| 2001-08-07 | | | “Now,” “Here,” and “About the World,”—Robert Kramer |
Robert Kramer and Yamagata
Robert Kramer participated twice in the Yamagata International Documentary Film Festival. At our first festival in 1989, his Route One / USA won the Mayor’s Prize. He participated as a festival juror in 1997, a year which, because of the controversy surrounding mandatory cuts made to a Dutch film by Japanese customs, remains fresh in memory. Kramer quickly became central to the protest movement against this act of censorship. In 1989, his somewhat philosophical air and the sense of self-isolation this brought him made him seem to stand out and away from his surroundings. In drastic contrast, on his second visit to Yamagata in 1997 he interacted enthusiastically with young filmmakers, resulting in a new collaborative project with a young Japanese filmmaker. However, he died suddenly on November 10 1999, in Rouen, France, directly before completing his newest work, Cities of the Plain.
The Robert Kramer Retrospective
Straddling the border of documentary and fiction, Kramer’s films took a political and critical look at the essence of modern society. This retrospective marks the first ever comprehensive screening of Kramer’s work in Japan, and will feature approximately 25 of his works, from films made with Newsreel to his final work. In addition, our symposium held in conjunction with Portugal’s Cinematheque, “Yamagata Doc’s Kingdom,” will present a large-scale discussion with young filmmakers and film school students gathered in Yamagata for the event. Through these events, we hope to open a dialogue with the world shown to us through Kramer’s lens. Also scheduled for guest appearances are Kramer’s music coodinator and trusted collaborator Barre Phillips, and Erika Kramer, his widow and a frequent face in Kramer’s films.
Robert Kramer’s Profile
Filmmaker, born in New York in 1939. Debuted as a director in 1965 with FALN. In the latter half of the 1960’s, amidst the surging rebellion of young people opposed to the war in Vietnam, he founded the radical filmmaking collective Newsreel, producing many works as a member of this group. In 1980’s he moved to Paris, and began making films in Europe. His main works include Milestones (1975), Guns (1980), Route One / USA (1989), and Walk the Walk (1996). Robert Kramer died on November 10, 1999, and Cities of the Plain became his last work.
(ONO Seiko, coordinator of Robert Kramer Retrospective)
ROBERT KRAMER RETROSPECTIVE LINEUP
- FALN
1965 / USA, VENEZUELA / 30min. / 16mm - In the Country
1966 / USA / 65min. / 16mm - The Edge
1967 / USA / 105min. / 35mm - Ice
1969 / USA / 132min. / 16mm - People’s War
1969 / USA / 40min. / 16mm - Milestones
1975 / USA / 206min. / 16mm - Scenes from the Class Struggle in Portugal
1977 / USA, PORTUGAL / 89min. / 16mm - Guns
1980 / FRANCE / 98min. / 16mm - A Great Day in France / Birth
1981 / FRANCE / 42min. / Video - As Fast as You Can
1982 / FRANCE / 59min. / Video - The Fear
1983 / FRANCE / 6min. / Video - Doc’s Kingdom
1987 / FRANCE, PORTUGAL, USA / 90min. / 35mm - Route One / USA
1989 / FRANCE / 255min. / 35mm - Dear Doc
1990 / FRANCE / 35min. / Video - Berlin 10/90
1991 / FRANCE / 63min. / Video - Video Letters: Robert Kramer / Stephen Dwoskin
1991/ FRANCE, UK / 123min. / Video - Leeward
1991 / FRANCE / 31min. / Video - Starting Place
1993 / FRANCE, VIETNAM / 80min. / 35mm - Walk the Walk
1995 / FRANCE, SWITZERLAND / 115min. / 35mm - The Coat
1996 / FRANCE / 72min. / Video - Ghost of Electricity
1997 / SWITZERLAND / 19min. / Video - SayKomSa
1998 / FRANCE / 26min. / Video - Cities of the Plain
1999-2000 / FRANCE / 110min. / 35mm - Against Forgetting
1991 / FRANCE / 90min. / Video