Faces Places

Flor Brilhante e as Cicatrizes da Pedra

October 2013 •Portuguese

Brakhage

September 1998 •English

BRAKHAGE explores the depth and breadth of the filmmaker’s genius, the exquisite splendor of his films, his magic personal charm, his aesthetic fellow travelers, and the influence his work has had on generations of other creators. While touching on significant moments in Brakhage’s biography, the film celebrates Brakhage’s visionary genius, and explores the extraordinary artistic possibilities of cinema, a medium mostly known only for its commercial applications in the form of narratives, cartoons, documentaries, and advertising. BRAKHAGE combines excerpts from Brakhage’s films and films of other avant-garde filmmakers (eg, George Kuchar, Jonas Mekas, Willie Varela, Bruce Elder, and others); interviews with Brakhage, his friends, family, colleagues, and critics; archival footage of Brakhage spanning the past thirty-five years; and location shooting in Boulder, Colorado and New York.

Jamel Shabazz Street Photographer

August 2013 •English

Documentary following the career of Brooklyn-born photographer Jamel Shabazz, who captured hip-hop in its infancy long before it became a worldwide phenomenon. His iconic images of kids sporting sneakers and savvy street style caught the essence of hip-hop as it exploded onto the streets of New York. Intimate interviews with Shabazz and hip hop pioneers explore the hundreds of individual stories and urban history behind a revolutionary cultural movement.

Intervals

January 1973 •English

A short film which has its emphasis on back street walls with peeling posters and the constant pedestrian traffic in the foreground. It has a static camera positioned in front of the walls; experimental editing techniques, no dialogue-just background music, and quick edits of blackness throughout.

Tina Modotti: Dogma and Passion

August 2013 •English

Tina Modotti was the most important photographer of the twenties from last century in Mexico. Born in Udine in northeastern Italy, at age 16 emigrated, like millions of Italians to America. Ther she worked as a model and actress, but when renowned photographer Edward Weston chose Mexico as his home, Tina learned from him the craft and it was here where she made his photographic work. The crosslinking of art, activism, love and tragedy in her life, are the subjects of this documentary.

Tim's Vermeer

December 2013 •English

Tim Jenison, a Texas based inventor, attempts to solve one of the greatest mysteries in all art: How did Dutch Master Johannes Vermeer manage to paint so photo-realistically 150 years before the invention of photography? Spanning a decade, Jenison's adventure takes him to Holland, on a pilgrimage to the North coast of Yorkshire to meet artista David Hockney, and eventually even to Buckingham Palace. The epic research project Jenison embarques on is as extraordinary as what he discovers.

Notes on Marie Menken

April 2006 •English

A look at avant-garde filmmaker Marie Menken.

Brush of Baphomet

March 2009 •English

A look at the artwork of Aleister Crowley.

Herb & Dorothy 50x50

March 2013 •English

A follow up to award winning documentary 'Herb & Dorothy', the film captures the ordinary couple's extraordinary gift of art to the nation as they close the door on their life as collectors. When Herb and Dorothy Vogel, a retired postal clerk and librarian, began collecting works of contemporary art in the 1960s, they never imagined it would outgrow their one bedroom Manhattan apartment and spread throughout America. 50 years later, the collection is nearly 5,000 pieces and worth millions. Refusing to sell, the couple launches an unprecedented gift project giving artworks to one museum in all 50 states. The film journeys around the country with the Vogels, meeting artists who are famous or unknown, often controversial, striking today's society with questions about art and its survival.

Kings of Broadway

January 1998 •English

This documovie delves into the history of the NYC graffiti movement, tracing it thru 3 generations of well known writers. In depth conversations with ALI, BAMA, CRASH, KET, PART ONE, STAN 153yb, TERROR 161 and ZEPHYR classify this as sureshot cult classic

From Here to Canarsie

January 1987 •English

From Henry Chalfant, the director genre defining documentary Style Wars, comes a short film featuring original graffiti innovators Blade and Maze painting a mural in 80's New York.

