Black and white images shot at night. A camera roams the streets of Montreal in search of sounds, smells and sensations. From the first frame, NIGHTS stakes its ground as a poetic, nomadic experience, an open-ended essay about the countless inner worlds that inhabit the big-city night. Testimonials and confessions gradually emerge, from a photographer to a truck driver, from a baker to a blind woman who had to learn to “see” the world differently. Their experiences overlap, but are unalike. We have the feeling of living different lives, against the grain of normality, and we are not alone in this. Diane Poitras achieves nothing less than the reconstitution of a parallel community.
Two young men are alone at a self-service laundry. They are sitting next to each other, waiting in silence. An old framed embroidery of a young deer is hanging against the wall across them.
Documentary made in two parts by Luciano Berriatúa. This first part focuses on childhood, personal life and the early works in films by German director F.W. Murnau.
Using edited archive footage, mockery is made of Italy's dictator Benito Mussolini.
With great bawdiness and backbone, a rugby team made up of farmers strive to redeem themselves from a long run of bitter losses. In the face of the hefty demands of farming and fatherhood, the Saturday game becomes the focus of the men’s passions and the ground on which their worth is proved. ‘The Ground We Won’ is a highly authentic, slice of life film about the challenges and joys of manhood, as seen through the rites and rituals of a rural New Zealand rugby club.
Very brief view of Man Ray and his friend Ady Fidelin while at a seaside resort
Home movie from Man Ray featuring dancer Jenny gyrating in black and white.
A late period home movie with Man Ray and his lovely friend Juliet Browner lounging together in the US. Man Ray had returned to America when the Germans occupied France.
Shows masked mental patients enacting various schizophrenic symptoms as they were understood at the time. A disturbing film that raises questions about the condition and treatment of its subjects. (archive.org) “Abstract: This film describes and demonstrates four types of schizophrenia. Filmed at various New York institutions, it shows patients singly and grouped in large, outside recreational areas. Some patients are blindfolded. Symptoms shown include: social apathy, delusions, hallucinations, hebephrenic reactions, cerea flexibilitas, rigidity, motor stereotypes, posturing, and echopraxia.” (Guide to Mental Health Motion Pictures)
A short film showing a rehearsal and live performance by Jeanne Balibar. Costa would go on to make a feature-length documentary with the same title and subject matter in 2009.
2 strange moments within the woods and a small town.
Investigation by the Museum of Walloon Life showing the different stages of the manufacture of rifle barrels using the so-called "Damascus" process, in Nessonvaux in 1925 and 1931
A parade of supporters of the constructed auxiliary language Esperanto, which is intended to be a universal second language for international communication, or "the international language". The word Esperanto translates into English as "one who hopes".
Horizons...
White’s camera offers several 360-degree pans of views of the fairground, then amazes by tilting up and down the Eiffel Tower, and concludes with a stunning tracking shot to the highest point above Paris. Exhibitors freely grouped films into nascent narratives such as those displayed here. - Bruce Posner
The film begins with the First World War and ends in 1945. Without exception, recordings from this period were used, which came from weekly news reports from different countries. Previously unpublished scenes about the private life of Adolf Hitler and Eva Braun were also shown for the first time. The film was originally built into a frame story. The Off Commentary begins with the words: "This film [...] is a document of delusion that on the way to power tore an entire people and a whole world into disaster. This film portrays the suffering of a generation that only ended five to twelve. " The film premiered in Cologne on November 20, 1953, but was immediately banned by Federal Interior Minister Gerhard Schröder in agreement with the interior ministers of the federal states of the Federal Republic of Germany.
Made in the sunset years of Paul Bowles’ life, the film sees the eccentric author and composer reminisce on how he ended up in Morocco.
With her short red hair, expressive face, vitality, and playful acting style, Shirley MacLaine stands out in the Hollywood pantheon. Driven by a volcanic personality and iron discipline inherited from classical dance, she has constantly reinvented herself, from the girl next door to the eccentric old lady she plays on screen today, proving at 91 that there is a place for actresses of all ages. A refreshing portrait featuring film clips and archival footage, particularly those in which this talk show regular exercises her sharp wit.
The film evokes all the aspects of bullfighting - its history, the bulls, the toreros, the arena, the audience - and involves numerous matadors from the era.
"Voice of the wind" (La Voz del Viento) describes a journey made by Carlos and Jean-Luc from Marseille to Granada visiting different projects related to permaculture, thought and action, all focused on a vision of life respect and love. In each of those places, they delivered or exchanged seeds (Jean-Luc has more than 300 varieties) and interviewed some key project people. This film is open source and can be watched/downloaded for free (English/French/Spanish) in the official website. Donations are more than welcome.