Most exciting art movements have been reactions against technical sophistication. Many have gone 'backwards' to find honesty and truth, the essence of things.
.............................................................. Guy Maddin

The Venice Centennial was not the only important anniversary of 2005. November marks the 15th birthday of PXL THIS, a film festival at Sponto Gallery (7 Dudley Cinema). Entries are electronic folk art made with Fisher Price’s PXL-2000 video camera, a.k.a. the “failed kid’s toy.”

Promoter Gerry Fialka, says, “The festival operates on NO budget, yet tours to San Fran, New York, Boston's MIT and more. Even the Academy Film Archive stores the films in their vault…..” Craig Baldwin speaks of the “user-friendly energy of real first-person cinema, and J. Hoberman says,” "PXL is the ultimate people's video." Steve Polta adds, "Contrary to the popular belief that filmmaking must be collaborative, the solo vision is dominant and documented here."

The irresistible irony of the PXL is that the camera's ease-of-use and affordability, which entirely democratizes movie-making, has inspired the creation of some of the most visionary, avant and luminous film of our time.
............... ......................... Steve Schneider, NY Times

Complete list and description of this year’s multitude of entries can be found here (please come back to Virtual Venice.)

© 2004 - 2010 Pat Hartman
For VirtualVenice e-mail news: send a blank email with "subscribe" in the subject line
"Table of Contents" or site map here it is