The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) has unveiled an innovative debate in cinematic discourse, Project: New Cinephilia, fronted by leading names in international film journalism. Part of the soon-to-be revealed festival programme, the project, which culminates in a day-long event on June 16th, reinforces EIFF’s standing at the forefront of intellectual film discussion, aiming to ignite debate around film criticism and appreciation today.
Project: New Cinephilia will initially spark conversation with essays, thoughts and ideas from critics, writers, bloggers and film makers all challenging established modes of thinking on cinema. Remote contributors will publish work via a dedicated microsite, launching May 17th and co-presented by online cinematheque/social network MUBI, which will host comments and discussion around these commissioned materials in their Forums. Other contributors will participate in online roundtables chaired by Jigsaw Lounge founder Neil Young and Michael Koresky, editorial manager at The Criterion Collection and co-founding editor of Reverse Shot.
Koresky will join two other visiting journalists, freelance critic Eric Hynes (Village Voice, Time Out New York), and filmmaker/critic Jeff Reichert (Gerrymandering; co-founding editor of Reverse Shot) attending the event. Ideas and specially created exhibits will also be presented by EIFF from the project’s international contributors, who include:
· Chris Fujiwara – Author of books on Otto Preminger, Jerry Lewis, and Jacques Tourneur and editor of Undercurrent
· Girish Shambu – Widely read film blogger and cinephile
· Leah Churner – Film/video archivist and guest curator at Museum of the Moving Image and Anthology Film Archives
· Gabriele Caroti – Film programmer/DJ airing a musical mash-up of soundtracks
· Marcellus Hall – Illustrator exhibiting some of his film-related artwork from The New Yorker, newly annotated for P:NC
· Michael Azerrad – Author, biographer, and music critic (Our Band Could Be Your Life; Come As You Are) exhibiting clips/short commentary on rock musicians in film
· Mark Cousins – EIFF artistic advisor who will present a series of short video “provocations”
· Roundtable participants: Kent Jones, Melissa Anderson, Genevieve Yue, Daniel Cockburn, Mike Everleth, Frances Morgan, Mathieu Ravier
Project: New Cinephilia will culminate in a day-long symposium at EIFF 2011, comprising of six interactive sessions which are open to audiences, press, bloggers and film lovers. Topics include new critical approaches to reading film; discussions on how film is consumed in the 21st century and the role of cinema in our daily lives; and a masterclass in how to start your own fanzine, blog or film journal. The day will come to close with a playful 140-character Film Critic Deathmatch, a “battle to the best review” using the social networking site Twitter.
EIFF Director James Mullighan commented: “EIFF is the proud home of intellectual discussion around film in all its forms; this year more than ever we are stepping outside traditional models to inspire audiences with innovative approaches to presenting and exploring film. Project: New Cinephilia has been lovingly sculpted from ideas, musings and thoughts around cinephilia’s role in enriching film culture – we can’t wait to see what ideas our curators and contributors debate.”
Project: New Cinephilia is co-curated by Kate Taylor, a freelance programmer and magazine contributor, previously running the London Short Film Festival and Abandon Normal Devices, Liverpool, and New York–based film journalist Damon Smith, editor of Michael Winterbottom: Interviews and currently Head of Curation/Story R&D for Thought Engine Media Group. The event takes place in The University of Edinburgh’s Inspace Gallery on Thursday 16th June. For further information visit www.edfilmfest.org
