Greenpoint Film Festival Kicks Off

Did you know that the Little Rascals was set in Greenpoint? It’s one of the screenings for the upcoming Greenpoint Film Festival, the first of what will become an annual affair organ­ized by Woven Spaces, a local nonprofit public arts group. Taking place October 27 ­– 30 at Broadway Stages in Greenpoint, the line-up includes favorites and lesser-known experimental, avant-garde shorts and feature-length films.

A main attraction is the premiering of a new Jonas Mekas film, “My Mars Bar Movie,” about the old New York City dive bar, which kicks off the festival. The Lithuanian-born filmmaker who is known as ‘the godfather of American avant-garde cinema’ became a Greenpoint resident a few years back. He will be in attendance during the opening night, and will also participate in a couple of panels—still in the planning stages. Panels will include other well-know directors as well, says Rosa Valado, festival director.

“We have a pretty extensive David Lynch program. Of course, we will be screening Lynch’s iconic works like ‘Eraserhead’ But mostly we are focusing this program on undervalued, lesser-known Lynch works. This includes shorts he’s made over the years, some projects that involved his son Austin, and even commercials,” says Valado.

The fourth and last day of the festival “Radical Green Day” features films with environmental themes.Among the filmmakers to be represented, says Valado, include Maria De Luca, Kathleen Rugh, the radical group Red Channels, and Josh Fox, director of the recent hit documentary “Gasland”—also to be screened that day.

WG—Tell us where the venue is and something about it. RV—We’re screening in a space provided by Broadway Stages, located at 222 West Street, corner of Eagle Street. The building was designed as a factory, and parts of it still function as such. A large part of it has been Used recently as television, movie, and music video production lofts. We are screening in one of these lofts. The reappropriation of architecture—specifically that of factory/loft spaces into art venues and studios, which began in New York in the 60s and 70s—is considered to be the major force behind economic development. The setting was very thoughtfully considered and part of our vision from the very beginning.

What was the arc for Woven Spaces from art to film? Woven Spaces was born from ideas for public art projects and public interaction when the concepts were scarce and the art world was focused on galleries. ws has had films screenings before, in 2009 in Transmitter Park, and has always been interested in all art forms, including multi-media. My own back­ground is in visual art, and my work and research are based largely on architectural ideas of form and function, primarily space and public interaction. The concept of film festival has been evolving over the decades. We are seeing more and more non-traditional screening ideas and venues.

For a film schedule and to purchase tickets go to www.greenpointfilmfestival.org.