INDEPENDENT DOCUMENTARY, 2006
Community, Activism and the Downtown Scene — an independent documentary about the experimental scene in New York addresses the changes in the social, political, cultural and aesthetics arenas since the 1960’s. The documentary was conceived as an attempt to understand how geographical artistic migration, the role of community, feminism, AIDS and the economy have transformed the experimental arts in New York City.
Capturing a crucial moment just before the election that would grant George W. Bush his second mandate, the documentary reveals the artists’ concerns with the political and cultural establishment, and exposes current perspectives on the meaning of “artistic community”, after more than forty years of its initial effervescence in the city.
The documentary is a feasible record from my experience relating to the downtown scene. It introduces the history of experimental arts in New York counting on the depositions of several artists from theater, dance, visual arts, and performance, such as Ellen Stewart (La MaMa), The Living Theatre, Lynn Book, Tere O’Connor, and Guerrilla Girls, among others.
The 110 minute-length film was recorded with a handcam in 2004 with the initial intent of sharing an intimate depict on New York’s scene with my artistic community in Curitiba/Brazil.
FEATURING:
Anja Hitzenberger, Charles Dennis (P.S. 122), Dean Moss, Edward Ratliff, Ellen Stewart + Ozzie Rodriguez (La Mama Experimental Theatre Club), Guerrilla Girls, Guerrilla Girls On Tour, Jennifer Monson, Joel Bassin (The Wooster Group), Lauren Saffa (Women Center Stage/The Culture Project), Lynn Book (Voicelab), Margarita Guergue, Martha Bowers (Dance Theatre Etcetera), Rosane Chamecki (ChameckiLerner), Tere O'Connor (Tere O'Connor Dance), and Wendy Tremayne + Marina Potok + Dawn Ladd
SPECIAL PARTICIPATION:
The Living Theatre
PERFORMANCE APPEARANCES by:
Christina Campanella, Lavinia Co-Op, Sharon Jane Smith, and Uncle Jimmy's Dirty Basement
FILM CREDITS
Script, Direction and Photography Cristiane Bouger Photography Consultant Tiago Martins Borges Photography Assistant Roger Regner Editing and Motion Graphics Magno Borgo Editing Assistant Luan Voigt Original Soundtrack Wandula Subtitles Translation Margarida Gandara Rauen (Margie) Poster Art Roger Regner Web Design Anderson Maschio
Running Time: 110min + DVD 2 (extras) 31min
Language: English/Português
Record system: Mini-DV
Screen Format: 4:3
An independent production © 2006 by Cristiane Bouger
FUNDS
This documentary was conceived by Cristiane Bouger in 2004 and was produced with personal funds and collaborative work, with additional support by Elide Soares (New York) and epa! (Curitiba).
How to sponsor the translation and distribution of the documentary Community, Activism and the Downtown Scene
Approximately three hundred copies of the documentary were produced independently and as part of Circuitos Compartilhados (epa!/IPHAN) for distribution to institutions in Brazil and featured artists in the USA. Copies were also sent to screenings in Madrid (In-Presentable) and Bucharest. In Romania the documentary was translated into Romanian and broadcast on the national channel TVR Cultural (2011, 2012).
Currently there are no remaining copies of the documentary to serve institutions and physical archives worldwide. If you are part of a cultural institution interested in sponsoring the translation of Community, Activism and the Downtown Scene and/or the production of copies for free distribution in your country, please contact:
