From: Cari Machet (email suppressed)
Date: Sun Jul 02 2006 - 09:59:27 PDT
On 7/1/06, Ken Bawcom <email suppressed> wrote:
>
> Quoting Cari Machet <email suppressed>:
> > i wonder if any festivals let viewers vote?
> >> > (way too democratic i bet)
> >> >
> >>
> >> Some festivals do have an audience's choice award, so yes, some do.
> >>
> >
> > i meant fully
> > the entire award process as democratic
> > like the peoples choice awards
> > but then would it matter
> > if all the voters were androids of the white male identity?
> > hmnn maybe it would open them up in some way of thinking for themselves
> > that it is possible - that it is desirable to do so
> > that 'authorities' were not utilized -
> > 'for once' a more open system was
>
> Rather than "androids of the white male identity," I would characterize
> a general audience as being hypnotized by the formulae of TV and
> Hollywood. Of course there IS something of a white male influence in
> that. If the awards were bestowed by a vote of the audience, the awards
> would reflect that. The best and most innovative experimental work
> would rarely, if ever, be awarded.
>
> Although I doubt that you meant it quite that way, implying that
> letting the audience bestow the awards is "way to democratic" for a
> festival to be willing to do, reminds me of some of the perverse and
> contorted logic that comes from the current US administration when they
> imply that anyone who opposes them hates freedom. Experimental film
> festivals are a strong exercise in freedom.
just because exp. festivals "are a strong exercise in freedom"
it doesn't mean that they have reached the pinnacle of what is possible
let alone desirable
writing that my "logic" is reminiscent of contorted and perverse logic
doesn't make that reality
protectionism/defensiveness can thwart growth
and to compare my thinking to that of the current or any government is well
basically not paying attention on ur part
not to mention just loaded deflatable rhetoric
( 'spostsa mean somefin' - but don't)
in the future if u could back up ur criticisms of my postings
with some meat i would appreciate it
to my knowledge the festivals do not work generally in an anarchic way
but a hierarchical pattern structure
which can reflect very specific modes (outdated modes) of functioning
the functioning by way of choosing what films to present
(done in various ways - sometimes very corrupt ways)
judging 'winners' - having q & a with 'specific' filmmakers
among other specifics
(one of which i think is limiting what other art forms 'can' b present
during festivals
((sometimes there is a musician playing w/ the film but...))
and therein prescribing an overspecialization to the genre)
doesn't break new ground per say
it just walks the same outdated path
do u know anything about dada, futurists, surrealism, fluxus, beat, french
new wave, situationist movement?
shows i have seen here in nyc (bradley eros primarily)
and in seattle have incorporated such 'art house' concepts
if there are festivals that do so
i would be the first to offer my praise
c
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For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.