PRESS RELEASE

NEW YORK, September 7, 2012 —The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today Ang Lee has been added to the roster of its 2012 NYFF HBO Directors Dialogues participants. FSLC also announced the selections for the 16^th edition of NYFF’s Views From the Avant-Garde, the popular yearly touchstone for experimental film around the world as well as the presentation of filmmaker awards from the Kazuko Trust for the first time. In addition, NYFF announced the selections for this year’s short film programs.

Joining the lineup of the popular HBO Directors Dialogues at the New York Film Festival will be Academy-Award winner Ang Lee, the director of NYFF’s Opening Night Gala presentation LIFE OF PI. The Directors Dialogues pair a director with a journalist as they discuss the filmmaker’s career, views on their own approach to making movies as well as the current state of the art of filmmaking. Previously announced were Abbas Kiarostami (LIKE SOMEONE IN LOVE), David Chase (NOT FADE AWAY) and Robert Zemeckis (FLIGHT). Lee will be joined by Todd McCarthy (NYFF Selection Committee member and Chief Film Critic, The Hollywood Reporter) in conversation on Saturday, September 29 at 2:30PM.

The selections for the New York Film Festival’s Shorts Programs were also announced with films from Canada, Denmark, Egypt, France, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland and USA represented among the 12 films. The eclectic group of films includes a controversial look at high school shootings (Milad Alami’s NOTHING CAN TOUCH ME), the “making of” soft-porn auteur Russ Meyer (Todd Rosken’s UP THE VALLEY AND BEYOND), Gérard Depardieu as a travelling salesman (Constance Meyer’s FRANK-ETIENNE TOWARD BEAUTITUDE) and a young boy believing his grandfather is actually a zombie (David Moreno’s ZOMBIE).

The 16th edition of Views from the Avant-Garde (October 5-8) once again will offer a robust slate of programming at the Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center including free-to-the-public screenings in its Amphitheater, as it presents four nights of singular work from the frontiers of innovative moving-image making curated by Mark McElhatten and Gavin Smith and sponsored by Film Armada.

The opening day of Views will kick off with a Special Presentation of Phil Solomon’s “EMPIRE” in a free public presentation with reception in the Elinor Bunin Film Center Amphitheater. The four-day event will conclude with a special day devoted to Avant-Garde master Peter Kubleka, including the U.S. Premiere of Martina Kudlácek;s four hour documentary FRAGMENTS OF KUBELKA and the special multiple projector piece MONUMENT FILM, a World Premiere presented by Peter Kubelka himself.

Other World Premieres will include Michael Robinson’s breakthrough near feature CIRCLE IN THE SAND, Laida Lertxundi’s THE ROOM CALLED HEAVEN. Nathaniel Dorsky‘s APRIL. In addition Jerome Hiler’s ultra rare film works are being presented in original prints in newly edited versions shown for the first time anywhere.

Another World Premiere presentation will be filmmaker, installation artist, producer and cinematographer Jeff Preiss’s STOP. The film is a unique family document, a quiet tour de force, of fleeting lyrical moments accumulating into a heartfelt chronicle of identity and gender transition. Known for his work as a director, and as a cinematographer for Bruce Weber (BROKEN NOSES, LET’S GET LOST), Rosa von Praunheim and others, Preiss has made music videos for R.E.M., Mariah Carey and shown his installation work in many major international museums. After its presentation at Views, STOP will be installed in the Los Angeles Museum of Contemporary Art as part of the upcoming exhibition “Blues for Smoke”.

The presentation of David Gatten’s THE EXTRAVAGANT SHADOWS will also be making its World Premiere. The 3-hour piece is Gatten’s longest work to date and Gatten is currently the subject of a mid-career 14-film exhibition tour TEXTS OF LIGHT originating from the Wexner Center of The Arts. Known for his philosophical and playful 16mm films working with innovative processes of image making, and touching on history, perception, and the art of reading, Gatten has created his first digital magnum opus with THE EXTRAVAGANT SHADOWS.

