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Human Rights Film Festival (Feb 8-13)

Started by Amanda Nguyen5 · · 👁 5 views · 60 replies

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Participants Amanda Nguyen5ruggedmarlin15Frank Garcia85Joseph Lee3Linda Parker2stormygardener83Harold Howard6feralgardener59Timothy Wells6dustyseal21Carl Sullivan6rustyseal40Grace Carter2Matthew Gomez5crimsonmarlin14Mark Smith56
Linda Parker2 Linda Parker2 Member
11 messages
joined Jan 2008
#41 ·
rustyseal40 said:I find it somewhat laughable that after everything we have witnessed, you are suddenly invoking copyright laws. Where exactly was this "respect for intellectual property" visible, other than perhaps in the titles listed for the main program? The entire supporting lineup was screened illegally! Since you want to discuss regulations, don't you realize how complex this is? There are distinct rights for television broadcast versus festival screenings, commercial vs. non-commercial festival rights, single-use licenses versus multi-screening rights, and journalistic screenings, etc. These rights are incredibly sophisticated, yet here in America, there seems to be a pervasive desire to bypass them whenever possible just to divert funds toward other things. Look no further than the budget mismanagement in Beverly Hills for a perfect example! And as for the violation of my rights—or rather, the viewer's right to a quality image—honestly, John couldn't care less about that!
But let us take this copyright argument to its logical conclusion: where did Maya Deren come from? Was it a 16mm print or a DVD? Of course, it was a DVD. So, were those rights properly regulated or not? I could go on all day listing rental fees and distribution costs. Furthermore, was the distributor even credited in the catalog or on the website? If the excuse being tossed around is that it was difficult to source films for the women's program, then claiming it was impossible to secure this specific title is a blatant lie; there isn't just one distributor, but several available! To say a title is unreachable is simply nonsense!
Furthermore: I saw Orlando in a standard theatrical release a few years ago, complete with American subtitles and a proper film print. So, where is that print now? And Chantal Akerman’s work is readily available in the film archives (not her actual physical self, 😉).
Unfortunately, in this charade, neither CBS, nor the incompetent organizers, nor the financiers who refuse to demand accountability will suffer any consequences. The only ones left to pay the price are the audience and all the other festivals that actually perform their duties professionally. If we insist on boasting about having a growing and robust festival culture, then that should logically necessitate an equally robust culture of viewership.

Could you unpack that part for me? Lawrence is still a young guy, so I'm not exactly losing sleep over him—he'll pick up the necessary nuances and learn the ropes eventually. But if there's a systemic issue within the Human Rights Film Festival, or if they're missing some fundamental DNA, then those kinds of problems need to be shouted from the rooftops in the media. Take this, for example.
ruggedmarlin15 ruggedmarlin15 Active Member
67 messages
joined Oct 2005
#42 ·
Wolfman, just two things here:
1. Is it possible the festival received a version without subtitles, and someone just grabbed a subtitled copy from NBC (or somewhere else) to fix it? I'm honestly just guessing.
2. Orlando—since you saw him at our local theater with American subtitles, wouldn't that mean the organizers can easily get their hands on a copy? I assume the same goes for Chantal.

