Day: May 1, 2010

Categories
Issues and Actions

AMERICA’S LEADING FILMMAKERS CALL FOR RELEASE OF IMPRISONED IRANIAN DIRECTOR JAFAR PANAHI

I am so heartened by this action. These filmmakers are all real leaders. I love that they have spoken up for artists’ right of freedom of expression on a worldwide basis. We enjoy tremendous freedom here in the USA, but until that is shared by everyone, none of us can truly be free. We must be united in preserving this right for all.

Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Robert Redford, Francis Ford Coppola, Terrence Malick, Steven Soderbergh, the Coen Bros., Jim Jarmusch, Michael Moore, Ang Lee, Robert De Niro, and Oliver Stone, among other leading film industry figures, have condemned the detention of Jafar Panahi, the acclaimed director of “The White Balloon” and “Offside,” and are urging the Iranian government to release him

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Categories
These Are Those Things

Let’s Bring Chris Cunningham To NYC

Chris Cunningham is one of the great directors of our time. He’s never made a feature. Now he’s abandoning music videos and commercials. It’s a crime this live show of his is not coming to NYC. Can we do anything about that?

Categories
Truly Free Film

Simple Thoughts On A Big Subject

I am dismayed by those that don’t recognize how irresponsible it is to just promote or adopt a “build it and they will come”  philosophy.  We may have had such a luxury once, but it is not the world we live in today.  When Cassavetes was making films he also was one of the few, now there are over 7000 people competing with you & your feature. This art form is not cheap and we live in a world that has many more problems far greater than how we make and show our art. Systems that aren’t driven by profit are often far more oppressive power bases that reward those that echo their limited beliefs and positions. We are all connected in this world. Our actions influence others actions. If we want a diverse and vital cinema, ultimately we can not be selfish in our thinking. We can be very passionate and dedicated, but our financiers are stakeholders, just like our audiences.  We all benefit by those that endeavor to make sure the investors return for a second time.  Business gives birth to film art in this country in equal partnership with those that dream up and execute it.