Views From the Avant-Garde will also announce the inaugural presentation of two $5000 scholarships to Views filmmakers from the Kazuko Trust as part of this year’s event. The filmmakers chosen by Views curators Mark McElhatten and Gavin Smith as well as consulting curator/panelists will be announced in the upcoming weeks. This year’s other panelists for this exciting new award include Nellie Killian film programmer at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and founding director of Migrating Forms and Chris Stults, associate curator in the Film/Video department at the Wexner Center for the Arts.

Said Nora Coblence, executor of the estate of noted jewelry designer, Kazuko Oshima, “When the time came to decide where Kazuko’s funds should go, the Film Society of Lincoln Center seemed like the ideal choice. She loved film with a passion, always supported the Film Society, and was quite avant-garde in so many of her multi-artistic endeavors.”

Additional highlights include a retrospective presentation of Ferdinand Khittl’s rarely seen THE PARALLEL ROAD, as well as tributes to the late Chris Marker (the first NYFF showing of SANS SOLEIL) and Raul Ruiz (the presentation of the fabled but rarely screened THE BLIND OWL).

In addition Views is proud to once again include stellar new work by Deborah Stratman, Janie Geiser, Erin Espele, April Simmons, Mike Gibisser, Ben Russell, Shambhavi Kaul. Dani Leventhal, Fern Silva Ernie Gehr, James Benning, and many others.

Also for the first time this year, web-based film distributor Film Armada has come onboard as a sponsor for Views From the Avant-Garde. Film Armada takes an editorial approach to web-based independent film distribution, focused on building a profitable channel for vanguard cinema.

Other Views presentations of special note:

Luther Price a notorious and perennial favorite at Views from the Avant-Garde will be featured with his first one-person show, A LUTHER PRICE BESTIARY.  Each film screened is a unique art object carefully sculpted, treated, and collaged. Price was included in the 2012 Whitney Biennial where Roberta Smith of the New Times praised his work as one of the outstanding highlights of the exhibition.

The first NYFF showings of Turner prize nominee Luke Fowler, internationally known artist Camille Henrot, and the installation artist and filmmaker, cinematographer, Peter Bo Rappmund.

The presentation of Peggy Ahwesh’s new restoration super 8 to 16mm blow-ups of her infamous and widely celebrated MARTINA’S PLAYHOUSE along with rare screenings of then new restorations of the work of Joe Gibbons. Both artists will be present at the screenings.

The 17-day New York Film Festival highlights the best in world cinema, featuring top films from celebrated filmmakers as well as fresh new talent. The selection committee, chaired by Peña also includes: Melissa Anderson, Contributor, Village Voice; Scott Foundas, Associate Program Director, The Film Society of Lincoln Center; Todd McCarthy, Chief Film Critic, The Hollywood Reporter; and Amy Taubin, Contributing Editor, Film Comment and Sight and Sound.

The New York Film Festival is generously sponsored by Royal Bank of Canada, American Airlines, The New York Times, Stella Artois, illy, HBO, Trump International Hotel and Tower, WABC, WNET, the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts.

General Public tickets will be available September 9th. There will be an advance ticketing opportunity for Film Society of Lincoln Center Patrons and Members prior to that date. For more information visit www.Filmlinc.com/NYFF or call 212 875 5601.

Screening Schedule for VIEWS FROM THE AVANT-GARDE

Friday, October 5
12:00PM  
Location: FRANCESCA BEALE THEATER (FBT)
SANS SOLEIL (1982) 100min
Director: Chris Marker
Country: France

12:30PM
Location: HOWARD GILMAN THEATER (HGT)
THE BLIND OWL (La Chouette Aveugle) (1990) 90min
Director: Raúl Ruiz
Country: France

2:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Invisible Attributes – By Sky and on Foot  
Total running time: 85min