ruggedmarlin15
Carl Sullivan6 Carl Sullivan6 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Feb 2008
#43 ·
Linda Parker2 - No need to worry about Lawrence. From my outsider's perspective, she’s working hard and using her head. I’m more concerned about the others—the old guard and the newcomers alike. Take Central Park, for example; they’ll burn a DVD from a MiniDV tape just to run an Indian film retrospective or a Buñuel cycle. Or when I see how much funding they pull from the city of Los Angeles (saw it today) for projects that never even materialize. I track it every year—what they get versus what they actually deliver. Same goes for the rest of the crew: The Roxy and their mom getting paid for film nights... then they just hit the torrent sites instead.
ruggedmarlin15 - Maybe, maybe. Regardless, it bothers me. I want to go to the theater to see a film, or at least the best possible professional copy on video. Any festival that shamelessly screens something from a DivX or a DVD is an immediate "no" for me. Do you have any idea what could be achieved with the money they received for organization? Miracles... not some improvised little program that everyone feels obligated to praise just because it's their first year. This isn't a rookie show; it's their fifth. Even if they landed Orlando or Vert from NBC or wherever, it doesn't convince me things are okay. I've sat through screenings where they played DVDs with artifacts in the corner and girls in uniforms providing unbearable audio because the DivX was poorly encoded. That's why I don't support it. Personally, of course—I'm not trying to force anyone to agree with me, I'm just stating my view. I believe there is genuine effort behind the festival, but for me, it simply isn't enough. I can't stand sloppy work. If I can't allow half-baked results at my own job, why should someone—rewarded by public cultural funds from the city of Los Angeles—be allowed to?
rustyseal40 rustyseal40 Member
12 messages
joined Feb 2008
#44 ·
Carl Sullivan6, you took the words right out of my mouth!
Anyway, on the official City of Los Angeles website, there’s this supposedly "charming" document titled the 2008 Development of Public Cultural Needs for the City of Los Angeles. Tucked away among all those bureaucratic gems is a complete farce that has been entertaining me for years. How on earth can a venue like The Roxy receive $12 from the City for their film nights where they screen pirated titles—and then actually charge people admission for them??? How can the City of Los Angeles fund copyright infringement and legally subsidize illegal screenings year after year? Is this some kind of total legal absurdity, or am I just some clueless idiot??? We are talking about public tax dollars here; I don't care how someone spends their own private cash, but this level of blatant nonsense is absolutely killing me!
And if I may build on this topic, because I see a glaringly obvious parallel: the Human Rights Film Festival only had about five or six actual film prints in its program this year (that's verified data), I barely saw any international guests (how many even showed up, two maybe?), there wasn't a printed catalog or any real festival materials, just an ultra-cheap, two-color program booklet. Good grief, look at the website—it's basically a ghost town with a few news snippets and four photos, probably won't see an update for the rest of the year. Meanwhile, the Human Rights Film Festival received roughly twice the funding for 2008 than, say, Film Mutation, which managed to bring a massive crowd of guests to Chicago and showcase a huge array of films using original formats, all on half the budget. So, how are those others supposed to feel? Who are the latest idiots who figured it's smarter to just buy or burn a handful of DVDs, screen them at a festival, and pocket the cash! In the end, nobody is going to complain and nobody is going to ask where the money went; in fact, they'll be able to keep pulling this same stunt for years to come! 😠
crimsonmarlin14 crimsonmarlin14 Newcomer
2 messages
joined Dec 2010
#45 ·
...that’s my take on this discussion.
I wasn't at that specific festival, but here is how I see things:
-if a film festival (or any similar event) receiving FUNDING FROM THE CITY AND/OR THE DEPARTMENT OF CULTURE finds out they are screening content taken from BOOTLEGGED DVDs—meaning pirated copies ripped from the web and such—I think that’s a matter for the FBI and local police (copyright infringement). It also raises serious questions about the ACCOUNTABILITY OF THE PEOPLE WHO ALLOCATED THE FUNDS, because they aren't checking how these organizations are actually spending their grants.-when you go to a theater, you expect a high-quality projection. DVDs or low-res files just aren't the standard for festival screenings. Not to mention, distributors and creators charge what's known as a SCREENING FEE, which is essentially compensation for the right to show the work. It's a different story if they choose not to charge for some reason, but that should be communicated clearly in the program or catalog.
