Avant-Garde Aphorisms

Long before the ubiquitous DVD and its pusherman Netflix upended the traditional moviegoing and movie-showing model, a few visionary local experimental filmmakers had tired of the passive produce-consume relationship between artists and audiences. Wet Gate, a singular band of outsiders, pioneered the notion of film as live show, bringing the sparks of risk and unpredictability into the screening space. It required a bit of an adjustment for some in the crowd, but it turns out that spontaneity is contagious. There’s a whole slew of filmmakers working in this manner now, enough to fill the book Cinematograph Seven—Live Cinema: A Contemporary Reader. The latest in San Francisco Cinematheque’s ongoing series of interviews, criticism, and analysis of avant-garde film launches with a screening party tonight that, naturally, features a few of the moviemakers working the border between projection and performance, and finished product and creative act. Sue Costabile (aka SUE.C) is on the bill with her handmade blend of drawing and photography, along with the hyperactive mash-ups of Southern California’s Animal Charm. The members of Wet Gate, along with their pals in Cine Pimps, team up for a performance fueled by a grinding soundtrack. Wondering about the future of movies? Here it is.
Thu., April 10, 8 p.m., 2008