THE CREATION AS WE SAW IT (2012) 14min
Director: Ben Rivers
Country: U.K.
SLOW ACTION (2010) 45min
Country: U.K.
MORNING OF SAINT ANTHONY’S DAY (Manhã de Santo António) (2012) 25min
Director: João Pedro Rodrigues
Country: Portugal/France
CONCRETE PARLAY (2012) 18:12min
Director: Fern Silva
Country: USA
WALKER (2012) 26min
Director: Tsai Ming Liang
Country: Hong Kong/Taiwan

3:00PM
Location: HGT
ANDERS, MOLUSSIEN (DIFFERENTLY, MOLUSSIA) (2012) 81min
Director: Nicolas Rey
Country: France

5:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Circles of Confusion  
Total running time: 94min
20HZ (2011) 5min
Director: Semiconductor
Country: UK
TENSION BUILDING (2012) 6:50min
Director: Ericka Beckman
Country: USA
COLLECTIONS (2012) 4min
Director: Peggy Ahwesh
Country: USA
INTERSTITIAL PROJECT 1 (2012) 1:45min
Director: Matt McCormick
Country: USA
BIRTHSTONE (2012) 7:43min
Director: April Simmons
Country: USA
2 couplets from The Rain Series:
KISS THE RAIN (2012) 6:02min
Director: Lewis Klahr
Country: USA
THE STREET OF EVERLASTING RAIN (2012) 7:55min
Director: Lewis Klahr
Country: USA
TOKENS AND PENALTIES (2012) 3:59min
Director: Talena Sanders
Country: USA
INTERSTITIAL PROJECT 2 (2012) 2:35min
Director: Matt McCormick
Country: USA
CIRCLE IN THE SAND (2012) 47min – World Premiere
Director: Michael Robinson
Country: USA

6:00PM
Location: HGT
THE PARALLEL ROAD (Die Parallelstrasse) (1962) 86min
Director: Ferdinand Khittl
Country: Germany

8:30PM
Location: FBT
World Premiere
THE EXTRAVAGANT SHADOWS (2012) 175min
Director: David Gatten
Country: USA

9:15PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Luke Fowler  
Total running time: 80min

A DAY AT KARL MARX’S GRAVE (1983) 19min
Director: Peter von Bagh
Country: Finland
THE POOR STOCKINGER, THE LUDDITE CROPPER AND THE DELUDED FOLLOWERS OF JOANNA SOUTHCOTT (2012) 61min
Director: Luke Fowler
Country: UK

Saturday, October 6
12:00PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Phantom Residence  
Total running time: 87min

SPECTRE (2011) 5:50min
Director: Sarah Grace Nesin
Country: USA
PHANTOMS OF A LIBERTINE (2012) 10min
Director: Ben Rivers
Country: UK
THE ROOM CALLED HEAVEN (2012) 11min – World Premiere
Director: Laida Lertxundi
Country: USA
MEKONG HOTEL (2012) 60min
Director: Apichatpong Weerasethakul
Country: Thailand

1:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Beyond the Borderline  
Total running time: 85min

BEYOND EXPRESSION BRIGHT (2012) 9min
Director: Erin Espelie
Country: USA
THE NAME IS NOT THE THING NAMED (2012) 10:50min
Director: Deborah Stratman
Country: USA
MARSHY PLACE ACROSS (2012) 4:30min
Director: Lorenzo Gattorna
Country: USA
TECTONICS (2012) 60min
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund
Countries: USA/Mexico

2:30PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Peggy Ahwesh & Joe Gibbons  
Total running time: 94min

MARTINA’S PLAYHOUSE (1989) 20min
Director: Peggy Ahwesh
Country: USA
FROM ROMANCE TO RITUAL (1985) 20min
Director: Peggy Ahwesh
Country: USA
CONFIDENTIAL PT. 2 (1980) 25:50min
Director: Joe Gibbons
Country: USA
SPYING (1977-78) 31:30min
Director: Joe Gibbons
Country: USA

4:15PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Jerome Hiller: New Shores  
Total running time: 55min

