UNIONDOCS // Williamsburg Documentary Center Gears Up For Another 10 Years & Needs Your Help

 

A couple weeks ago we expressed our excitement about the new Bronx Documentary Center (which is set to officially open on October 22), but we'd also like to highlight another great documentary center right here in Brooklyn: UnionDocs.

Founded in 2002, UnionDocs is a multifaceted endeavor, encompassing film screenings, seminars and workshops, online publishing, collaborative projects and more. The center has produced events at MoMA and the Camden International Film Festival and partnered with Harvard University's metaLAB and the World Wildlife Foundation. It also hosts over 100 events each year and offers fellowships for emerging media producers, theorists and curators, giving them the resources to explore and develop their work.

UnionDocs just secured a new 10-year lease for its space at 322 Union Avenue in Williamsburg and raising funds on Kickstarter to upgrade the building to meet their growing needs. They're almost half way to their goal of $12,000, with a deadline of October 16, so help out if you can! Your donation could get you everything from an invitation to a private party celebrating the center's renovations to an Associate Producer credit on Looking at Los Sures, a major collaborative production that revisits Los Sures, a 1984 documentary film about the center's South Williamsburg neighborhood.

Check out a few of UnionDocs' upcoming events along with the video for their Kickstarter campaign after the jump.

October 8, 7:30pm: Moment of Impact - "Julia Loktev, the director of the critically acclaimed The Loneliest Planet (New York Film Festival 2011) and Cannes award-winning Day Night Day Night made her extraordinary debut with this sui generis documentary, an intimate family triptych. Loktev gets up close and personal with her parents after a freak accident immobilizes her father and renders her mother a full-time caregiver. What emerges, in carefully wrought 16mm black-and-white, is a candid, tough-minded, and moving portrait of individuals, relationships, and the crosscurrents of past and future in a difficult present."—Nicolas Rapold

October 9, 7:30pm: Three Artist Films with Albert Maysles - A screening of the short films Anastasia, about an American dancer in the Bolshoi Ballet, Salvador Dali's Fantastic Dream, a look at the surrealist painter, and Christo’s Valley Curtain, an Academy Award-nominated piece about the orange curtain that the artist hung between two Colorado mountains.

October 16, 7:30pm: No Bills: Stories of North Brooklyn - "No Bills presented audio oral histories about North Brooklyn through listening stations situated in construction fences and on the street to create serendipitous encounters for passersby, inviting them to engage with neighborhood’s history while standing at the sites of its developing future."

October 22, 7:30pm: Doxita: Inside/Outside - "Society has lines and boundaries that most people are expected to fit within. But many exists on the edge of those boundaries. Some try to fit in, while others embrace a unique path. These four films portray people on the edges -whether physically or personally – and while some might see them or the situation as “strange,” it is just the reality."

-- John Ruscher

MEMBER PURSUITS // Niall McKay Presents The Inaugural Irish Film New York This Weekend (Discounts for 3rd Ward Members)

The inaugural edition of Irish Film New York is happening this weekend, from Friday, September 30 to Sunday, October 2 at NYU's Cantor Film Center, and this amazing showcase is brought to you by 3rd Ward's own Niall McKay. We caught up with him to get the inside scoop on what's in store.

McKay is no stranger to presenting and promoting Irish films. In 2003 he founded the San Francisco Irish Film Festival, which just celebrated its 8th edition this past weekend. He also co-founded the LA Irish Film Festival, which is in its fourth year. "Starting film festivals is a disease that I have," he jokes.

Now, after moving to New York last winter, McKay is bring that same spirit to the Big Apple. "They are similar in so far as my only real interest is showing great films," he says, comparing his San Francisco and New York endeavors. "I love standing in the lobby after a movie and overhearing people saying 'That was great.' The New York event will be a little more industry focused than San Francisco. We will include distributors, sales agents and producers. We are, for example, holding an industry panel at NYU on Friday afternoon."

"I really like watching films and talking about films, so I approached Glucksman Ireland House (The Irish Studies Program at NYU), Culture Ireland and the Irish Film Board," McKay says. "All three organizations have been very supportive."

More from McKay, along with a ticket discount for 3rd Ward members and the New York Irish Film trailer after the jump.

