Artists' Television Access

Russian Experimental Cinema: CINE FANTOM CLUB

Presented by Cine Fantom Club and ATA

Friday, June 29, 2007, 8:00 pm, $6

CINE FANTOM

cine fantom russian

offshore reserves
The Offshore reserves

russian museum
Russian State Museum

The concept CINE FANTOM has existed for twenty years, since the first issue of CINE FANTOM, a self-published cinema magazine, came out, which editor-in-chief was Igor Aleinikov. Initially, CINE FANTOM was associated with activities of Soviet cinema underground, a legendary parallel cinema movement. Since the mid 90-ies CINE FANTOM has been a cinema club uniting independent cinematographers and modern artists.

Today, it is a unique place, where the art of cinema and a vivid critical thought meet together. The Club’s main principle is demonstration of audiovisual works, followed by their discussion held with an author, a film expert, a producer or a curator.

Since its founding, CINE FANTOM Club has managed to present programs of independent, parallel contemporary Russian cinema throughout the world. For instance, there should be mentioned: a large program “Days of CINE FANTOM Club” at 35th International Film Festival Rotterdam,  a Club program at 17th Kinotavr film festival in Sochi, as well as “Days of Russian Cinema in Cuba”. All Club events receive coverage on www.cinefantom.com.

Program:

MARMOT – OLGA CHERNYSHEVA

2:30 min. 1999

This is how it all was. One day in November I decided to take my camera and go to a park, where I had been shooting dances on an open dance floor a couple of times before. It was November 7, the day of October revolution, but it doesn’t matter. It was just a common day off for me, as it was the year 1999, there were no big public celebrations anymore. Everyone was just staying at home or went out for a walk. On my way to the subway I heard the buzz of megaphones and loudspeakers. There was a demonstration walking up Tverskaya street. Red banners, poorly dressed people. Communist mottos.

There was a woman. She was standing near the subway and fidgeting, making some fussy movements. Looking at her I had a feeling that this force of collectivism that makes people go out for a demonstration is not that powerful. It tries to overwhelm a person in full, with one’s insecurities.

I shot this episode on my camera. Later on, at home when I was looking at the footage, my daughter was playing Beethoven’s Marmot in another room. The song of a lonely wayfarer, mistakes of a young pianist and a video portrait of a person out of her usual surroundings – all this joined together forming a single whole.

THE STATE RUSSIAN MUSEUM – OLGA CHERNYSHEVA

6 min. 2003

Born in Moscow in 1962. In 1986, Olga Chernysheva graduated from VGIK (All-Union State Institute Of Cinematography), Moscow. In 1996, graduated from State Acedemy Rijksakademie van beeldende kunsten, Amsterdam, Netherlands. Lives and works in Moscow.

BRUNER’S TRIAL – OLGA STOLPOVSKAYA, DMITRIY TROITSKIY

11 min. Russia, 1998

Artist against Art Mafia. The story of an artist drawing a green dollar sign on Malevich’s painting. The fiction is based on the real artistic action by Alexander Brenner, a well-known Russian radical artist who traced a dollar sign on Malevich’s ‘White Cross’ in 1997 at Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam. Extracts from Alexander Brenner’s trial transcript were used in the film.

Olga Stolpovskaya born in Moscow in 1969. Graduated at the Moscow Art State School in 1986, and in 1997 the Individual Directorship Studio. As an independent director created a few micro-films, as well as short films and video installations. Film “Bruner`s Trial” is at the Contemporary Art Museum in New York.

Dmitriy Troitskiy born in Moscow, 1971, theatre and film director, producer, 1992 graduated the Lomonosov Moscow State University, 1997 the Individual Directorship Studio under the guidance of Professor Boris Yuhananov, founded the Mu-seum Group, which has over 50 performances and actions, one of the co-founders of the CINE FANTOM Club and Good Movies. Since 1999 he is a TV-producer.

HAPPINESS: THE MOVIE – GRIGORIY DIKKERT & LENKA KABANKOVA

19 min. Russia, 2002

Leading the viewer through a labyrinth of sensational discoveries about the secrets of psycho-programming and human behaviour management the authors reveal the single aim of this journey: to be happy.

Grigoriy Dikkert born in 1975. In 2002 graduated at the TV and Radio Institute. Director of video clips, and independent films, and documentaries: “Cognac Day Blues”, 1998; “Fever”, 1998; “Trudno kohach”, 1999; “Thieves”, 2000. Works in cooperation with Lenka Kabankova.

Lenka Kabankova born in 1979, graduated at the TV and Radio Institute. Worked at the Bolshoi Theatre, and at the TV as journalist and producer. Together with Gregoriy Dikkert shot two short films Two Equators (2001) and Happiness: The Movie (2002), the last one participated in such festivals, as Stick, Deboshir, Kansk Festival, the IFFR (International Film Festival Rotterdam), Torun Film Festival Toffi.

