,there’s also lack of education family issues,and health matters that causes one to become homeless.

DVD Releases December 5, 2006

Desperate Man Blues – Review by Bryan Newbury – Review the film for yourself – Purchase at Amazon.com – Minutes into Desperate Man Blues we’re treated to the bubbly and idiosyncratic personality of Joe Bussard. On the opening cut he’s found smoking what is to be an omnipresent cigar and grooving to a prewar vinyl. Aficionados of air guitar will be as entranced with Joe as record collectors and old time music enthusiasts. Within minutes, the audience is treated not only to air guitar, but air clarinet, air fiddle, air trombone and even (this may be the only recorded case, which would suit Bussard fine to be sure) air Weissenborn. All this while dancing contagiously.  Joe began collecting 51 years ago throughout his native Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia. A few side trips into Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina are certainties. Just like that barracks buddy your grandfather was acquainted with in the Great War who kept his copies of The Fantastic Four intact, Bussard had the vision to see treasure in another man’s rubbish. He relates tales of collecting at a time when pre-Depression 78’s were viewed as throw-away items. In the 1950’s the original owners saw little value in what are now priceless records in Joe’s collection.

Grey Gardens – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – Grey Gardens is the name of a neglected, sprawling estate gone to seed. The crumbling mansion was home to Edith Bouvier Beale, often referred to as “Big Edie,” and her daughter, “Little Edie.” The East Hampton, Long Island, home became the center of quite a scandal when it was revealed in 1973 that the reclusive aunt and cousin to Jackie O. were living in a state of poverty and filth. That’s the background to this 1976 film portrait by cinéma vérité pioneers Albert and David Maysles, but it’s only incidental to the fascinating story they discover inside the estate walls. The two Edies have lived in almost complete seclusion since the mid-1950s, ever since Big Edie’s husband abandoned her and Little Edie (then a young socialite on the verge of a dancing career, or so she claims) was called home to care for her depressed mother. Twenty years later they continue to live in their memories while camped out in a single bedroom of the 28-room mansion overrun with cats (who use the floor as their litter box).

Beales of Grey Garden – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – The 1975 cinema vérité classic Grey Gardens, which captured in remarkable close-up the lives of the eccentric recluses and cousins to Jackie Onassis, Big and Little Edie Beale, in their decrepit East Hampton mansion, has spawned everything from a midnight-movie cult following to a Broadway musical remake an upcoming Hollywood adaptation. Now, Albert and David Maysles have revisited their landmark documentary with a sequel of sorts, culled from hours of never-before-seen footage recently found in the filmmakers’ vaults.

Pucker Up: The Fine Art of Whistling – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – “Just put your lips together and blow!” Well, that’s easier said than done, as this exploration of the high-stakes world of competitive whistling reveals. Pucker Up follows several competitors as they converge on Louisburg, NC – the mecca of whistling – for the International Whistling Convention and Competition. Seasoned veterans and nervous amateurs alike perform for their chance to be named the world’s best whistler in a unique atmosphere of tense competition and convivial camaraderie. Exploring the history and former glory of the pasttime, even the dark underbelly (who knew?) of the whistling world, this delightful film communicates whistling enthusiasts’ hopes of reviving the once-popular entertainment now all but absent from the cultural radar.

Blood and Oil: The Middle East in World War I – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – Except for the Dardanelles/Gallipoli campaigns, the extensive combat operations in the Middle East during World War I have been largely overlooked in documentary programs. Given the historical significance of the Ottoman Empire’s demise in 1918, and the ongoing importance of Middle Eastern oil reserves to Western economies, a close study of this conflict provides two important lessons: 1. The Treaty of Versailles, agreed to by the Western Powers in 1919, paved the way for military and political chaos in the Middle East, which continues to this very day. 2. Oil reserves in the Middle East became an important strategic concern for Western Powers, helping to justify their economic, diplomatic and military interference in the region.

Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One – Review – Purchase at Amazon.com – In William Greaves’s spontaneous, one-of-a-kind fiction/documentary hybrid Symbiopsychotaxiplasm Take One, Greaves presides over a beleaguered troupe of camera and sound men in New York’s Central Park in 1967, leaving them to try and decipher exactly what it is they’re making: a strange, bickering couple enacting a break-up scenario over and over; a documentary crew filming a crew filming the crew; locals wandering casually into the frame. A multilayered and wildly entertaining deconstruction of cinema, Symbiopsychotaxiplasm defies easy description yet remains one of the most tightly focused movies ever made about making movies.

2007 SONOMA VALLEY FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES FINAL CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

Extended Deadline is December 15th for Special 10th Anniversary Festival

SONOMA, Calif. (December 4, 2006) – The Sonoma Valley Film Festival has extended its final deadline for film entries until December 15, 2006. The Festival is currently accepting submissions in an array of categories, to play at its exciting 10th anniversary event, which will take place April 11 – 15, 2007.

All submissions to the 2007 Sonoma Valley Film Festival must be submitted online at www.withoutabox.com, which also features submission rules, fees and eligibility information. Detailed Festival information is also available at www.SonomaFilmFest.org.