All City

January 1985 •English

From Henry Chalfant, the director genre defining documentary Style Wars, comes what was intended to be the first installment in a regular television series on New York's bludgeoning hip-hop culture, with a specific focus on graffiti. Funding fell through but the material was just to good be left to languish. Chalfant put together what he had and, like Style Wars, it continues to stand as a document of a culture in blossom.

Mur Murs

September 1981 •French

Venturing from Venice Beach to Watts, Varda looks at the murals of LA as backdrop to and mirror of the city’s many cultures. She casts a curious eye on graffiti and photorealism, roller disco & gang violence, evangelical Christians, Hare Krishnas, artists, angels and ordinary Angelenos.

Black Caviar - The Horse of a Lifetime

October 2013 •English

Now you can relive the story of Black Caviar - the horse of a lifetime by taking the ride alongside the moments that made it happen. It is the story of a journey that defies belief, because quite simply it’s about belief. Twenty-five straight victories as seen through the eyes of the trainer Peter Moody and Black Caviar’s jockey Luke Nolen in an exclusive personal and open account of what actually happened in racing’s field of dreams. As the momentum built, a wave of salmon and black washed over a nation of fans who just wanted a glimpse of the fastest horse on the planet. In this historic reflection of Black Caviar’s spellbinding career, it now becomes more than a glimpse - as cameras take you inside the stables, inside the stalls and inside to the story of Australia’s most watched racehorse. And every race can be seen again on a bonus DVD with more than ninety minutes of memorable extras. Experience the triumph and celebrate the stunning career of an Australian icon.

Mudflat

August 1980 •English

Years ago, artists would walk around the muck at the edge of the San Francisco Bay in Emeryville, and build loads of sculptures out there on the flats, created from driftwood and found objects that drivers would enjoy as they motored south on the old Highway 17 (known in numerous radio ads as 'Highway 17, The Nimitz'). Grabbing material off someone else’s work was considered fair game and part of the fun, and contributed a kinetic dynamic to the ongoing display. Now the place is a park, and the sculptures are gone, but you can see what it used to be like in this neat and funny documentary by Ric Reynolds, augmented by Erich Seibert’s wonderful musique-concrète/time-lapse sequences. The flashback circus sequence includes Scott Beach and Bill Irwin. Sculptors interviewed include Walt Zucker, Tony Puccio, Robert Sommer, Ron & Mary Bradden, and Bob Kaminsky.

Director Z, el vendedor de ilusiones

April 2018 •Spanish

A documentary film about cult director José María Zabalza. How he made pictures with very little money and was granted little recognition.

Full Metal Village

April 2007 •German

The film describes the microcosmos of the small village Wacken and shows the clash of the cultures, before and during the biggest heavy metal festival in Europe.

Wish Us Luck

March 2013 •Thai

A one-month-journey of twin sisters from London back to their home, Bangkok, by train. They traveled via the famous trans-Siberian route through many countries such as Germany, Russia, Mongolia and China, with many stories to tell.

Jack Smith and the Destruction of Atlantis

April 2007 •English

In this entrancing documentary on performance artist, photographer and underground filmmaker Jack Smith, photographs and rare clips of Smith's performances and films punctuate interviews with artists, critics, friends and foes to create an engaging portrait of the artist. Widely known for his banned queer erotica film Flaming Creatures, Smith was an innovator and firebrand who influenced artists such as Andy Warhol and John Waters.

David Hockney: Joiner Photographs

July 1983 •English

David Hockney is unquestionably one of the most passionate and versatile experimental artists on the contemporary scene. In the late 1970s the British artist developed a pioneering concept which also changed his perspective on painting – his “joiners”. In this film, the artist himself talks about this photographic approach, a kind of Cubism-inspired photocollage which explores the space-time continuum. Hockney allows the viewer to share in the creative “joiner” process and leads us step by step into the universe of his artistic creativity.