Documentary

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For one year, from 1944 to 1945, Georges Rouquier shared the life of a peasant family, his own, in the Farrebique farm in Goutrens, in the Rouergue region. He shows us life on a farm, marked by the rhythm of seasons, from harvesting in summer to the grandfather’s rituals of slicing the bread for dinner. The film also dwells on the hardships of life on a farm and the transformation brought on by the arrival of electricity, of modern times. Farrebique reveals the beauty of these people, their closeness to their beasts and to nature, facing an often harsh life. Read More »

In St Just-and-Vacquières, Jean-Michel Burel, a schoolmaster of a multilevel class, begins his last school year before retirement. The teacher teaches tolerance and wisdom in the same way as spelling and mathematics. He leads his program with determination. He strives to support students to give them confidence and elevate them higher. Through the eyes of a former student, now a director, there is a timeless school where rigor is combined with good humor, a school where freedom begins with respect for others. A school that belongs to everyone and to the universal domain of childhood.Read More »

The ECM (Edition of Contemporary Music) record label is now in its 42nd year, and remains as mysterious and uncompromising as ever. This is primarily due to the fact that ECM is a nearly total reflection of founder Manfred Eicher. In fact, there has never been a label that has enjoyed such long-term success, while retaining an owner’s hands-on approach as ECM.Read More »

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Between 1922 and 1925, a total of 23 issues of Dziga Vertov’s newsreel series Kino-Pravda (Kino-Truth) appeared (albeit irregularly and in very few copies). Vertov’s goal was to create a kind of “screen newspaper”; the title is a tribute to the newspaper Pravda founded by Lenin. Just like the Kinonedelja newsreel series (1918–19), the Kino-Pravda issues offer a fascinating insight into the early Soviet Union and demonstrate the rapid development of Vertov’s film language.

The 22 surviving issues (No. 12 is lost) have been digitized and subtitled in German and English by the Austrian Film Museum in 2017/18 and are now available online.Read More »

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Paparazzi explores the relationship between Brigitte Bardot and groups of invasive photographers attempting to photograph her while she works on the set of Jean-Luc Godard’s film Le Mépris (Contempt). Through video footage of Bardot, interviews with the paparazzi, and still photos of Bardot from magazine covers and elsewhere, director Rozier investigates some of the ramifications of international movie stardom, specifically the loss of privacy to the paparazzi. The film explains the shooting of the film on the island of Capri, and the photographers’ valiant, even foolishly dangerous, attempts to get a photograph of Bardot.Read More »

“Banksy’s work now reportedly changes hands for millions.
But he puts up his street art for free. Have you ever wondered
what would happen if you got your hands on one of these?
Does it mean you’ve found a winning lottery ticket or just
scraped some worthless crap off a wall?

Going up against the Art Establishment, Critics, Auction Houses,
Gallery Owners and Authentication Boards in a quest for the
elusive meal ticket, two filmmakers unwittingly gatecrash the
murky and protective world of Banksy.Read More »

From AllMovie Guide:
“James Benning’s early films fused the “structuralist” investigations into sound-image relationships of filmmakers like Michael Snow and Hollis Frampton with an interest in narrative and a deep sensitivity to color, light, and landscape. He first grabbed the attention of the avant-garde film world with 8 1/2 x 11 and 11 x 14. Filmed in vivid color in the rural and urban landscapes of his native Midwest, these two films would provide the kernel for his further investigations into film form.
His films’ rigorous structures — often based on numerical systems — and exquisitely composed shots reflect his training as a mathematician, and their frequently autobiographical subject matter draws upon his working-class roots (a rare subject for avant-garde film) and his longtime commitment to political activism.Read More »

EUROPE in the RAW is an unrestrained, voluptuous, and wanton excursion to the birthplace of sensual erotism. Much of this captivating film was shot with the camera carefully concealed in a briefcase. With the camera hidden in such a novel fashion, we were able to film many behind – the – scenes activities which, otherwise, would not have been allowed. Other photographers who have tried to film the uninhibited footage have had their cameras and film confiscated by law enforcement authorities, or have been subjected to bodily harm by members of the underworld. Even filming this sensational footage clandestinely involved great risks. Now, Russ Meyer, the creator of THE IMMORAL MR. TEAS, brings to the screen his greatest triumph . . .
EUROPE in the RAW! Your own personal passport to ribald pleasure!Read More »

Ole Ege was as a film producer and director one of the pioneers behind the development of the pornographic market in Denmark. In this documentary he talks about his obsession with erotic motifs, from 50s striptease movie, the legalization of pornography in the late1960’s, the ’70s, when the less charming hard porn made its entry. Ege detoxified over film production and was director of the Erotic Museum in Copenhagen. The film includes clips from a large part of Ole Ege productions. Read More »