The Noteworthy: Backing Beijing, "Labour" by Cléo, Kent Jones on NYFF

Commercials by Federico Fellini, Kent Jones on NYFF, Adrian Martin on "Notorious", a new issue of Cléo, and more.
Notebook

Edited by Adam Cook

  • Film festival programmers from around the world are joining in signing a Statement of Support for the Beijing Independent Film Festival:

"As independent film festivals and supporters of independent cinema, we have learned with deep concern that the Chinese government and police authorities have prevented the 11th Beijing Independent Film Festival based in Songzhuang, Beijing, from opening last weekend, August 23rd, and detained its organizers Wang Hongwei, Fan Rong, and Li Xianting for several hours. We are also deeply concerned that BIFF’s sponsoring organization, the Li Xianting Film Fund, has been raided, and the entirety of its invaluable archives of independent Chinese cinema have reportedly been confiscated.

We call upon the relevant Chinese authorities to permit the Beijing Independent Film Festival to pursue its mission to nurture and exhibit a full range of alternative cinematic voices in China, to allow the festival to operate without interference, and to allow the Li Xianting Film Fund to continue its vital mission of archiving and supporting independent Chinese filmmakers."

  • The latest issue of Cléo is now online and this time around the theme is "Labour". Featured articles include an interview with Alanis Obomsawin as well as pieces on James Gray's The Immigrant, Michael Glawogger’s Whores’ Glory, and more.
  • Adrian Martin on Alfred Hitchcock's Notorious and its intricate play with POV: 

"...It has proved remarkably open to different responses and readings. It is particularly striking that while virtually all critics agree that Hitchcock’s central strategy is strategically to shift the narrational point of view (POV) throughout the film – favouring one character and then another, creating a mosaic of viewer identifications – almost none concurs with another on exactly where and how this happens, and which particular characters Hitchcock is favouring in any one scene. Notorious veritably demands that we explore our more free-floating, subtle responses to the behaviour of characters and their relationships. The question of point of view – how far the literal POV or more general standpoint of characters is aligned with the Hitchcock’s own attitude – is complex, and constantly unsettled by the film itself."

  • Above: just one of several behind the scenes photos from Pedro Almodovar's Tie Me Up! Tie Me Down! courtesy of the Criterion Collection.
  • For his blog, David Bordwell writes on issues with moviegoing and our popular discourse—and ties in Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
  • Above: "Neorealism and its heritage, which will be the focus of one of the two already announced retrospectives, inspired the visual identity of the 12th edition of Doclisboa – International Film Festival, to be held between 16 and 26 of October, in Lisbon."
  • Andy Rector has shared a 1981 interview with Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet about Too Early, Too Late, conducted by Hans Hurch, and translated by Ben Brewster. 
  • NYFF Director Kent Jones discusses the inner workings and some of the highlights from next month's highly anticipated festival. 

  • Cinema Guild has announced they have picked up the rights for Lisandro Alonso's Jauja, starring Viggo Mortensen.
  • Attending TIFF? Our buddies at TIFFR can help you with managing your schedule at the unwieldy festival.
  • Above: via our official Tumblr, Francis Ford Coppola, Mel Brooks, and Jean-Luc Godard.

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The NoteworthyNewsLisandro AlonsoAlfred HitchcockStraub-HuilletJean-Marie StraubJoshua OppenheimerWerner HerzogDoclisboaDoclisboa 2014TIFFFederico FelliniAlanis ObomsawinPedro Almodóvar
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