Podcast #002: 2021 Rep Report

Hello and welcome to Rep Cinema International. After an unplanned pause—due to travel, illness and holidays—I’m excited to be back with a new podcast.

For this episode, I spoke with archivist and film programmer Micah Gottlieb, based in Los Angeles, and Dubai-based artist, writer and film programmer Hind Mezaina. We discussed the year in repertory cinema, from where we’re located in London, Los Angeles and Dubai, as well as through festivals and online programming. As you’ll hear, even though this year has remained a strange and challenging time, it was full of cinematic events worthy of discussion.

You’ll find links below to some of the festivals, events and projects we discuss. I hope you enjoy.

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Podcast notes

New Los Angeles repertory venues:

• Los Feliz Theater

• Academy Museum

• 2220 Arts + Archives

Acropolis Cinema presents James Benning’s Ten Skies (2004)
The Mahoning Drive-In Theater

Festivals:

• Sharjah Film Platform 4 / Wedding in Galilee (Michel Kleifi, 1987)

• Prismatic Ground / The Films of Anita Thacher

• Japanese Avant-Garde and Experimental Film Festival

• Queer East Film Festival

• Alchemy Film + Arts

Chameleon Street (Wendell B. Harris, 1990)
Chess of the Wind (Mohammad Reza Aslani, 1976)

Repertory screening highlights:

• Dirty Looks + Ask Any Buddy present Sex Demon (Jimminy Cricket, 1975)

• Le roman de Renard (The Tale of the Fox, Ladislas Starewitch, 1930/41) / Ladislas Starewitch Foundation

• Something to Live For: The Cinema of George Stevens

• Ali in Wonderland (Djouhra Abouda & Alain Bonnamy, 1976)

• Sambizanga (Sarah Maldoror, 1973) / Sarah Maldoror retrospective at IndieLisboa

• Bhumika (Shyam Benegal, 1977)

• Bones (Ernest Dickerson, 2001)

• The Master (Tsui Hark, 1992)

• Bent Time (Barbara Hammer, 1984)

• Maangamizi: The Ancient One (Martin Mhando & Ron Mulvihill, 2001) / Viewable via Ajabu Ajabu

Online platforms/programs:

• Aflamuna

• Another Screen / For a Free Palestine: Films by Palestinian Women

• Le Cinema Club (editor’s note: Le Cinema Club advertised for unpaid interns on social media this year, removing the posts—but not the unpaid internships—when criticism was made… frustrating to see initiatives like this replicating the worst practices of mainstream arts institutions)

• Xcèntric Focus

• A Season of Classic Films (ACE) / Sanz and the Secret of His Art (Maximiliano Thous & Francisco Sanz, 1918) / Bubble Bath (György Kovásznai, 1979)

• Arsenal 3

• Pordenone Silent Film Festival

• Doc Alliance / A Hoof Here, A Hoof There (Věra Chytilová, 1988)

Matchbox Cineclub

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Endnotes

• Thanks again to my guests Micah Gottlieb and Hind Mezaina. And happy birthday, Micah!

• Images: Bent Time (Barbara Hammer, 1984) / Loose Corner (Anita Thacher, 1986) / Bones (Ernest Dickerson, 2001) / Bubble Bath (György Kovásznai, 1980)

• Wishing everyone a happy holiday season and all the best for 2022 just around the corner! More podcasts, interviews and newsletters coming in January.

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