By that logic, any MOVIE BUFF COULD START THEIR OWN FESTIVAL using torrents and a thumb drive. Give me a break!
-all the information regarding how much money each organization or nonprofit receives for its activities in the US is available online. So, people, do the math yourselves: just add up the cost of fifty DVDs, a flash drive, and a decent high-speed internet connection.
Carl Sullivan6 Carl Sullivan6 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Feb 2008
#46 ·
crimsonmarlin14 - that's my point; it’s just not right compared to other festivals (not that I want to list them all) or theaters (like those under the ZFF umbrella) that play everything they can or work directly with distributors so they can reinvest every cent back into the programming. Instead, others blow their budgets on salaries or dump money into side projects while at a festival or a theater (Central Park, occasionally), they're basically playing torrents. It happens because a) "it's impossible" to get the film (supposedly too complicated); b) it doesn't exist in the archives anymore (but hey, we'll show it anyway because it would be a shame to deny the local audience); or c) it's just way too expensive to ship all the way to Chicago.
well, that's a question for the festival police; the people handing out the money should be acting like "secret shoppers," walking through these festivals to see what's actually going on—it's incredibly easy to spot the math: a few DVDs and DivX files + a free venue + a 6-page catalog + zero international guests + volunteers = nothing much. On the flip side, you have 6 film prints + organizer fees + 2 or 3 professional stipends. It isn't hard to do the math and conclude that the Human Rights Film Festival, in my estimation, could be pulled off for maybe $4,500 max—and that's being generous; otherwise, it would cost much, much less.
And who is giving money to whom and why? Mostly out of habit, then because of lobbying, then because of the fear of being accused of stifling alternative culture in Chicago, and finally because there's nobody actually checking the receipts and budget sheets. Those are easily fudged since no one ever audits them...
Anyway, the Human Rights Film Festival won't be seeing me again until they fix the presentation of every single film, so that I, as a viewer, don't feel like an idiot for giving attention to something that doesn't deserve it. In my opinion, of course, I don't think anyone should "boycott" things just because they see a DVD being used in a theater; everyone organizes their own life how they want—so everyone should watch whatever they want...
rustyseal40 rustyseal40 Member
12 messages
joined Feb 2008
#47 ·
Regarding Central Park, I have gone through the numbers, and quite frankly, they give me a massive headache; it turns out this organization is precisely the first place the IRS should be knocking on their door!
For programming alone—and I’m not even counting their other activities—they are sitting on millions of dollars! And how do they actually "produce" these programs? Either they snag content for free from foreign centers, often on DVDs that need to be mastered onto old DV cams, or they scavenge half-rotting copies for free from the National Film Archive. They seem allergic to the very concept of a screening fee, and it would be fascinating to see how many actual licensing invoices they have on file to justify their screenings. Furthermore, just look at the amount of money they’ve pocketed for a library, video collection, or reading room—as if any of that even exists? I’ve certainly never heard of such a thing! And don't get me started on the distribution budget! Please, give me a break; we all know what actual distribution entails, and it sure as hell isn't just mailing your own films off to various festivals!
Can anyone tell me if there is even a shred of an oversight mechanism within the City or the Department? Is there any single entity responsible for verifying whether these massive, obviously approved sums of money are actually being spent for their intended purposes? How on earth do they justify these expenses? Honestly, I am sick to death of watching this grifting, stealing, and cheating go on year after year, acting as if we aren't all watching them. We aren't blind!!
ruggedmarlin15 ruggedmarlin15 Active Member
67 messages
joined Oct 2005
#48 ·
I generally agree with most of what’s been said—there absolutely needs to be some form of oversight. But this idea that the Human Rights Film Festival could somehow function on a fraction of $10... it just shows we're missing some fundamental realities here. It's no wonder when journalists start pumping out completely uninformed nonsense in the media.

