Eight NY artists speak for themselves

"Speaking for Myself" Trailer from Bert Shapiro on Vimeo.

NewFilmmakers New York presents

Speaking For Myself

A new film directed by Bert Shapiro

Tuesday, March 13, 6pm

Against a background of “unseen” Manhattan, Speaking for Myself tells the inspiring story of eight contemporary artists living in New York City. The film pulls back the curtain to reveal the world through the artists’ eyes, their passions, inspirations, hard work and persistence. Featuring a dancer, a concert pianist, an actress, a Noh performer, a multi-instrumentalist, a tabla virtuoso, an organist and a singing poet, this very personal film is a uniquely fascinating and motivating journey, focusing on the work and passions of these varied performing artists.

Directed by award winning filmmaker, Bert Shapiro, with music by Elliott Sharp, it has attracted critical praise from audiences and film professionals.

Artists from the film, as well as the film’s director will be on hand to answer questions.

The artists

Jenny Lin, pianist
Toshinori Hamada, Kabuki actor
Irma Sandrey, actress
Carlos Fittante, choreographer
Renee Anne Louprette, organist
Elliott Sharp, composer
Samir Chatterjee, tabla virtuoso
Tracie Morris, poet

Tickets: $6
 
Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue (at 2nd Street), Manhattan
(directions)

Dance films at NewFilmmakers

NewFilmmakers presents three dance documentaries.

Wednesday, January 6 (6pm-7pm)

at Anthology Film Archives

Joshan Esfandiari Martin's Next (2010, 6 minutes) is a short film about a young dancer. Utilizing its own edit technique (roll edit), the images are in constant lateral flow, connecting her dance with a unique personal life.

In Christine Kellogg's Dancing the Tide (2010, 11 minutes), when the isolation and sorrow of life take over, it's the love, laughter, and support from others that brings us back into the dance. 

Noriko Sakamoto's The Heron and The Geisha: A Life in Dance (2009, 37 minutes) goes behind the curtain and into the studio of a Japanese dance grandmaster. Yoshie Tachibana, the third in a line of traditional dancers, lives in the center of an ancient world made up of admirers, disciples, and artisans. 

An elegant woman in a flowing silk kimono holds a pose, while flower petals gently fall around her. This is the figure of the grandmaster of traditional Japanese dance, Yoshie Tachibana. The graceful poses and gorgeous costumes are what her public fills theaters to watch.There is another side to the mysterious world of classical arts in Japan, and The Heron and the Geisha: A Life in Dance goes behind the curtain and into the studio of a Japanese dance grandmaster. Yoshie Tachibana, the third in a line of traditional dancers, lives in the center of an ancient world made up of admirers, disciples, and artisans. Her students kneel before her, taking her harsh words with stoic calm even as tears run down their cheeks. Her wigmaker, a Tokyo artisan who makes wigs for Kabuki actors, patiently smiles as she instructs him. Her kimono salesman recalls the days when even as a young girl, Iemoto Tachibana had her kimonos custom made for special occasions. Iemoto Tachibana shows what it means to be fully committed to an art form, and how after decades of practice a person becomes a dancer. Her words and her dance reveal an art form, and a view of art, that even the most dedicated connoisseurs can never get to see. (More information on this film)

Admission: $6 for the full evening, which also includes a short film program at 7pm and a feature--Hassan Ildari's dark comedy, Small Potatoes--at 8pm. For complete information on these other films, click here, scroll down to January 26 and click Film Notes.

Anthology Film Archives
32 Second Avenue (at Second Street), Manhattan
(map/directions)

Her dreams deferred

Third World Newsreel and NewFilmmakers present

Dreams Deferred: The Sakia Gunn Film Project

This documentary tells the little known story of Sakia Gunn, a 15 year old student who was fatally stabbed in a gay hate crime in Newark, New Jersey. This film depicts the homophobia that caused this murder and questions the lack of media coverage of a Black Gay teenager.

Dreams Deferred: The Sakia Gunn Film Project (2008, 58 min.)
(Director: Charles B. Brack)

Wednesday, September 29th, 6PM

Anthology Film Archives (Deren Theater)
32 Second Avenue, at 2nd Street, Manhattan
Admission: $9

UPDATE: Read my review of the film here.