The events on Sunday, June 12 and Monday, June 13 brought the launch weekend for the FSLC's Elinor Bunin Munroe Film Center to a close in style, highlighting the diversity of programming and participating filmmakers that were on hand to celebrate an exciting addition to the New York independent film scene.

 

THE HONG KONG FILM ARCHIVE'S PRESENTATION OF “CONFUCIUS”

Introduced by noted film scholar Sam Ho, FSLC screened Fei Mu's CONFUCIUS in the Walter Reade Theater. Made in 1940, the film was thought to be lost until what was likely the last print in existence was discovered. Years have been spent restoring the film and recreating its soundtrack, so it was a rare occasion to see it on the big screen. Of course, those kind of occasions are a Film Society of Lincoln Center specialty.

Sam Ho introduces CONFUCIUS and describes the efforts being made to complete the restoration process. (Photo by Andrew Levengood)

 

PAUL SCHRADER'S FILM CLASS: “THE CONFORMIST”

Paul Schrader took off his writer/director hat for the weekend and replaced it with his film instructor's hat as he regaled the audience in the Francesca Beale Theater with his patented film class using Bernardo Bertolucci's classic THE CONFORMIST as his leaping off point. Among the points that Schrader made was that kino lights made it possible to shoot on real locations, creating an appetite for “real”, and that “THE  CONFORMIST was the first film shot entirely on location, in which each location is treated entirely as a set.” Schrader concluded that Bertolucci had transformed his sensibility and taught him how to think visually. (Reporting by Ivria L. Dubs) 

Paul Schrader at the lectern describes how (in his opinion) “THE CONFORMIST was the Godard/Antonioni synthesis”. (Photo by Andrew Levengood)

 

GHETTO FILM SCHOOL EVENT: SCREENING “THE STORY”/”LIVE, JOSEPH!”

The award-winning South Bronx educational organization, Ghetto Film School presented a special screening of Maurice Marable's THE STORY, which follows twenty students from GFS as they prepare and shoot a narrative film in Uganda. Following a discussion with Marable, LIVE, JOSEPH! director (and former GFS student) Alma Osorio and GFS Programming Director Derrick Cameron, Osorio's film was screened for the full house crowd.

FSLC's Marcela Goglio introduces the Ghetto Film School presentation in the Amphitheater. (Photo by Justina Walford)

 

(left to right) Directors Maurice Marable, Alma Osorio with GFS Programming Director Derrick Cameron talk about their mutual experiences capturing the dreams of filmmaking meeting the realties of filmmaking on film itself thanks to Ghetto Film School. (Photo by Justina Walford)

 

FREDRIC JAMESON ON “THE FUTURE OF FILM”

The Duke University Professor, esteemed cultural critic and winner of the Holberg Memorial Prize offered his thoughts on what was to come (as far as he was concerned) to a big screen near you. Among Jameson's many thoughts on the subject were that “film is no longer a guilty pleasure, it is part of the mechanisms and requirements of that society” and that “film is a dream, in the sense that it occupies a space distinct from concrete social reality.” (Reporting by Ivria L. Dubs)

Fredric Jameson prepares everyone for the intellectual tidal wave about to hit them. (Photo by Andrew Levengood)

 

Jameson warned that “attractions of conventional genre and society material (talent, etc.) are waning”. (Photo by Andrew Levengood)

 

JASON REITMAN PRESENTS “CARNAL KNOWLEDGE”

Following a screening of Mike Nichols' classic CARNAL KNOWLEDGE, Jason Reitman talked shop with the man himself in an entertaining conversation that ranged from working with Jack Nicholson, Art Garfunkel and Ann-Margret to Nichols' thoughts about Reitman's film JUNO.  

Jason Reitman professes his film fandom for fellow director Mike Nichols. (Photo by Godlis.)

 

Mike Nichols regaled the Walter Reade crowd with funny anecdotes of being on-set with Nicholson. (Photo by Godlis.)

 

FROM BRITAIN WITH LOVE: “IN OUR NAME”

Director Brian Welsh and star Joanne Froggatt were on hand for the the second screening in the From Britain With Love series. Screening at the Walter Reade, Welsh and Froggatt talked about the challenges of bringing the Iraq post-traumatic stress syndrome tale about a female officer to the screen.

Director Brian Welsh with Joanne Froggatt prior to the film's Q&A. (Photo by Wildman)

 

FSLC's Scott Foundas talks to Froggatt and Welsh following the screening of IN OUR NAME. (Photo by Wildman)

 

Froggatt was named the winner of “The Most Promising Newcomer” at the 2010 British Independent Film Awards for her portrayal in Welsh's film. (Photo by Wildman)