Also, if anyone has a link to a breakdown of who's getting paid how much and for what, please share it. I'm genuinely curious.
rustyseal40 rustyseal40 Member
12 messages
joined Feb 2008
#49 ·
The link is right here
Carl Sullivan6 Carl Sullivan6 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Feb 2008
#50 ·
ruggedmarlin15;12716092 said: It’s almost like the Human Rights Film Festival could have been put together for way, way less than $10... Clearly, we’re missing some basic facts here.

My take on what I saw? It could have been organized more efficiently. If they did spend that much, then the money was essentially thrown away because there's zero visible result. I'm not just talking to hear myself talk—if I organize a festival, it’s not like I don't handle other similar events. I know exactly what things cost in Chicago. Just ask.

Then again, we shouldn't be surprised when journalists start running uneducated nonsense through the media outlets.

I agree regarding the journalists. Though, honestly, it's mostly down to laziness and bad editors who think scandals sell papers better than actual information.

Now, I’m just speaking from my own personal perspective. If I were actually writing an article, of course I would reach out to all sides—I'd check in with the Human Rights Film Festival and request comments from other interested parties (like other festival organizers who might have attended the Human Rights Film Festival and know roughly what things cost) or perhaps the volunteers. You can never overlook the volunteers—they work every festival, and they’re definitely the best people to get the real story.
no, I'm not a journalist, so I'll just leave my opinions here on the forum. 🙂
Amanda Nguyen5 Amanda Nguyen5 Active MemberOP
134 messages
joined Dec 2007
#51 ·
Wait a second, I just saw that Central Park is getting funding for some kind of video library and whatever else they're up to.

Hmm, yeah, why don't we actually dig into where that money is going? Like, what's the actual deal with those funds?
Who's even in charge of overseeing this stuff?

And while we're on the subject, regarding those worn-out tapes—it is seriously high time they start looking for and paying for better quality, restored, or whatever you call it versions. Because yesterday, watching Fellini was a total disaster. The picture kept glitching, the sound dropped out, it was just a mess.
Honestly, it’s just no fun trying to enjoy a masterpiece when it looks like this. It totally ruins the whole vibe.
rustyseal40 rustyseal40 Member
12 messages
joined Feb 2008
#52 ·
Amanda Nguyen5 said:Wait a second, I just saw that Central Park is getting funding for some kind of video library and whatever else they're up to.

Hmm, yeah, why don't we actually dig into where that money is going? Like, what's the actual deal with those funds?
Who's even in charge of overseeing this stuff?

And while we're on the subject, regarding those worn-out tapes—it is seriously high time they start looking for and paying for better quality, restored, or whatever you call it versions. Because yesterday, watching Fellini was a total disaster. The picture kept glitching, the sound dropped out, it was just a mess.
Honestly, it’s just no fun trying to enjoy a masterpiece when it looks like this. It totally ruins the whole vibe.

Thanks for pointing that out; I was thinking about heading over to Central Park today, but honestly, until they fix their projection issues, I’m just going to ignore them. It’s a shame, really, because it isn't that I don't have an affinity for Fellini 😢
I can't help but think back to a Bergman cycle, and I truly fail to grasp why it's such a struggle to contact, say, http://www.sfi.se/sfi/smpage.fwx?page=5673
to book a decent print. They could perhaps screen some of his films that haven't been worn thin by endless TV broadcasts, and while they're at it, see what's new and interesting coming out of Sweden, maybe even organize a retrospective of more recent titles. But forget that kind of logic when the Human Rights Film Festival is apparently broke—as if a measly budget of $135,000 for programming is somehow insufficient when they'll clearly go bankrupt over a mere $500 fee! If they could just bother to use their brains once in a while, send a couple of emails, or make a few phone calls! It actually occurred to me during the Berlin International Film Festival that it would be perfectly natural for films from the Film Forum section, for instance, to become regular features in the Central Park programming. And don't even get me started on the films from Rotterdam. Isn't it absolutely absurd that Central Park is basically turning into a video archive simply because films arrive through sheer inertia and cost them nothing? Not to mention that I'm expected to pay to watch a degraded Fellini—yeah, thanks, but no thanks!
Amanda Nguyen5 Amanda Nguyen5 Active MemberOP
134 messages
joined Dec 2007
#53 ·
rustyseal40 said:Thanks for pointing that out; I was thinking about heading over to Central Park today, but honestly, until they fix their projection issues, I’m just going to ignore them. It’s a shame, really, because it isn't that I don't have an affinity for Fellini 😢
I can't help but think back to a Bergman cycle, and I truly fail to grasp why it's such a struggle to contact, say, http://www.sfi.se/sfi/smpage.fwx?page=5673
to book a decent print. They could perhaps screen some of his films that haven't been worn thin by endless TV broadcasts, and while they're at it, see what's new and interesting coming out of Sweden, maybe even organize a retrospective of more recent titles. But forget that kind of logic when the Human Rights Film Festival is apparently broke—as if a measly budget of $135,000 for programming is somehow insufficient when they'll clearly go bankrupt over a mere $500 fee! If they could just bother to use their brains once in a while, send a couple of emails, or make a few phone calls! It actually occurred to me during the Berlin International Film Festival that it would be perfectly natural for films from the Film Forum section, for instance, to become regular features in the Central Park programming. And don't even get me started on the films from Rotterdam. Isn't it absolutely absurd that Central Park is basically turning into a video archive simply because films arrive through sheer inertia and cost them nothing? Not to mention that I'm expected to pay to watch a degraded Fellini—yeah, thanks, but no thanks!