Set in the heart of California’s historic and lush Wine Country, named one of America’s “Top Ten Best Vacation Film Festivals,” and called a “Cinematic magic carpet ride” by IFC News, the Sonoma Valley Film Festival prides itself on providing every filmmaker unique opportunities to mingle with breakthrough artists and industry leaders in one of the most intimate, unpretentious and indulgent settings in the world.

Sponsored by Entertainment Weekly and FOOD & WINE magazines, the Sonoma Valley Film Festival offers all of the excitement, press exposure and stars of larger festivals without the hectic atmosphere or distracting handlers.

Adding to the industry buzz, the Festival also announced today that it will celebrate its special 10th Anniversary event in 2007 with a star-studded tribute to two-time Academy Award®-winning director John Lasseter.

This special evening will feature a look back at Mr. Lasseter’s groundbreaking career, from visionary independent to entertainment industry powerhouse as the world’s most popular cinematic storyteller. The evening will also feature guest appearances and toasts from Mr. Lasseter’s friends and creative collaborators, including many of Hollywood’s most celebrated actors, writers, directors and industry leaders.
Read the rest of this entry »

8th Madurai Documentary and Short Film Festival 2006

6 –10 December 2006, Madurai

We, Marupakkam (the other side) a media action group based in Madurai have been organizing annual film festivals for documentaries in collaboration with local groups, organizations, colleges and trade unions since 1998.

Started as a response to the Pokran nuclear tests and the following euphoria nationwide, our festival has been a consistent, non-competitive and local event. The idea behind the festival is to introduce various documentaries and issues that are dealt with in the films. It is also an effort to take the films to the people of Madurai and the surrounding towns and villages. Each edition has its own method and format depending upon the requirement and possibilities.

Initially we started showing films in one venue with the expectation and experience of having audience from different places converging in. Some of the editions happened outside Madurai in a village. Some happened only in colleges. We kept changing the pattern to understand and to find a right combination. Finally we’ve arrived at this model of organizing in 5 venues almost simultaneously. For example, the coming edition will be in 3 colleges and 2 public venues. Last year we reached 10,000 people, as one of the venues was a village.

The following organizations have been continuously supporting us since 1998.

1) Tamilnadu Theological Seminary, Madurai 2) SIRD, Madurai 3) Magic Lantern Foundation, New Delhi 4) SAMVADA, Bangalore 5) Third Eye Communication, Kochi 6) Pedestrian Pictures, Bangalore 7) MUTA, Madurai 8) American College, Madurai 9) Lady Doak College, Madurai 10) Madura College 11) Elavattam, Madurai 12) Yadhumagi Film Movement, Tirunelveli 13) Yadhartha Film Society, Madurai 14) Stencils Printers, Madurai 15) CESCI, Madurai

The support came in the form of providing us venue, equipment, free electricity, films, volunteers, and some money. The Films We’ve always screened documentaries with an open mind to different styles and perspectives, although we don’t screen films that support fascist ideology and any sort of fundamentalism. Generally we screen all the film we receive from the filmmakers unless there are some technical hiccups and political differences.

Our festival has been well supported by the independent documentary filmmakers of this country, as some of them have sent all their films to our festival. As we don’t have money to host the filmmakers, we generally don’t have filmmakers presenting their films. But still K.P.Sasi, Gopal Menon, Sehjo Singh, Sarat Chandran, Leena Manimekalai, R.Revathi and Pandiyarajan have visited our festival with their films and supported us.

We always believe in discussion after each screening unless the audience strongly objected to it. We also collect Rs.50 per person a entry fee/donation from the audience to meet our expenses. We also collect minimum donation from the voluntary organizations and individuals. Pedestrian Pictures and Third Eye Communication have been supporting us with their LCD projectors. Colleges would provide us their equipment while screenings take place within their campuses. The audience: Students, teachers, writers, activists, filmmakers, artists and of course common people are our regular audiences. Since we are organizing festivals in 5 venues in different parts of Madurai we cover both “converted” and general audiences.

This Edition: We’ve added a new section in the coming festival and that is retrospective section. Sehjo Singh and K.P.Sasi have agreed to bring their best 5 films and present them. Magic Lantern Foundation will bring their package of films. We have received 52 films directly from both within and outside India. We’ve also requested Saba Dewan to help us in bringing the Labour package that was screened at 3 Screens Festival 2006, New Delhi. Rakesh Sharma has obliged to be with us to present the Tamil version of his film ‘Final Solution’.

We are going to screen the films on 6-10 of December 2006 in following venues 1) Madura College – equipment, hall, electricity taken care off by the college. 2) Lady Doak College – equipment, hall, electricity taken care off by the college. 3) Tamilnadu Theological Seminary 4) American College – equipment, hall, electricity taken care off by the college. 5) MUTA Hall, Madurai. – Hall and electricity taken care off by the hall owners.

The Collector of Madurai District has agreed to inaugurate the festival and ‘Printed Rainbow’ by Geentanjali Rao will be the inaugural film at Madura College at 10 a.m. on 6 December 2006. We’ve included short films this year for a change as there has been a demand from the audience for it.

Amudhan R.P.

Organizer

8th Madurai Documentary and Short Film Festival 2006 Madurai.

amudhanrp@rediffmail.com

09344156392 0452-2523992

PS. We are going to premiere our new film ‘Seruppu’ (slippers/cheppal/footwear) in this festival.

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