Opening this 40th year of New Directors/New Films (presented by MoMA and the Film Society of Lincoln Center) on Wednesday night was the much heralded Margin Call (J.C. Chandor) - a fictional film about the men whose mismanagement of dollar trillions caused our economic woes. Slated US general release October. This Indy website also recommends Swedish archival doco The Black Power Mixtape 1967-1975 (Sat 26th and Mon 28th) and Stacey Steers' 16min short Night Hunter "that has to be the most innovative piece of movie magic in the entire [Fest's history]" (Fri April 1/Sat 2nd).

While absent from this year's previews, I did see four of this year's offerings at last year's 54th BFI London Film Festival. All their characters seem to be on society's margins but in reality are far closer to the centre of our fraught everyday lives. I wasn't much wowed by Marc Fitoussi's Copacabana but what's not to like about Isabelle Huppert? Interesting podcast on this link. Pia Marais' At Ellen's Age (a further screening Sat 26th) is the haunting tale of an air stewardess who 'does a runner' from her African stopover and is befriended by animal rights liberationists. (This was made well before that American steward went bonkers at a passenger and slid down the emergency chute). Short interview below:


Ahmad Abdalla's Microphone (Tues 29th/Thurs 31st) explores the fun, energetic youth arts culture in the port city of Alexandria, Egypt. (Audio Q&A here). Li Hongqi's Winter Vacation (Sun 27th/Tues 29th) is one of the strongest Chinese films to emerge recently. "I shoot movies the way I play chess," says the director. "Many people think about how to play the game more brilliantly, more beautifully, more elegantly. As for me, I just want to move the chessmen off the chessboard." Winner of last year's Golden Leopard at the Locarno Film Fest, its title refers to the schoolkids' bleak 'slacker' 'no mans land' holiday break. Great understated atmospheric music score, too.

And the art world.......hummmm...

Williamsburg photographer Meredith Allen (1964 - 2011) died last week - Ed Winkleman's obituary.
Lanquidity, the first solo show of paintings by New Yorker Jimbo Blachly opens at his gallery tonight.

And this week Elizabeth Taylor also passed away- even more reason to see her in A Place in the Sun that I mentioned last post. Also worth attention is Joseph Losey's Boom! with Taylor and Richard Burton (plus a great score from the recently deceased John Barry)

dwelling, the fourth exhibition in Marianne Boesky's wonderful uptown brownstone, finishes Sat 26th (sorry...April 2).
Dwellings with a difference in Home Theater, a solo exhibition of large-scale, multiple-panel, color photographs by the New York based, Croatian photographer, Hrvoje Slovenc. "He solicited people on internet sex sites, ultimately gaining their confidence and being invited into their homes. An exploration of domestic spaces in which specific areas have been designed, decorated, and outfitted for sadomasochistic sexual activities." Michael Mazzeo Gallery (thru April 23)

Also the award winning Raphael Dallaporta at L.Parker Stephenson goes crazy for Paris organs. Did you know (Ok my bird brain often has inter-stellar bird-flu enhancement)that Macy's in the Philadelphia's Wanamaker Building has the largest operational pipe organ in the world!

Another opening not to miss tonight is The Museum of American Illustration at the Society of Illustrators R. Crumb: Lines Drawn On Paper celebrating his last 40 years' work.

Opening Saturday at Higher Pictures is New York Means Business- Max Kozloff's color photographs from 1977 to 1984.
Boris Smelov photos continue at Sputnik Gallery
Hong Kong based Lee Kit's 1st US solo show is at Lombard Freid Projects
New work by Stan Douglas at David Zwirner
And a new Gary Hill multi-media show at Gladstone Gallery
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