H2EEF 45 Cultural Contributions with Ruth Novaczek

Born in Ingolstadt in Germany, Helga Fanderl studied German, Italian and French languages and literature in Munich, Paris and Frankfurt, with an interest in becoming a poet herself. However, quite by chance, she was introduced to super-8 filmmaking via a friend and would soon find herself in the classes of Peter Kubelka. Since then, Helga has carved a unique career as a film artist, discovering an intensely visual engagement with the world around her. Consistently working with the Super 8 medium, she produces films by in-camera editing, meaning that most of her films are the length of a single reel of film (3-4 minutes) and has now produced over a thousand of these stunning miniature works. In this episode, Helga discusses her discovery of film as an artistic medium, her first realisations that she could make a "visual poem" and the various fascinations that prompt her to make a film. At the time of recording, Re:Voir in Paris were about to release a DVD featuring 50 of her films which can now be purchased here: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/helga-fanderl/1564-helga-fanderl-constellations.html Her book Constellations (De: Konstellationen) is available in multi-lingual editions from Re:Voir as well as Amazon.

UK based film and video maker Ruth Novaczek has developed a distinctive style of montage, in which she freely combines material she photographs herself with an array of found footage from near innumerable sources. The style, which she describes as "Bricolage" has come to characterise much of her mature work. Photographing material on super-8, lo-res video, camera phones etc. and editing on free software, particularly iMovie, Ruth's work emphasises the accessibility of media tools to an ever increasing number of people, while acknowledging our existence in a multimedia society. Her methods are combined with regular themes: explorations of feminist perspectives on culture and history, references to lesbian romantic relationships, a diasporic, (rootless) cosmopolitan sense of self, and a strong thread of international Jewish heritage. Described by Chris Kraus and Denah Johnston as "The Patti Smith of Film", these are works that interpret and reinterpret media fragments to deepen (and question) our understanding of the cultural artefacts that surround us. For more about Ruth and her films, visit: https://www.ruthnovaczek.com/home View a selection of her films here: https://vimeo.com/ruthnovaczek For DVDs of Ruth's films visit: https://shop.bfi.org.uk/radio-dvd.html or https://luxmovingimage.square.site/product/ruth-novaczeck-the-new-world/48?cp=true&sa=false&sbp=false&q=true

Filmmakers Peter Tscherkassky and Eve Heller return to the show to discuss their most recent films: Train Again and Singing In Oblivion respectively. These are two truly masterful films, capable of thrilling and moving in equal measure. Whether in Peter's visceral exploration of locomotive and cinema history Train Again or Eve's searching investigation of personal and cultural heritage in Singing in Oblivion, these are both captivating works that deploy found footage to strikingly different effect. Eve’s films are frequently programmed worldwide, but you can find information about her work and film links on request from Sixpack film:https://www.sixpackfilm.com/en/catalogue/filmmaker/4196/Peter’s films are available on 3 DVDs from Sixpack, as well as being included on Noel Lawrence’s curated Experiments in Terror collections (produced by Craig Baldwin’s Other Cinema company) and on a recent blu-ray produced by Found Footage Magazine. Many of his films are also available to download from Sixpack. Visit his site here:http://www.tscherkassky.at This episode was facilitated by filmmaker and fan of the show Dave Beaumler. Sincerest gratitude for his help.

In a first for this show, two filmmakers join appear together in conversation. Partners Eve Heller and Peter Tscherkassky join the show to discuss their practices. Together they produced the book Film Unframed: A History of Austrian Avant-Garde Cinema, but their practices, whilst both deploying found footage are very distinct. Eve Heller's films include found footage and photographed footage, produced exclusively on celluloid film and marked by particular engagement with the ideas of time, duration and memory. Peter Tscherkassky has achieved worldwide renown for his films, which are frequently highly kinetic, visceral experiences, prompting the viewer to become aware of film as a fundamentally 3 dimensional medium. Also often working with found footage, Peter often deploys a method of contact printing (placing frames onto unexposed film and exposing the sections he wishes to reproduce by exposing them to a light source eg. a laser pointer). Eve's films are frequently programmed worldwide, but you can find information about her work and film links on request from Sixpack film: https://www.sixpackfilm.com/en/catalogue/filmmaker/4196/ Peter's films are available on 3 DVDs from Sixpack, as well as being included on Noel Lawrence's curated Experiments in Terror collections (produced by Craig Baldwin's Other Cinema company) and on a recent blu-ray produced by Found Footage Magazine. Many of his films are also available to download from Sixpack. Visit his site here: http://www.tscherkassky.at This episode was facilitated by filmmaker and fan of the show Dave Beaumler. Sincerest gratitude for his help.