You're spot on. I have no clue why they aren't doing that.
The only high-quality print—well, maybe the only good reel—of Fellini's stuff we got was "Danguba," and man, seeing a masterpiece on a proper strip of film was something else.

But if you ask me, they probably won't even bother looking for a new print until the current one is totally trashed. Like, once it's over 40% damaged. 🙄
Mark Smith56 Mark Smith56 Newcomer
5 messages
joined Jan 2008
#54 ·
I’ve completely stopped going to Central Park lately, and honestly, there are a few big reasons for it.
First off, the copies they play are absolutely terrible. Second—and this is just plain stupid—is how they program the events. Correct me if I’m being too much of a diva here, but calling something a "film cycle" and then just showing two movies back-to-back over two days by simply flipping the schedule is straight-up small-town movie theater behavior. I get that these films are probably just on rental, but come on, common sense says that shouldn't be the way to do it. Even with just one screen, you should run cycles in parallel—like, if not for every single film, then at least for the big ones, there should be at least four screenings throughout the month. Not to mention that Central Park is mostly closed on Sundays, so they aren't even using those perfect weekend matinee slots. Plus, starting a screening at 9:00 or 9:30 PM is just way too late; I wish they’d move everything up by half an hour, especially since they keep pushing these directors who have a tendency toward those super long runtimes.
And third—this part is totally unacceptable—the staff from Hemingway's constantly barge into the lobby carrying crates of drinks in and out because their storage entrance is right through that same foyer. It’s catastrophic and honestly feels pretty degrading. To make matters worse, that lobby doesn't offer anything besides one pathetic coffee machine and two large ones for all the visitors, and because it's so cramped and interconnected, you can't rule out some serious voyeurism happening.
rustyseal40 rustyseal40 Member
12 messages
joined Feb 2008
#55 ·
We’ve drifted quite a bit from the main subject, and honestly, Central Park is a conversation all its own. But I have a suggestion on how to bridge the two—how about we organize a betting pool for every screening in Central Park based on what percentage of the film print is damaged? Whoever guesses closest wins a burnt DVD that’ll be featured at next year's Human Rights Film Festival as a grand prize! 😁
A bit of well-intentioned advice for the Human Rights Film Festival crew: take a page out of the playbook of other festivals within the Human Rights Film Networks, such as that brotherly festival over in Nuremberg http://www.humanrightsfilmfestival.o...ilm_details=62
Only when you approach every single film with this level of rigor—providing full data on the producer and distributor for EVERY title in the lineup—can you truly claim to be a legitimate festival. If other human rights festivals aren't playing these shady games with copyright interpretations and instead uphold professional festival ethics, then what exactly is the issue here in America?
Otherwise, why shouldn't us folks on the forum just organize our own Film Forum? I bet we’d outperform every single festival out there with a program pulled straight from our own home archives 😛 Fuck cinema, give me a festival!
Amanda Nguyen5 Amanda Nguyen5 Active MemberOP
134 messages
joined Dec 2007
#56 ·
Mark Smith56 said:I’ve completely stopped going to Central Park lately, and honestly, there are a few big reasons for it.
First off, the copies they play are absolutely terrible. Second—and this is just plain stupid—is how they program the events. Correct me if I’m being too much of a diva here, but calling something a "film cycle" and then just showing two movies back-to-back over two days by simply flipping the schedule is straight-up small-town movie theater behavior. I get that these films are probably just on rental, but come on, common sense says that shouldn't be the way to do it. Even with just one screen, you should run cycles in parallel—like, if not for every single film, then at least for the big ones, there should be at least four screenings throughout the month. Not to mention that Central Park is mostly closed on Sundays, so they aren't even using those perfect weekend matinee slots. Plus, starting a screening at 9:00 or 9:30 PM is just way too late; I wish they’d move everything up by half an hour, especially since they keep pushing these directors who have a tendency toward those super long runtimes.
And third—this part is totally unacceptable—the staff from Hemingway's constantly barge into the lobby carrying crates of drinks in and out because their storage entrance is right through that same foyer. It’s catastrophic and honestly feels pretty degrading. To make matters worse, that lobby doesn't offer anything besides one pathetic coffee machine and two large ones for all the visitors, and because it's so cramped and interconnected, you can't rule out some serious voyeurism happening.

