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February 4th
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Last months' edition of Brooklyn Independent Cinema Series featured the award-winning documentary KURT COBAIN: ABOUT A SON. But "award-winning" is such a yawn-inducing descriptive that I'll have to go a bit further just to illustrate to you, our loyal readership, how COOL this documentary really is. The film comes wrapped in perfectly chic timing, because if you're anyone who knows anything, you know the 90s are back so bad it hurts, and I'm starting to wear Doc Martens just to prove it. Directed by AJ Schnack, co-chair of the IndiePix sponsored Cinema Eye Honors for Nonfiction Film, the screening went down in true alterna-rock fashion when the DVD decided to pull a Cobain and self-destruct minutes before its intended climax. Luckily, wide-eyed IndiePixer Danielle DiGiacomo (also guest curator) was on hand to save the day and entertain the nonstop-entertainment-starved masses. With one fell swoop, she dialed filmmaker Schnack and had him do a LIVE Q&A session. Brilliant move darling, and dare I say it, how rock and roll of you.
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February 6th
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Stone-faced madman-turned-filmmaker Ilkka Jarvilaturi's stark as the night Estonian heist film, CITY UNPLUGGED (delivered to us by Danielle), now available on DVD, was always too cool for school, but it's even more cool now that it premiered in Estonia, its birthplace. We're not kidding you here when we say it opened wide at Tallin's CC Tower Cinemas to a palacial, yes, palacial greeting. Not only was there a red carpet in attendance, but the afterparty was at the famed Von Krahl Theatre, which, if you happen to be Estonian, you know how famed it really is. Not to mention: swanky limousine shuttle service!
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February 8th
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| We're sorry we used the word cool to describe last blurb's films, because no film in our release schedule is as cool as OFF THE GRID:LIFE ON THE MESA (delivered to us by Jordan Mattos), which is so cool that the Sundance Channel is broadcasting it on their network, The Sundance Channel on May 20th. If you don't know what this film is about now, you will after you finish reading this sentence: it's about an amazing group of eco-pioneers, Vietnam war vets, vegans and runaways who live without electricity and running water just to keep their on-the-fringe dream of America safe from the world. The whole of San Francisco and anyone who has ever been to Burning Man on purpose will totally worship this film. It is already off to a wonderful start on its proposed 25-city theatrical run, playing at the Ragtag Cinema on March 5th in Columbia, Missouri, followed by the Lyric Cinema Cafe in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
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February 13th
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| Danielle began teaching her "Modern Documentary" class at NYU's School of Continuing Ed last week, and we have to tell you, there are eleven human beings who are now walking the streets of New York with totally changed lives and improved tastes in cinema. Based on the recommendation of friend and journalist Anthony Kaufman, Danielle landed the gig teaching a weekly course on "Modern Documentary" at NYU. According to The Deetz herself, the class was "amazing", and one look at the syllabus reads like a who's who of her favorite auteurs, so we believe her: Errol Morris, Werner Herzog, Chris Marker, Peter Forjacs...
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February 14th - IndiePix Attends and Sponsors Big Sky Film Festival
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| We're sorry, but Danielle is all over our newsletter this month. The Deetzter was on location in Missoula, Montana, blessed be, home of artistic genius David Lynch. Danielle did not however encounter any backwards-talking dwarves or murdered blondes wrapped in plastic, unfortunately. Instead, she found herself in a strange room draped in red curtains (just kidding) doing jury duty along with a motley crew of other film enthusiasts. One of which, "Wild Horse Redemption" she viewed while performing aerobics. Some friends she met at Big Sky were new best friend of the month Brian Liu and Deborah Barkow, blessed by Danielle with the holy moniker "wonderful editor and person", where they talked about guilt. But not just any guilt - the guilt that descends upon you when you are appointed, no, anointed, a judge for a film festival. Oh, woe to cinema judges throughout the world! http://www.bigskyfilmfest.org/home.html
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SKID ROW
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| Also in February, SKID ROW (brought in by Jason Tyrell) played two screenings, both filled to the brim, at the AMC Magic Johnson Crenshaw. Mind you, the Crenshaw is a 300-seat theater, so this is no small feat! There was a stunning hour-long Q&A featuring the oft-used talent of Pras Michel himself, along with three of the directors. The dastardly Niva Dorell and outrageous Ross Clarke were on hand for the second showing. How was the audience response, you ask? According to the program manager, it was "one of outrage" - which we here at IndiePix very much appreciate, along with "a sense of helplessness about what could be done." We know how you feel. Luckily, there's nothing a series of grassroots screenings of SKID ROW can't fix!
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