Re: Urgent! FMC Update

From: Adam Hyman (email suppressed)
Date: Thu Feb 05 2009 - 16:00:07 PST


I just sent the following, utilizing some comments from Dr. Wees and James
Cole, and adding some of my own.

Please support the efforts of the New York Filmmakers Cooperative to remain
either in
its current building or to move to another, affordable city space. The Coop
is a major cultural institution, providing essential distribution of
experimental/avant-garde films and videos. My organization, Los Angeles
Filmforum, regularly rents unique films from Filmmakers Coop for exhibition.
The FMC is the sole distributor of many of these, including several works
deemed as "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant" and
included in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry. Should the FMC
cease to exist, the public's access to these artistically vital works would
be jeopardized.

Adam Hyman
Executive Director & Programmer
Los Angeles Filmforum

On 2/5/09 12:55 PM, "James Cole" <email suppressed> wrote:

> It's worth noting that, if I'm not mistaken, the FMC is the sole distributor
> of several works deemed as "culturally, historically or aesthetically
> significant" and included in the Library of Congress' National Film Registry,
> like Ken Jacobs' Tom Tom the Piper's Son and Hollis Frampton's (nostalgia),
> and that, should the FMC cease to exist the public's access to these works
> would be jepordized. I don't know that this will mean anything to the
> recipient of these complaints, but it could serve to establish some legitimacy
> for the Cooperative.
>
> -James
>
> On Thu, Feb 5, 2009 at 3:09 PM, William Wees, Dr. <email suppressed>
> wrote:
>> I just sent the following message to Kate D. Levin:
>>
>> Please assist the New York Filmmakers Cooperative in its effort to find a new
>> location. The Coop is a major cultural institution, providing essential
>> distribution of experimental/avant-garde films and videos. It has been a
>> mainstay of American experimental/avant-garde film since the 1960s and most
>> certainly deserves your support in finding a new home.
>>
>> I hope lots of other peopole are sending similar messages.
>>
>> --Bill Wees
>>
>> William C. Wees
>> Emeritus Professor (McGill University)
>>
>> ________________________________________
>> From: Experimental Film Discussion List [email suppressed] On
>> Behalf Of Shelly Silver [email suppressed]
>> Sent: February 4, 2009 4:51 PM
>> To: email suppressed
>> Subject: Urgent! FMC Update
>>
>> Dear Friends and Members of the Film-Makers' Cooperative:
>>
>> Since December 2000 our office has been located in a New York City
>> government space, the "Clocktower Gallery". It has been a safe and
>> convenient location. The FMC had a lease with MoMA/PS.1 on a month
>> to month basis. MoMA is terminating its lease and the FMC's sublease
>> will terminate with it. Alanna Heiss (former P.S. 1 Director ) is
>> negotiating a new lease with the city through the Dept. of Cultural
>> Affairs. Although the floor plans she had submitted to the city for
>> her new organization, Art Radio International, (that originally
>> included the FMC) Heiss has decided there is no room for the FMC
>> anymore. Upon further negotiation with Art Radio International we
>> have been refused a sublease. We have received an eviction notice
>> and are trying to appeal to the Department of Cultural Affairs
>> Commissioner Kate D. Levin to support our efforts to remain either in
>> our current building or to move to another, affordable city space.
>> You can write to Kate D. Levin directly at
>> http://www.nyc.gov/html/mail/html/maildcla.html
>>
>> The more letters that are received on our behalf, the better!
>>
>> Of course, we are working with legal consul. The FMC Board of
>> Directors, and M.M. Serra will continue to keep you informed. Any
>> questions you have, please call the FMC office at 212-267-5665.
>>
>>
>> This message was sent by: Film Coop, 108 Leonard Street, 13 floor,
>> New York, New York 10013
>>
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>>
>> __________________________________________________________________
>> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>>
>>
>> __________________________________________________________________
>> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>
>
> __________________________________________________________________ For info on
> FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>
>

__________________________________________________________________
For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.