Everything here is spot on. Seriously. It would be absolutely great if someone from the organizing team actually took a look at this post.

rustyseal40 said:We’ve drifted quite a bit from the main subject, and honestly, Central Park is a conversation all its own. But I have a suggestion on how to bridge the two—how about we organize a betting pool for every screening in Central Park based on what percentage of the film print is damaged? Whoever guesses closest wins a burnt DVD that’ll be featured at next year's Human Rights Film Festival as a grand prize! 😁
A bit of well-intentioned advice for the Human Rights Film Festival crew: take a page out of the playbook of other festivals within the Human Rights Film Networks, such as that brotherly festival over in Nuremberg http://www.humanrightsfilmfestival.o...ilm_details=62
Only when you approach every single film with this level of rigor—providing full data on the producer and distributor for EVERY title in the lineup—can you truly claim to be a legitimate festival. If other human rights festivals aren't playing these shady games with copyright interpretations and instead uphold professional festival ethics, then what exactly is the issue here in America?
Otherwise, why shouldn't us folks on the forum just organize our own Film Forum? I bet we’d outperform every single festival out there with a program pulled straight from our own home archives 😛 Fuck cinema, give me a festival!

Wait, really? Then why isn't there a dedicated thread for it? If it's not open, we might as well drop two or three posts right here, since this is way more important than the Human Rights Film Festival anyway.

rustyseal40 said:We’ve drifted quite a bit from the main subject, and honestly, Central Park is a conversation all its own. But I have a suggestion on how to bridge the two—how about we organize a betting pool for every screening in Central Park based on what percentage of the film print is damaged? Whoever guesses closest wins a burnt DVD that’ll be featured at next year's Human Rights Film Festival as a grand prize! 😁
A bit of well-intentioned advice for the Human Rights Film Festival crew: take a page out of the playbook of other festivals within the Human Rights Film Networks, such as that brotherly festival over in Nuremberg http://www.humanrightsfilmfestival.o...ilm_details=62
Only when you approach every single film with this level of rigor—providing full data on the producer and distributor for EVERY title in the lineup—can you truly claim to be a legitimate festival. If other human rights festivals aren't playing these shady games with copyright interpretations and instead uphold professional festival ethics, then what exactly is the issue here in America?
Otherwise, why shouldn't us folks on the forum just organize our own Film Forum? I bet we’d outperform every single festival out there with a program pulled straight from our own home archives 😛 Fuck cinema, give me a festival!

