Works by Bruce Conner, Monte Hellman, John Cassavetes in special section “AMERICAN INDEPENDENT CINEMA CURATED BY KENT JONES”
Kent Jones, film critic, curator, and director of the New York Film Festival has been invited to create a selection of indie films for this year’s edition of the American Independent Film Festival and to present these in person to our audiences in Bucharest.
“American Independent Cinema curated by Kent Jones” includes a selection of films from the last 50 years. “The Shooting” (1967) by Monte Hellman – an iconic American Western, starring Jack Nicholson and Millie Perkins, a selection of short films by Bruce Conner – a noted director known for his eccentric and rebellious work style using found-footage, and “A Woman under the Influence,” by John Cassavetes, are among the titles that will be presented. Kent Jones will introduce the screenings and entry will be free of charge, as long as seating is available. The complete program, screening dates, and seat reservations will be available soon on Eventbook.ro
Two more titles taking part in the “American Independent Cinema curated by Kent Jones” will be announced soon.
Kent Jones, a film critic and curator, became the director of programming of the New York Film Festival in 2013. Prior to this, Jones worked as an archivist for Cappa Productions (chaired by Martin Scorsese) and as film juror at the Film Society of Lincoln Center in New York. As well, Jones is a frequent contributor for Film Comment and Cahiers du Cinema and has directed various documentaries, including “Hitchcock / Truffaut,” which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2015, and went on to play Telluride, Toronto and BFI London, among others.
Jones’s most recent film “Diane” will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival directly before Jones’ arrival in Bucharest.
“The Shooting”, at Muzeul Țăranului Cinema, May 1, 18:00
Presented at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967, was shot on a budget of 75.000 and produced by director Roger Corman and Jack Nicholson who also stars in the film. Monte Hellman’s gem is set in the American desert, and opens with Willet Gashade, a former bounty hunter, who returns to his mining camp to find that his brother has negligently killed two people and run off. The sudden appearance of a mysterious woman asking to be escorted to the town of Kingsley arouses Willet’s suspicions, but he nevertheless accepts, bringing along his affable sidekick. With the scorching sun threatening their journey and a shadowy cowboy hot on their trail, the three embark on a journey that threatens at every gallop to be their last.
Legendary pioneer of the American avant-garde, best-known for his poignant and associative found-footage “assemblage” films, and creator of the blueprint for the pop music video as we know it, Bruce Conner will be represented by a well-rounded overview of his films “Crossroads” (1976), “Report” (1967) and Looking for Mushrooms (1959-67/1996). “Crossroads” (1976) is a double-take of the Operation Crossroads underwater atomic test of 1946. The monumental explosion is seen twice from different angles but with a different soundtrack each time. The first uses real sounds to recreate a naturalistic atmosphere. The second is scored by minimalist composer Terry Riley, offering a meditative counterpoint to the destructive power manifested onscreen.
In “Report” (1967), Conner uses recordings of the JFK assassination and other footage from the mass-media to construct an incisive commentary on pop culture’s creation, obsession, and commercialisation of celebrity and death, whereas “Looking for Mushrooms,” Conner’s first color film, is a travelogue during his brief stay in Mexico between 1961-1962. The film was shot between 1959-1967, and the version to be presented in Romania is Conner’s 1996 remake of his earlier version. The Bruce Conner collection will be presented at the Muzeul Țăranului Cinema, on May 3, at 18:30.
“A Woman under the Influence”, by John Cassavetes will be screened on Wednesday, May 2, at 17:00.
Journalists interested in taking part at the screenings of this year’s American Independent Film Festival, can request a press accreditation. In order to obtain a press accreditation, those interested should first make a request in writing and send it to contact@pirtvision.com. More info can be found here
Screenings will take place at Cinema Pro and Cinema Muzeul Țăranului.
Tickets can be booked through Eventbook.ro and the Eventbook network.
The program, events and all news on the festival will be updated on the festival website, on the Facebook page and Instagram account (@AmericanIndependentFilmFest).
The Festival is organized by the Cinemascop Association, supported by Catena, with the support of the Embassy of the United States in Romania and UPC Romania. A cultural project funded by the National Center of Cinematography.
Mobility partner: BMW Auto Cobalcescu
Partners: Dedeman, Qreator by IQOS, Romanian Cultural Institute, UPS Romania, CinemaPRO, Romanian Peasant Museum, Cinema Peasant Museum, RoImage, InterCom Film, Voodoo Films, Eventbook, Our Big Day Out, Sister Association
Main media partners: Pro Cinema, Radio Guerrilla.
Media partners: Adevărul, Dilema Veche, Radio România Cultural, Agerpres, Decât o Revistă, Elle, A List Magazine, Zile și Nopți, Nine O’Clock, Newsweek, News.ro, Ziare.com, Revista Cariere, Business 24, Scena 9, Glamour, Avantaje, IQads, Noizz, The Institute, Liternet.ro, AaRC, CineFan, Senso TV, Ziarul Metropolis.
Communication partner: PiArt Vision.
