We apologize for the lack of blog updates recently; Travis and I have been traveling a bit more than usual, and we’ve been focused primarily on programming for the next few months and submitting grant applications, among numerous other operational things.
Due to unexpected circumstances, we’re rethinking our True Orleans Film Festival format this year. Rather than hosting a weekend-long festival of nonfiction films, we’re going to treat True Orleans as a film series over the next few months. We’ll be returning to the Tigermen Den in Bywater to host a monthly evening of nonfiction work, bringing new and repertory documentary films (including short films). There are an endless number of crucial documentaries that come out each year, and we’re committed to bringing nonfiction work to New Orleans no matter the schedule or venue.
Here’s our True Orleans lineup for the next few months:
- Friday, June 23: Cameraperson (Kirsten Johnson, 2016)
- Thursday, July 20: No Home Movie (Chantal Akerman, 2016) preceded by a brief French language lesson by Le Francais et Les Mots
- Friday, August 11: Long Story Short – a documentary shorts program
- Thursday, September 21: Food to Mouth – Two Films by Les Blank (presented on 16mm)
We’ll begin the series with the critically acclaimed documentary Cameraperson from director via cinematographer Kirsten Johnson. On paper, the synopsis for this film is deceptively simple: a cinematographer culls some of her footage from her career to reflect on her experiences as a daughter, mother, and cameraperson. But Cameraperson is dramatically more than that, as Johnson powerfully weaves an intimate portrait of her experiences and emotional involvement from viewing the world through the lens of her camera. Touching upon a wide range of human life and emotion, Cameraperson is a deeply moving cinematic experience.
It’s bittersweet to be sharing Chantal Akerman’s final film, No Home Movie. Akerman’s sense of place and time, combined with her ability to upend expectations, is unparalleled. Like Johnson’s Cameraperson, Akerman infuses herself into the film in unexpected but subtly crucial ways. Akerman borh interviews and observes her terminally ill mother, a Holocaust survivor and presence in Akerman’s previous films, and their interactions shed light on their beautiful, close (and at times fraught) relationship.
I’m confirming titles for our shorts program, Long Story Short, and we’ll have the full program up on our website soon. While the short form continues to expand its reach via online services, we strongly believe in the need for public exhibition of curated programs. Long Story Short will feature films that experiment with the nonfiction form and share compelling, underrepresented stories.
We know you’ve seen Always for Pleasure, and we’re really thankful that Les Blank’s seminal celebration of New Orleans continues to delight audiences here. That being said, we want to share more of Blank’s work with you, in the form of two of his personal 16mm prints: Gap-Toothed Women and Garlic is as Good as Ten Mothers. These joyous documentaries showcase Blank’s unbridled spirit and generosity and passion for his subjects. Consider this the first of many more screenings of his work; his prolific career deserves a thorough retrospective.
We’re excited to screen at the cozily intimate Tigermen Den this summer. For those of you who have requested snacks at our screenings, the Tigermen Den has a kitchen, which means the likelihood of snacks increases exponentially! If you’re interested in selling snacks at one of these screenings, please feel free to email me directly: [email protected] -AC