😂😂😂
Carl Sullivan6 Carl Sullivan6 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Feb 2008
#57 ·
Regarding the organizers behind the programs at Central Park: thinking any of them actually care about this forum, or even what the audience thinks of their lineups, is pure delusion. They ran six German avant-garde programs straight from a DVD, plus some local stuff, and pocketed something like $4,000 for it. That’s just throwing money into a black hole. If I cut the budget for every single screening by a few thousand dollars, I'd still have plenty left over... for what? For Fellini? Buñuel? (I watched the whole thing on my own DVD). For a series of domestic films? Or something from the Film Archive? FOR WHAT? What is all this money actually paying for, besides their outdated operation where two people do all the heavy lifting while everyone else collects checks, stroll through fashion shows, and send three local films off to some international festival... and don't even get me started on the summer series. It feels like we, the viewers, have become the least important factor lately. The funding from the Department or city agencies mostly flows in because they act so concerned about us during the planning stages: "Oh, where will our poor students and cinephiles watch these gems if we don't host them?" If we, the audience, don't decide enough is enough, clearly nobody else will. All of this ties back to the Human Rights Film Festival mentioned in the title: I don't know what it offered me that I couldn't find myself with minimal effort—high-speed internet or a couple of good friends 🙂. And then someone smugly and pseudo-intellectually tells me that a place like a party town isn't meant for watching movies... that is the real test for any festival organizer: bringing everything you might need up to a hill (where there is usually nothing), along with the film reels and projectionists as a requirement. Whatever I've ever thought about any festival (or film institution, or theater), I've always given extra credit for the effort involved, and the Human Rights Film Festival and Central Park are at the very bottom of my list. Not to mention the MoMA center; that’s probably the most nauseating example of cheating and deceiving the audience. You have a program organizer (Lawrence) giving this long, overly clever introduction to the lineup, only to have him pop out of the booth ten minutes later to say: "Sorry, we can't show the movie today, our DVD died 🙂
Amanda Nguyen5 Amanda Nguyen5 Active MemberOP
134 messages
joined Dec 2007
#58 ·
Carl Sullivan6 said:Regarding the organizers behind the programs at Central Park: thinking any of them actually care about this forum, or even what the audience thinks of their lineups, is pure delusion. They ran six German avant-garde programs straight from a DVD, plus some local stuff, and pocketed something like $4,000 for it. That’s just throwing money into a black hole. If I cut the budget for every single screening by a few thousand dollars, I'd still have plenty left over... for what? For Fellini? Buñuel? (I watched the whole thing on my own DVD). For a series of domestic films? Or something from the Film Archive? FOR WHAT? What is all this money actually paying for, besides their outdated operation where two people do all the heavy lifting while everyone else collects checks, stroll through fashion shows, and send three local films off to some international festival... and don't even get me started on the summer series. It feels like we, the viewers, have become the least important factor lately. The funding from the Department or city agencies mostly flows in because they act so concerned about us during the planning stages: "Oh, where will our poor students and cinephiles watch these gems if we don't host them?" If we, the audience, don't decide enough is enough, clearly nobody else will. All of this ties back to the Human Rights Film Festival mentioned in the title: I don't know what it offered me that I couldn't find myself with minimal effort—high-speed internet or a couple of good friends 🙂. And then someone smugly and pseudo-intellectually tells me that a place like a party town isn't meant for watching movies... that is the real test for any festival organizer: bringing everything you might need up to a hill (where there is usually nothing), along with the film reels and projectionists as a requirement. Whatever I've ever thought about any festival (or film institution, or theater), I've always given extra credit for the effort involved, and the Human Rights Film Festival and Central Park are at the very bottom of my list. Not to mention the MoMA center; that’s probably the most nauseating example of cheating and deceiving the audience. You have a program organizer (Lawrence) giving this long, overly clever introduction to the lineup, only to have him pop out of the booth ten minutes later to say: "Sorry, we can't show the movie today, our DVD died 🙂

Honestly, massive props to the organizers for the sheer effort involved. I know firsthand just how much gear is missing out there in the sticks. But, I'll be real—there's some truth to the idea that the festival has turned into more of a giant rager than a serious film event.
Carl Sullivan6 Carl Sullivan6 Newcomer
9 messages
joined Feb 2008
#59 ·
Amanda Nguyen5 said:Honestly, massive props to the organizers for the sheer effort involved. I know firsthand just how much gear is missing out there in the sticks. But, I'll be real—there's some truth to the idea that the festival has turned into more of a giant rager than a serious film event.

That's definitely true if you're looking at it from the perspective of someone just there to party. My point was more about the quality control. The organizers treat every single film with such respect and screen them properly, even though they could easily just play some old VHS tapes at 2:30 in the morning when everyone's half-asleep and nobody would even notice. 🙂
Amanda Nguyen5 Amanda Nguyen5 Active MemberOP
134 messages
joined Dec 2007
#60 ·
Carl Sullivan6 said:That's definitely true if you're looking at it from the perspective of someone just there to party. My point was more about the quality control. The organizers treat every single film with such respect and screen them properly, even though they could easily just play some old VHS tapes at 2:30 in the morning when everyone's half-asleep and nobody would even notice. 🙂


😁
You're spot on.

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