IN THE STONE HOUSE (1967-70/2012) 30min
NEW SHORES (2012) 25min

5:00PM
Location: HGT
ANDERS, MOLUSSIEN (DIFFERENTLY, MOLUSSIA) (2012) 81min
Director: Nicolas Rey
Country: France

6:15PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Nathaniel Dorsky  
Total running time: 44min

AUGUST AND AFTER (2012) 18:50min
APRIL (2012) 26min

7:30PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Invisible Attributes – By Sky and on Foot  
Total running time: 81min
(REPEAT)

8:30PM
World Premiere
Location: FBT
STOP (1995-2012) 120min
Director: Jeff Preiss
Country: USA

10:00PM
Location: HGT
THE BLIND OWL (La Chouette Aveugle) (1990) 90min
Director: Raúl Ruiz
Country: France
(REPEAT)

Sunday, October 7
12:00PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Nathaniel Dorsky  
Total running time: 44min
AUGUST AND AFTER (2012) 18:50min
APRIL (2012) 26min – World Premiere
(REPEAT)

2:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Touch and Go  
Total running time: 93min

QUANDO I VOLTI SI TÒCCANO (2012) 6:44min
Director: Paolo Gioli
Country: Italy
(Courtesy of CIAN (Archivio Nazionale Cnema Impresa, Ivrea)
ARBOR (2012) 7min
Director: Janie Geiser
Country: USA
IMPRESSIONS (2012) 4:29min
Director: Marika Borgeson
Country: USA
POINT DE GAZE (2012) 5min
Director: Jodie Mack
Country: USA
AUDITION (2012) 4min
Director: Karen Yasinsky
Country: USA
QUANDO I CORPI SI TÒCCANO (2012) 3:44min
Director: Paolo Gioli
Country: Italy
(Courtesy of CIAN (Archivio Nazionale Cnema Impresa, Ivrea)
DRAGONFLIES WITH BIRDS AND SNAKE (2011) 60min
Director: Wolfgang Lehmann
Country: Sweden

4:30PM
Location: HGT
SMALL ROADS (2011) 103min
Director: James Benning
Country: USA

2:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Doppleganger (The Eternal Return)  
Total running time: 84min

STRATA OF NATURAL HISTORY (2012) 11:45min
Director: Jeannette Muñoz
Countries: Switzerland/Chile
GIRL CHEWING GUM (1976) 12min
Director: John Smith
Country: UK
MAN PHONING MUM (2012) 11:35min
Director: John Smith
Country: UK
INTERSTITIAL PROJECT 3 (2012) 1:55min
Director: Matt McCormick
Country: USA
WAITING ROOM (2012) 8:43min
Director: Vincent Grenier
Country: USA
INTERSTITIAL PROJECT 4 (2012) 2min
Director: Matt McCormick
Country: USA
TRANSIT OF VENUS 1 (2005) 3min
Director: Nicky Hamlyn
Country: UK
TRANSIT OF VENUS 2 (2012) 3min
Director: Nicky Hamlyn
Country: UK
WORK IN PROGRESS (2012) 30:20min
Director: Ernie Gehr
Country: USA

5:15PM
Location: HGT
Screening Program:          
Puzzling Evidence
Total running time: 92min

ACROSS AND DOWN (2012) 18:30min
Director: Lori Felker
Country: USA
HOTEL ROOM (2011) 6min
Director: Bernd Opl
Country: Austria
THE DAY OF TWO NOONS (2012) 67min
Director: Mike Gibisser
Country: USA

7:00PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Atlas Minus… 
Total running time: 94min

THE STRIFE OF LOVE IN A DREAM (2012) 12min
Director: Camille Henrot
Country: France
21 CHITRAKOOT (2012) 9min
Director: Shambhavi Kaul
Countries: USA/India
A FEW EXTRA COPIES (2012) 8:03min
Director: Bobby Abate
Country: USA
17 NEW DAM RD. (2012) 8min
Director: Dani Leventhal
Country: USA
THE VOICE OF GOD (2011) 9:35min
Director: Bernd Lützeler
Countries: India/Germany
THE TOMBIGBEE CHRONICLES NUMBER TWO (2012) 19:13min
Director: Kevin Jerome Everson
Country: USA
CHEVELLE (2012) 7:30min
Director: Kevin Jerome Everson
Country: USA
WADENA (2012) 18:30min
Director: Peggy Ahwesh
Country: USA