McKay is naturally excited about all of the films that'll be screened this weekend. "We have something for everybody," he says. "Knuckle is brilliant and violent. The Runway is sweet and funny. Parked is sad and profound. 32a is a touching coming of age movie. Pajama Girls is an interesting documentary and Sensation is for the rest of you. You know who you are. All films affected me emotionally and that's what I like about them."

And how did McKay manage to put together such an amazing event in just a matter of months? Well, in addition to his prior experience, 3rd Ward played a significant part. "When I arrived in New York I was living in a room whose window looked onto the Marcy Ave station," he says. "Every time the train passed (which was about every 90 seconds) I would have to pause my telephone conversation. So I discovered 3rd Ward and it became my second home. Every day, Elias would greet me and make me feel welcome. He also has a uncanny super power that seems to enable him to know that you are waiting to be buzzed in." McKay created the Irish Film New York website in the computer. "And really the whole operation is powered by many cups of the free Intelligentsia coffee," he adds.

McKay is also offering a special discount for 3rd Ward members on all tickets except for the first screening, Knuckle. Use the discount code "WARD" when you buy your tickets at Irishfilmnyc.com. You can also RSVP here for the festival's opening reception, which takes place at 6pm at the Glucksman Ireland House.

IFNY 2011 Trailer from Media Factory on Vimeo.

-- John Ruscher

OPENING SOON // The Bronx Documentary Center brings Film, Photo and Community Involvement to the Borough

The Bronx Documentary Center at Courtlandt Ave. and 151st St.

Next month, a fantastic new gallery and educational space will launch in the Bronx--though even before officially openings its doors, it's already been making an impact in the community.

Since early summer, the Bronx Documentary Center has been hosting screenings and lectures in its garden patio, presenting films like the Oscar-winning Born into Brothels and speakers such as war photographer João Silva. In October it will celebrate its grand opening with an exhibition featuring the work of the late Tim Hetherington, who co-directed the amazing 2010 documentary Restrepo and was killed this April while covering the front lines in Libya.

We spoke with award-winning New York Times photojournalist and Bronx Documentary Center's founder, Michael Kamber to find out more. Read on after the jump.

The Hetherington exhibition is a natural first step for the center, as the space was a vision that he and Kamber shared. "Tim was involved in the early planning for the BDC before he was killed," Kamber says. "His death really solidified our resolve to create a documentary studies center in his memory. Since his death, we will be the first venue in the world to devote a solo show to his photo, film and multimedia work.  We are particularly excited about getting his work out to young audiences."

"Tim was, in my opinion, the greatest documentarian of our generation," Kamber continues. "He was also my closest friend—we worked and lived together for many years. Tim gave workshops throughout Africa and the Middle East and was deeply committed to spreading documentary photography and film into areas such as the Bronx."

The idea for the center had been brewing for some time, Kamber tells us. "I'd been thinking for years about starting a gallery and educational organization in a neighborhood where one doesn't usually see this kind of space," he says. "I've always been frustrated that a lot of journalism and documentary work is created in underserved areas, then taken out for consumption elsewhere. We want to change this equation."

"There is not a single gallery devoted to photography and film in the Bronx, a borough of nearly 2 million people.  We are very much focused on working closely with our community, in becoming a place the community comes to for stimulation, culture and education."

Kamber envisions the center as an integral part of its surrounding community, a role its already begun to fill with this summer's events. "Many neighbors have told us that there is the need for a community center like the BDC, focused on the types of cultural and educational events we have planned," Kamber says.

Stay tuned to the Bronx Documentary Center's website and Facebook page for more updates and the exact date of its opening exhibition. If you're interested in helping out, you can donate or get in touch about becoming a volunteer or intern.

-- John Ruscher

INNOVATOR RETROSPECTIVE // Renowned Artist Al Jarnow Keeps It Moving

Jarnow; 1975 -- Courtesy: The Numero Group

Chances are you didn't know it, but if you grew up in the 80's and were reared on 3-2-1 Contact and Sesame Street, then you grew up with Al Jarnow. A multimedia artist who's animated shorts became archetypal on public television, Jarnow helped define an aesthetic that nostalgists now pine over.