THE SEVERE ILLNESS OF MEN – ALEINIKOV BROTHERS

10 min. USSR, 1987

Cinema collage, dedicated to the subject of ideological pressing. The movie ends by a severe metaphor: a scene of homosexual rape in a metro car.

I’M FRIGID/BUT IT DOESN’T MATTER – ALEINIKOV BROTHERS

16 min. USSR, 1987

“Eight and a Half” of parallel cinema. Usual cinema process: the actor is in lethargical sleep, the director is in creative prostration, paparazzi are anticipating sensation: “Are you content with technical conditions of the shooting?” Director: “As far as films and cameras are concerned, I can say that we don’t need better quality for our cinema, this is formality. What is really bad here, is synchronization. For example, I’m speaking about one thing now, but the audience sees me speak about quite other things or doesn’t see me at all. But anyway I don’t lose hope: you can do without synchronization, sound and even without a film… “

Igor Aleinikov, born in 1962, graduated from the Moscow Engineering Physics Institute (MEPhI)

Gleb Aleinikov, born in 1966, graduated from the Moscow Engineering Construction Institute.

In the 80-ie Aleinikov brothers belonged to school of Moscow conceptualism and took active part in art underground activities, they worked in such genres as mailart, bookart, socart, homeart. Brothers Aleinikov made it into history as founders of “parallel cinema”: experimental underground movies shot on narrow film, such as “Tractors” (1987), “I’m frigid, but it doesn’t matter” (1987), “The severe Illness of Men” (1987), “Postpolitical Cinema” (1988), aesthetics and ideology of which were absolutely incompatible with the canons common for soviet cinema.

Aleinikov brothers started working in official cinema in the late 80-ies by shooting a short film “Someone has been here” (1989) and a full-length film “Tractor Drivers 2” (1992).

In March 1994 Igor Aleinikov died in a plane accident. A year after Gleb Aleinikov founded the CINE FANTOM Club.

OFFSHORE RESERVES ALEXANDER DOULERAIN, JAMIE BRADSHOW

15 min. Russia / USA, 2004

Cast: Dimitriy Troytzkiy, Gleb Aleynikov, John Harrison, Oleg Haybulin, Olga Stolpovskaya

Hannah Marker, Deputy Director of the American humanitarian aid organization, U.S.AID, has a serious problem. She is addicted to the sight of money. Her doctor tells her the problem stems from her confusion of concrete and real money. Whenever she sees an American dollar she envisions the true ideal of money, absolute happiness, and is thus transfixed. Afflicted. Because her problem «illness» is triggered only by the sight of her own currency, Hannah’s doctor advises her to leave America in order to get well. Hannah travels to Moscow, Russia to distribute a package of food aid to the Russians:

$100,000,000 in chicken legs. Hannah is happy in Moscow; Rubles have no affect on her. But while performing a series of tests on the chicken legs she accidentally discovers they are infected with a virus. Misha Galkin, her Russian liaison from the Ministry of Food And Agriculture, offers her a bribe to let shipment pass through customs. He opens a briefcase full of

$1,000,000 in cash. Seeing the money, Hannah is paralyzed. She cannot refuse the money. But the thought of going on living haven take a bribe is also too much to bear. Hannah’s mind undergoes a psychological transformation. She becomes a different person. And then our story takes an unexpected turn…

Aleksander Doulerain born in Grozny, 1966, lives and works in Moscow. Graduated from the Moscow Studio For Individual Directing and the New York Film Academy. Theatre and film producer. Author of such short films as: Country House Owners (1991, co-directed with S. Koryagin; first prize at the International Short Film Festival, Hamburg, 1995), The Desire To See A Film Of Rainer Werner Fassbinder (1993, co-directed with S. Koryagin, special prize of the New York Film Academy), The Youth Of A Constructor (1995, co-directed with D. Troitskiy; second prize of the Exotica Film Festival in Petersburg; screening at the New York Film Archives as part of the New Russian Film series 1998; screening at the Russian Film Festival, New York, 1999), Zen Boxing (1997, co-directed with G. Aleinikov), Offshore Reserves (2004, co-directed with J. Bradshaw). 2002 – premiere of Doulerain’s first full-length film Ivan the Idiot. A Bunker, Or Scientists Under The Ground (2006, co-directed with Sergey Koryagin). Alexander Doulerain also has extensive experience as a director and actor in the theater and is currently a deputy general director of TNT TV channel.

Jamie Bradshaw born in Nashville, Tennessee, USA, graduated from the Vassar College, where he attended the Russian Culture and Language Course. Arrived to Russia to study theater and cinema. Collaborates with the CINE FANTOM studio. Edited Doulerain and Koryagin film Ivan The Idiot (2001). Author of a series of short experimental films 4 Postcards For Milla K. Lives and works in the United States, creative director of Ignition Creative, author of the movie trailers for Spider-Man, Panic Room, Kill Bill etc.


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