The quirky, independent touring film festival, the Black Maria, kicked off its 28th edition the other day at its home base, Jersey City State University. I caught its show last night at a screening sponsored by the Hoboken Historical Museum, and as usual it offered an extremely diverse range of short films. There was a one-and-a-half-minute film of a filmmaker dressed as a monk in a crucifixion pose beside a highway; an amazing film noir story that combined live action and cut-out images; and a look at a matzo-ball-eating contest in New York, to name just a few.
I've written before about the history and origins of the Black Maria Film Festival, which pays homage to the Thomas Edison's film studio of the same name, which was the first movie studio in the world. The Festival tours the Northeast extensively and also ventures out to other areas of the country, altering the lineup of films to mesh with local interests and filmmakers. Check the Web site above for dates, times, and locations. The screening I attended was only $5, and some are even free (such as one I went to last year at a branch of the New York Public Library).
If the Black Maria is coming near you, skip whatever's playing at the local multiplex and check out this Festival's innovative short films instead.
Showing posts with label short films. Show all posts
Showing posts with label short films. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Thursday, February 28, 2008
2008 Black Maria Film Festival
The first movie studio in the world was not in Hollywood, but in New Jersey. Thomas Edison was a pioneer in the developing motion picture technology, and started the first movie studio, nicknamed Black Maria, at his West Orange laboratory.
Since 1981 the Black Maria Film Festival, based in New Jersey, has honored Edison's legacy by showcasing the best in short films. But you don't have to go to New Jersey to see the winning films in the juried festival. The Black Maria Film Festival is unique in being a touring festival, traveling to a number of different states.
The 2008 Black Maria Film Festival had its premiere Feb. 1st at New Jersey City University (the home base of the Festival), and continues showings in various venues until the end of June. I attended the fourth screening of the Festival at the Hoboken Historical Museum and it was an enjoyable and diverse menu of shorts, from a stark animation of a Vietnam War vet's memories to a folksy profile of a Brooklyn rooftop beekeeper.
The films screened at Black Maria differ from location to location, so if you're a fan of short films I'd recommend going to several screenings if you can, so you can see a variety of different films.
Visit the Web site of the Black Maria Film Festival to find out locations, dates, and times of the screenings.
Since 1981 the Black Maria Film Festival, based in New Jersey, has honored Edison's legacy by showcasing the best in short films. But you don't have to go to New Jersey to see the winning films in the juried festival. The Black Maria Film Festival is unique in being a touring festival, traveling to a number of different states.
The 2008 Black Maria Film Festival had its premiere Feb. 1st at New Jersey City University (the home base of the Festival), and continues showings in various venues until the end of June. I attended the fourth screening of the Festival at the Hoboken Historical Museum and it was an enjoyable and diverse menu of shorts, from a stark animation of a Vietnam War vet's memories to a folksy profile of a Brooklyn rooftop beekeeper.
The films screened at Black Maria differ from location to location, so if you're a fan of short films I'd recommend going to several screenings if you can, so you can see a variety of different films.
Visit the Web site of the Black Maria Film Festival to find out locations, dates, and times of the screenings.
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