Though for Jarnow, his career has always been about motion--from early panoramic paintings and public TV animations to short films and software development.  We consider ourselves serious appreciators of Jarnow's work and recently caught up with him in an effort to (re)introduce you:

"To me it's always been about moving forward," he says. "I've worked with everything from 16 millimeter film to digital. It's all been a progression."

Jarnow claims art is something he's always done. "My parents thought I would be a lawyer, but on some level, I knew I'd be an artist." In the early '70s, he was putting that conviction into practice, painting landscapes of beach and cityscapes. "The paintings show the movement of time and light," he says. "And I always go back to the beach. I just found this great blank canvas in the beach."

POW 2 - gouache. 9" x 12", 1971

During the '70s, Jarnow also got his big break doing the shorts for public television. "That allowed me to get an education," he says.  

Here's one from 3-2-1 Contact you may remember:

Eventually, he created the experimental short film "Cubits":

Along with a series of "Splits," where he'd use snapshots and Xeroxes to create paintings with a perpetual, paneled feel:

One Hour Photo--gouache on Xerox transfer, 10" x 25", 1982

In 2009, Al's filmmaking got a boost when soul-revival label The Numero Group released Celestial Navigations. a DVD compilation of Jarnow's early work for public TV along with some of his more experimental short films. By then though, Jarnow had moved on to software and "beach sculptures." Using found beach materials, the sculptures reflect a primitive beauty that serve as a direct contrast to the patterns, games, puzzles and museum kiosks which inhabited his simultaneous focus on software. Though to Jarnow, this is all just part of his evolution. Most recently, he returned to film to work on a video with OK Go that's now destined for Sesame Street.

"I can't say why I've made a living at this while other artists haven't been able to," he says. "If I may be immodest, it's talent. But it's also continuous exploration. I tried writing for a bit, but that's best left to my son [the Brooklyn-based Jesse Jarnow]. There was a time when I thought I'd have to drive a cab, but I don't think I'd like that very much. I've been lucky that I've been able to make a living doing art, but I'd do art either way." 

Keep in tune with all of the mind-blowing work Jarnow continues to produce right here.

 --Layla Schlack

SAVE STYLE WARS // Help Restore the Classic Hip-Hop Doc

The landmark hiphop documentary Style Wars needs your help. The original footage from the 1983 film has been significantly damaged over the years, but thanks to the wonders of digital technology it can be salvaged, restored and even transferred to full HD 1080p. Nonprofit Public Art Films is raising $500,000 to complete this process, and they've already received support from some big names. They still need more help though, so donate what you can.

If you aren't familiar, Style Wars captured the emerging street and graffiti culture of early '80s New York. Mayor Ed Koch wasn't too thrilled about things, denouncing graffiti as a sign of the city's descent into chaos, but, almost three decades later, Style Wars is as relevant and inspiring as ever. (There's even a Style Wars 2 on the way.)

Check out a clip from Style Wars and the trailer for Style Wars 2 after the jump. And if you've got time on your hands, you can even watch the entire film on Style Wars' Vimeo page.

MEMBER PROFILE // Niall McKay Lands at 3rd Ward

In the late ‘90s, Niall McKay was a print journalist visiting San Francisco from his native Ireland to cover a conference. His transition to living and working in the States went something like this: “I woke up one morning, looked out the window and saw the Golden Gate Bridge below me and said, ‘Fuck it. I am moving here.’”

McKay spent more than a decade in the Bay Area, where he founded the Emmy award-winning production company Media Factory and created the critically acclaimed, intensely personal documentary feature The Bass Player -- in which he accompanies the return of his jazz musician father home to Ireland. The writer/producer/director is now in the process of relocating to New York, with 3rd Ward—where he uses the co-working desk space, meets clients and edits projects in the Media Lab—as his office.

As a filmmaker, McKay says he gets a kick out of wandering around 3rd Ward and meeting interesting folks (like a guy who does storyboards for HBO shows). Sharing space with photographers, painters, furniture makers and metal gurus makes him feel right at home.

“New York is a larger community,” he says, comparing it to San Francisco, “but it feels smaller for some reason.” (We'd like to think we play a part in that.)

--Cara Cannella