9:00PM
Location: HGT
A LUTHER PRICE BESTIARY (2007-12) 90min
Director: Luther Price
Country: USA

10:30PM
Location: FBT
Screening Program:          
Chronocolor
Total running time: 67min

JAKE SEVEN (2012) 4min
Director: Mary Beth Reed
Country: USA
AUSTERITY MEASURES (2012) 8:40min
Directors: Guillaume Callieau & Ben Russell
Countries: France/Greece
ANOTHER VOID (2012) 10:30min
Director: Paul Clipson
Country: USA
WHICH CEASELESSLY FLOAT UP (2012) 15min
Directors: Beige (Vanessa O’Neill & Kent Long)
Country: USA
BLOOM (2012) 11min
Director: Scott Stark
Country: USA
NEVER A FOOT TO FAR, EVEN (2011) 14min
Director: Daichi Saito
Country: Canada
DEEP RED (2012) 7min
Director: Esther Urlus
Country: Netherlands

Monday, October 8
11:15AM
FRAGMENTS OF KUBELKA (2012) 232min
Director: Martina Kudlácek
Country: Austria

7:00PM/9:00PM
World Premiere Special Event
Location: Walter Reade Theater
Screening Program:          
Peter Kubelka: Monument Film 
Total running time: 90min

ARNULF RAINER (1958-60) 6:24min
ANTIPHON (2012) 6:24min
ARNULF RAINER & ANTIPHON – simultaneous projection side by side
ARNULF RAINER & ANTIPHON – superimposed double projection

FREE AMPHITHEATER PROGRAMS

Thursday, October 4
6:00PM
“EMPIRE” (48min)
Director: Phil Solomon

7:45AM
VULGAR FRACTIONS (27min)
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund

8:30PM
PONCE DE LEON (26min)
Directors: Ben Russell & Jim Drain

9:15AM
AGE IS… (75min)
Director: Steven Dwoskin

Friday, October 5
10:00AM/2:45PM/6:30PM 
AGE IS… (75min)
Director: Steven Dwoskin

11:15AM/4:00PM x3          
VULGAR FRACTIONS (27min)
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund

12:15PM/5:30PM    
“EMPIRE” (48min)
Director: Phil Solomon

1:15PM/7:50PM x2
PONCE DE LEÓN (26min)
Directors: Ben Russell & Jim Drain

1:45PM/10:00PM    
DEEP STATE (43min)
Directors: Brad Butler & Karen Mirza

9:00PM
FOXFUR (55min)
Director: Damon Packard

Saturday, October 6
10:00AM/6:30PM    
AGE IS… (75min)
Director: Steven Dwoskin

11:15AM/4:45PM x2/10:15PM     
“EMPIRE” (48min)
Director: Phil Solomon

12:15PM/1:45PM x6          
VULGAR FRACTIONS (27min)
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund
1:15PM/7:50PM
PONCE DE LEÓN (26min)
Directors: Ben Russell & Jim Drain

8:30PM         
DEEP STATE (43min)
Directors: Brad Butler & Karen Mirza

9:15PM
FOXFUR (55min)
Director: Damon Packard

Sunday, October 7
11:15AM/5:30PM    
“EMPIRE” (48min)
Director: Phil Solomon

12:15PM/4:00PM x3          
VULGAR FRACTIONS (27min)
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund

