From New York to New Orleans: BLANK CITY Screens at Zeitgeist

Blank City, a portrait of New York’s underground do-it-yourself (DIY) cinema movement from 1977–1987, featuring interviews with indie heros like Steve Buscemi, Jim Jarmusch, John Waters andDebbie Harry will screen at the Zeitgeist Multidisciplinary Arts Center on Friday, July 17th at 9:15pm.

Directed by French newcomer Céline Danhier, Blank City tells the long-overdue tale of the motley crew of renegade filmmakers that emerged from an economically bankrupt and dangerous period of New York history that crossed over with the East Village Art Scene and thriving music scene. It’s a fascinating look at the way this misfit cinema used the deserted, bombed-out Lower East Side landscapes to craft daring works that would go on to profoundly influence Independent Film today.Unlike the much-celebrated punk music scene, this era’s thrilling and confrontational underground film movement has never before been chronicled.  Danhier captures the idiosyncratic, explosive energy of the “No Wave Cinema” and “Cinema of Transgression” movements.

Featured players include acclaimed directors Jim Jarmusch and John Waters, actor-writer-director Steve Buscemi, Blondie’s Debbie Harry, Hip Hop legend Fab 5 Freddy, Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth, artist James Nares, photographer Richard Kern as well as Amos Poe, Eric Mitchell, Susan Seidelman, Beth B, Scott B, Charlie Ahearn and Nick Zedd. Fittingly, the soundtrack includes: Patti Smith, Television, Richard Hell & The Voidoids, The Contortions, The Bush Tetras, Sonic Youth and many more.

For more information on the film, screening dates and the cast and crew visit the Blank City website or check out the trailer below.

This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 15th, 2011 at 2:07 pm. It is filed under NOVAC Blog, Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.