Born in 1939, Barbara Meter is one of the most distinguished experimental filmmakers currently working in The Netherlands. Barbara's films are highly personal, but with universal appeal, addressing themes of love, friendship, loss and memory. In a career spanning from the late 60s to the present day, her work incorporates experimental, narrative and documentary works. In this episode, Barbara discusses her experimental and documentary films, from her first experimental film in 1970 From the Exterior to her most recent works Nachtlicht and I Know Where You Live, but Not Where You Went. For a DVD featuring 11 of Barbara's films, visit Re:Voir's site: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/babara-meter/821-barbara-meter-zuiver-film-9789059390270.html?search_query=Barbara+meter&results=60 For a DVD featuring her film Departure on Arrival, click here: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/film-revoir-experiemental-film-dvd/762-studio-een-experimental-films-from-the-lowlands.html?search_query=lowlands&results=2 See a selection of Barbara's films on Vimeo: https://vimeo.com/user11331228 Visit: https://www.barbarameter.com

On Thursday, 10 new episodes will begin to appear in your podcast feeds. In this clip package, you will hear the voices of the guests for the coming season (in order of appearance): Barbara Meter Eve Heller Peter Tscherkassky Ruth Novaczek Helga Fanderl Louise Bourque Sapphire Goss Vivian Ostrovsky

For our first ever "EXTRA" episode, we are joined once again by R. Bruce Elder, once described by Jonas Mekas as "the most important North American avant-garde filmmaker to emerge during the 1980s". Bruce has supplied an additional essay discussing the Gerrard St. Village / Isaacs artists scene at the time that Michael Snow was a young man, offering some insights into artists and styles that may have contributed to Snow's own work.

A special extended episode in tribute to filmmaker Michael Snow (1928-2023), focusing on four major works: Rameau's Nephew by Diderot Thanx to Denis Young by Wilma Schoen, So Is This, La Region Centrale and the iconic Wavelength. Featuring interviews and analyses from: R. Bruce Elder Nicky Hamlyn Chris Meigh-Andrews Jim Shedden Steven Woloshen as well as archive interviews with Michael Snow himself and Jonas Mekas. Mekas appears courtesy of Jim Shedden, as part of his film "Michael Snow Up Close". The most recent featured interview with Michael Snow was conducted by R. Bruce Elder for the Brakhage Center at CU Boulder. Archive interviews with Michael Snow were carried out by Jim Shedden for the TV show "Independent Visions" and his film "Michael Snow Up Close". View Jim's film here: https://vimeo.com/24502091 View Jim's series here: https://vimeo.com/41290742 Find films of Michael Snow on DVD here: https://re-voir.com/shop/en/ And some filmmaker-approved uploads of Snow's films here: https://ubu.com/film/snow.html

An in depth conversation with artist, preservationist, educator and writer Stephen Broomer about his new home video label Black Zero. With the first three titles now available, Stephen discusses all three titles in detail as well as their restoration processes for home media releases and a broader discussion about viewing experimental cinema in your own home. There is a lot of variety in the releases so far, from the psychedelic influenced social commentary conceived as "cinema therapy" in Palace of Pleasure by John Hofsess, the diaristic, structural explorations of Keith Lock's Everything, Everywhere, Again, Alive to the madcap caper of Arthur Lipsett's Strange Codes (an unusual film by the artist that does not use found footage), there is perhaps already something for everyone here. The films released and discussed so far are: Palace of Pleasure by John Hofsess Everything, Everywhere, Again, Alive by Keith Lock Strange Codes by Arthur Lipsett View video essays about one of these titles and other classics of genre and experimental film at: https://vimeo.com/artandtrash?embedded=false&source=owner_name&owner=48630378 Purchase the new Blu Rays from Stephen's Black Zero at: blackzero.ca

Marie Losier returns for part 2 of our discussion, this time with more of a focus on her feature length works: Cassandro the Exotico!, Felix in Wonderland and the Teddy Award winning The Ballad of Genesis P and Lady Jaye, though some of the shorter film and video works are discussed as well. We discuss the highs and lows encountered when working so closely with those who star in these films as well as the process of making real-life subjects into the stars of the films. In addition, the impact of music on Marie and her films is a focus here, including her process now of making her first official musical comedy! You can access many of the films discussed in this episode from re-voir.com including on their VOD page and on their app. Others can be found on Marie's vimeo page https://vimeo.com/marielosier, with more information available from marielosier.com. Artists discussed in this episode include Genesis P-Orridge Lady Jaye Beyer P-Orridge Felix Kubin Tony Conrad George & Mike Kuchar Guy Maddin John Waters Jack Smith