Filmmaker George Kaczender live at cine16 this week (7pm!)
Jeff Luszcz
SPECIAL NOTE: FILMMAKER AND ACADEMY SELECTION (foreign films) MEMBER
GEORGE KACZENDER WILL BE APPEARING TONIGHT. SHOWTIME IS 7 PM (1/2 HOUR
EARLIER THAN USUAL) THIS WEEK ONLY
For map to 'cine16', directions, and information on future shows, visit
our website at: http://www.cine16.com/thisweek.htm.
If your reader cannot decipher the ASCII text in this document, proceed
to the same site
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PRESS RELEASE 66
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Geoff Alexander
(408) 292-3593
PROGRAM NOTES FOR cine16 FILM FESTIVAL'S March 5 program at the
downstairs Speakeasy in the Agenda Restaurant & Lounge, 2nd & San
Salvador streets, downtown San Jose, Thursday at 7:00 pm. Admission is
always free. The Agenda Restaurant & Lounge fully complies with new
non-smoking laws, but cine16, which has a separate entrance, no bar, and
no employees, remains open to smokers. cine16ers are welcome to buy a
drink at the Agenda bar and carry it themselves to cine16.
Thursday, March 5... Transition and Crisis: An evening with, and
tribute to Director George Kaczender
As opposed to the sanctimonious drivel often found in US-made films for
and about teens “in trouble”, the National Film Board of Canada took the
approach that angst can be an important element of the process by which
an individual learns to live in a changing world. Emerging sexuality, a
sense of independence, and poor or absent parenting may all contribute
to the alienation portrayed by teen actors in the Film Board’s
“sociodramatic” films, which generally ended without black and white
conclusions or value judgments. After spending seven years editing some
of the finest Film Board titles in the fifties and early sixties (two
‘cine16’ favorites, ‘Rallye des Neiges’ and ‘Nahanni’ among them),
filmmaker George Kaczender wrote and directed some of the strongest
films ever produced on the important and challenging subject of young
people in transition and crisis, and in doing so, heralded the important
‘Wednesdays Children’ series of films produced by Wolf Koenig two
decades later. Using nontraditional camera angles, tight editing, and
taking forays into surrealism, the Hungarian-born director’s films are
so powerful that they were considered to be “political propaganda” by
the Johnson administration, who pushed the Department of Justice to
attempt to force distributors to report who in the US was ordering the
films (two of the films on tonight’s program, ‘Phoebe’, and ‘World of
Three’, were among the targeted films) in order to classify such
distributors as “foreign agents”. Kaczender left the Film Board in
1972, started an independent production company, and began making films
for Bill Deneen ---
http://www.cine16.com/deneen.htm
a guest last year at cine16 --- at Learning Corporation of America.
Unlike many of the greats of 16mm film, Kaczender thrives today as a
presence in the 35mm film industry, both as a director (‘In Praise of
Older Women’) and as a member of the selection committee for foreign
film for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
We at ‘cine16’ were shocked at the beauty, craftsmanship, and relevancy
of these films, now over thirty years old. All five Kaczender films in
the cine16 archives are exceptional, and it was difficult to select the
“top three” for the show. Kaczender was pleasantly surprised that this
important body of work was remembered, told us some great anecdotes, and
accepted our invitation to meet the ‘cine16’ audience. Please join us
tonight as George Kaczender joins us in our tribute to a unique and
important filmmaker. Tonight’s show includes:
‘You’re No Good’ (1965) 28m, d. George Kaczender. Michael Sarrazin in
his first dramatic role plays Eddie, who steals a motorcycle, then finds
neither understanding nor compassion from friends, his girlfriend, or
cops. Neat music score from “The Mersey Brothers”.
‘Phoebe’ (1964) 28m, d. George Kaczender. This was the first half-hour
drama produced by the Film Board, and is its second best seller of all
time (US distribution was eventually picked up by the Learning
Corporation of America). Adolescent Phoebe has just become pregnant,
and deals with confusion, school, boyfriend, and parents. In portraying
a young woman still sexually engaged with her boyfriend, the film
angered religious right backers of LBJ, and the State Department soon
acted to ban this film. Winner of five international awards,
Kaczender’s Fellini-like drama speaks to adults and adolescents who
choose or are forced by circumstance to swim against the stream.
‘World of Three’ (1966) 28m, d. George Kaczender. Films about infants
can be among the most boring films in the world (the Film Board has its
share of these too, trust me), and if one doesn’t have children, they
can be excruciating. It was therefore with a great degree of
trepidation (and a few stiff shots) that your cine16 review committee
viewed ‘Three’ for the first time. To our shock, we found a film of
startling beauty and mystery, as Kaczender views the world as a three
year old. The camera tracks at a height of two feet, and words from
adults are jumbled and we can’t always understand what’s being said. We
explore the world around us, and can’t quite comprehend why those bigger
people have the rules they do. Like the other films on tonight’s
program, ‘Three’ brings the viewer into the perspective of the
protagonist. Unlike the others, ‘Three’s cast is not given credit.
Good thing we asked Kaczender: dad is Peter Donat, mom is Michael
Learned, and their three year old son Lucas (now a filmmaker,
incidentally) is the boy. Kaczender practically lived with the family
for three weeks in order to get it right, and Lucas still remembers how
difficult it was to break a vase as instructed (he knew it was wrong),
and remembers his mom telling him that even though she might yell at
him, it was only playing. Provocative, entertaining, and never “cute”,
this is the best film on early childhood we’ve ever seen.
In case you’d like to rent videos of George Kaczender’s 35mm work, you
may obtain a complete filmography by visiting his page on the cine16
website:
http://www.cine16.com/kaczende.htm
In addition to his important work as a filmmaker, George Kaczender also
sits on the selection committee for choosing foreign film nominees for
the Academy Awards. We’re eagerly anticipating his observations,
comments, and opinions, and he’s looking forward to meeting cine16ers
and answering your questions. We strongly encourage you not to miss
this evening of unforgettable and powerful films.