Page 74 - Studio International - November December 1975

FILM interviews. The Bristol festival should aim at a similar
'status' in GB.
Tony Hill film at Tate
Report by Malcolm Le Grice From Friday 12 to Tuesday 23 December, Tony Hill will
show his Floor Film installation seven times daily.
ICA Expanded Cinema Festival Though this version was completed this year ('75), he
From Sunday 4 to Sunday 11 January, the ICA theatre has made a number of films which are either designed
and gallery will be devoted to an exhibition of British for projection from above onto the floor, or from below
Expanded Cinema. I have never liked the term, especially onto a glass platform. The works are always to be viewed
with the Gene Youngblood connotations, but a from 'inside' the projection, in other words, standing
significant amount of the new film work here in the last directly on top of the image. The images of the film are all
couple of years has explored territory somewhere between chosen to fit this situation, like sequences shot from a
multi-projection and performance. Very little of this has tall building looking at the pavement below. The trompe
any connection with the mind-expanding concept of l'oeil effect of this installation is quite exceptional,
multi-media or the light shows of the sixties. The particularly in sequences where a fire spreads out from the
predominance has been a broad development of the centre and engulfs the audience. I would expect it to be a
didactic, self-referential aspects of 'structural' film big hit at the Tate if people actually find it and are
(see Deke Dusinberre's article, page 219). Though no encouraged to go in.
selection of projects has been made at the time of
writing, there will probably be work by Ron Haselden, Long Film For Ambient Light
Tony Hill, David Dye, Liz Rhodes, William Raban, In case Anthony McCall, who is now living permanently
Tony Sinden, Guy Sherwin, etc. Over forty-five in NY, is not able to be in London for the ICA festival, I
applications to present work were received, so I would will quote in full the 'Notes in duration' which were an
expect the emphasis to be on new projects rather than integral part of his latest installation at the Idea
being a 'historical' review of earlier work. Warehouse, NY, in June.

Second Bristol Festival of Independent Cinema
If you found out about the ICA show too late to apply,
then now is the time to make a proposal to the organizers Long Film for Ambient
of the Bristol Festival. The first festival, in February '75,
made an important impact on awareness of the British Light
Independent Cinema (see my review, Vision, May/June).
Mark two will be run from Saturday to Saturday,
3-10 April '76, again within the Arnolfini Gallery, but Notes in duration by
this time in their new premises across the water at
Narrow Quay. As before, the organizers are Independent Anthony McCall, NY, June 1975
Cinema West, and the co-ordinator is this time to be
Paul Deacon. A selection committee has been appointed, This film sits deliberately on a threshhold between
and all the preparations are for a tighter selection and a being considered a work of movement and being
more structured format for the screenings. A greater considered a static condition. Formalist art criticism has
attention will be paid to seminars and discussions, with continued to maintain a stern, emphatic distinction
some films chosen to raise specific issues. The last between these two states, a division that I consider
festival paid token fees to film-makers for their absurd. Everything that occurs, including the (electro-
screenings, but this time they intend to pay £20 per hour chemical) process of thinking, occurs in time. It is
for films shown. As before they will do their best to cultural habit that persuades us otherwise — perhaps a
provide free accommodation to all those who visit from function of intelligence, that breaks up perception of
out of Bristol — priority given to film-makers involved in continuous time into 'moments' in order to analyse them.
the screenings. This scheme broke down a little in the Our insistence upon static, absolute lumps of
previous show, but even then alternative beds were experience, as opposed to continuous, overlapping,
found at 25p per night. The festival is open to any multiple durations, shows a warped epistemology,
direction or aspect of independent film including that albeit a convenient one.
covered by the ICA show. For details and application Art that does not show change within our time-span
forms write to ICW, 132A Queens Rd., Bristol 8. of attending to it we tend to regard as 'object'. Art that
Phone (0272) 38588. I hope that this time, national TV does show change within our time-span of attending to it
will pay some attention. German TV gives nightly coverage we tend to regard as 'event'. Art that outlives us we tend
to the Oberhausen Short Film Festival, with extracts and to regard as 'eternal'. What is at issue is that we ourselves

Anthony McCall Long Film for Ambient Light, Idea Warehouse, June 1975
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