1:15PM/8:00PM x2
PONCE DE LEÓN (26min)
Directors: Ben Russell & Jim Drain

1:45PM/9:00PM      
DEEP STATE (43min)
Directors: Brad Butler & Karen Mirza

2:45PM/6:30PM      
AGE IS… (75min)
Director: Steven Dwoskin

10:00PM
FOXFUR (55min)
Director: Damon Packard

Monday, October 8
10:30AM/3:00PM x2          
VULGAR FRACTIONS (27min)
Director: Peter Bo Rappmund

11:00AM
PONCE DE LEÓN (26min)
Directors: Ben Russell & Jim Drain

12:00PM       
AGE IS… (75min)
Director: Steven Dwoskin

1:15PM         
“EMPIRE” (48min)
Director: Phil Solomon

NYFF SHORTS PROGRAMS

Program 1 (91min)
A BRIEF HISTORY OF JOHN BALDESSARI (2012) 6min
Directors: Henry Joost & Ariel Schulman
Country: USA
The work and philosophy of Los Angeles’s venerable conceptual artist receives a breathless run-through.

CRESCENDO (2012) 16min
Director: Alonso Alvarez
Country: Mexico
Mighty oaks from little acorns grow: driven by domestic misery, an expectant mother teeters on the brink until a piano intervenes….

FRANK ETIENNE TOWARD BEAUTITUDE (2012) 13min
Director: Constance Meyer
Country: France
A sad sack traveling salesman (Gérard Depardieu—seriously!) gets more than he bargained for on his first day on the job.

SAINT PIERRE (2012) 15min
Director: Kevan Funk
Country: Canada
A dishwasher dreams of mixed martial arts glory, embodied by the eponymous real-life MMA champ.

A STORY FOR THE MODLINS (2012) 26min
Sergio Oksman
Country: Spain
Memorabilia retrieved from the trash help recreate at least one account of a most peculiar American family.

UP THE VALLEY AND BEYOND (2012) 15min
Director: Todd Rosken
Country: USA
All you ever wanted to know about how sexploitation genius Russ Meyer got to be…Russ Meyer.

Program 2 (96min)

CURFEW (2012) 19min
Director: Shawn Christensen
Country: USA
Just before night descends upon him for good, a man is asked to babysit.

KAVINSKY (2011) 13min
Director: Daniel Schraner
Country: Switzerland
A teenager is subjected to a disconcerting living-room interrogation from his date’s father.

NIGHT SHIFT (2012) 15min
Director: Zia Mandviwalla
Country: New Zealand
Salote tries to live under the radar as she starts a new job on the airport’s night shift cleaning crew.

NOTHING CAN TOUCH ME (2012) 29min
Director: Milad Alami
Country: Denmark
Surviving a black day at high school, a teenage outcast is forced to go house calling with a vengeance.

THINGS I HEARD ON WEDNESDAYS (2012) 9min
Director: Abu Bakr Shawky
Country: Egypt
A cache of photos and home movies forms a nostalgic bitter-sweet collage of family and national history.

ZOMBIE (2012) 13min
Director: David Moreno
Country: Spain
A young boy tries to make sense of his aging grandfather.

Film Society of Lincoln Center
Under the leadership of Rose Kuo, Executive Director, and Richard Peña, Program Director, the Film Society of Lincoln Center offers the best in international, classic and cutting-edge independent cinema. The Film Society presents two film festivals that attract global attention: the New York Film Festival, currently planning its 50th edition, and New Directors/New Films which, since its founding in 1972, has been produced in collaboration with MoMA. The Film Society also publishes the award-winning Film Comment Magazine, and for over three decades has given an annual award—now named “The Chaplin Award”—to a major figure in world cinema. Past recipients of this award include Charlie Chaplin, Alfred Hitchcock, Martin Scorsese, Meryl Streep, and Tom Hanks. The Film Society presents a year-round calendar of programming, panels, lectures, educational programs and specialty film releases at its Walter Reade Theater and the new state-of-the-art Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center.
The Film Society receives generous, year-round support from Royal Bank of Canada, American Airlines, The New York Times, Stella Artois, the National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council on the Arts. For more information, visit www.filmlinc.com and follow #filmlinc on Twitter.