René Ricard Reading "The Secret" at Poet Insurgency, Marble Cemetery

May 9, 2007--While Samantha the raven presides over the Marble Cemetery on Second Street, last Saturday Marble Cemetery 41 Second Avenue was host to the Poet Insurgency--none more seductive than René Ricard, here featured.

Formats available: Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: poets, marble cemetery, rene ricard, east village, poet insurgency, 10003

FIXER: THE TAKING OF AJMAL NAQSHBANDI: Tribeca FF Press Conference

Directed by Ian Olds (Occupation: Dremaland), Fixer: Ajmal Naqshbandi initially follows the relationship between an Afghan intrepreter (fixer) and his client, US journalist Christian Parenti. Six months later, Ajmal is kidnapped by the Taliban with the Italian reporter Daniele Mastrogiacomo. Mastrogiacomo is released in exchange for the release of five Taliban prisoners, while Naqshbandi is beheaded by his captors. ". . .Ajmal was not simply an innocent bystander--collateral damage in a brutal war . . .To do justice to the man and the truth, Ajmal's story had to be told in the context of journalism and the escalating crisis in Afghanistan." [from Ian Olds' director's statement]. This post consists of excerpts from the second half of the Tribeca FF press conference, held at the DirectTV Press Center. The film won the Best Documentary award at Tribeca. The broadcast rights have been acquired by HBO Documentary Films. It will be aired in August.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: afghanistan, documentary, fixer, taliban, ian olds, christian parenti, tribeca film fesival, hbo, jim fouratt

Garapa: Director Jose Padilha: Tribeca Film Festival

April 29,2009--Award-winning Brazilian director Jose Padilha (Bus 174, Elite Squad) discusses his new documentary Garapa. Shot in the impoverished North East region of Brazil, this powerful and moving documentary chronicles the effects of hunger and malnutrition on three separate families. The last screening of this film at the Tribeca Film Festival will be on Saturday May 2nd at AWC Loews, 66 Third Avenue at 11th Street, New York. The film opens theatrically in Brazil on May 29.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: hunger, malnutrition, sugar, brazil, tribeca film festival, direct cinema

Simone Forti Dance Constructions 1961

New York, March 7 2009--Simone Forti flew in from California to present three of her Dance Constructions 1961 as part of a Performance Workshop at the Museum of Modern Art, New York. Shown here is Huddle. The performances took placeat the center of the gallery while videos of other performances were being projected on the surrounding walls. Also included in the program was Yvonne Rainer's Trio A, performed by Ian White, Jimmy Robert and Pat Catterson.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov), Flash Video (.flv)

Tags: dance, performance, moma, simone, forti, huddle, sixties, new, york

Opening: Serkan Ozkaya at Slag; Closing: James Nares at Paul Kasmin

New York, February 19, 2008--The first solo show by Turkish artist Serkan Ozkaya opened at Slag, 548 West 28th Street and 11th Avenue. On February 21, James Nares's exhibition of paintings, video and works on paper closed at Paul Kasmin; unfortunately circumstances had prevented me from attending the opening.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: art, chelsea, new york city, painting, conceptual art, turkish artists, james nares, paul kasmin, ozan serkaya

Gomorrah: Matteo Garrrone Interview

New York, October 2, 2008--Winner of the 2008 Cannes Golden Palm, Gomorrah premiered in New York at the New York Film Festival and is now in theatrical release. The film, directed by Matteo Garrone, is adapted from Roberto Saviano's 2006 bestseller about the international influence of the organized crime empire based in Naples known as the Camorra. Garrone's script follows five characters variously caught or trying to escape from its clutches through interweaving stories that chronicle the Camorra's reach from haute couture to toxic waste. Neapolitan director/actor Toni Servillo heads a cast that includes Salvatore Cantalupo,   Gianfelice  Imparato, Maria Nazionale. Superbly shot and mounted on a vast scale, Gomorrah provides an interior look at the workings of an infamously coldblooded institution that seeks to understand rather than glamorize. Filmed by Liza Bear at the New York Film Festival.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: gomorrah, mafia, naples, matteo garrone, roberto saviano, nyff, italian movie, golden palm

Bush Tetras Benefit for Laura Kennedy Liver Fund

Please submit contributions to the Laura Kennedy Liver Fund, 906 West 22nd Street,
Minneapolis, MN 55405. Laura Kennedy is in need of a liver transplant.

Formats available:Quicktime (.mov)

Tags: bush tetras, postpunk, music, laura kennedy, cake shop, lower east side, new york city,
transplants.