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Free Radicals: a history of experimental film (Chodorov 2012)

by henrymo@umich.edu

[cover_image]|1424607[/cover_image] What is experimental film? How did it emerge? Who are the groundbreaking artists? What is the intention in the form? If you want to get polished up for the 55th annual Ann Arbor Film Festival, then this gem of a film is an excellent refresher! Free Radicals: a history of experimental film summarily captures a bricolage of formats from non-film stop motion, to etching on film (and leader), to mixed-medium nonlinear performances.

In this documentary, Director, Pip Chodorov narrates a personal journey that retraces his childhood through first-hand exposure to the pivotal figures of the avant-garde film movement in Europe and America. The film - an homage to experimental form itself - showcases precious archival footage, as well as the filmmaker's home videos that feature a rare and insightful interview with Hans Richter. Chodorov masterfully weaves the story of experimental film together through biographical interviews with notables Jonas Mekas, Peter Kubelka, Stan Brakhage, Ken Jacobs, and Robert Breer amongst others. Chodorov, himself an experimental filmmaker, actively supports the marginal form by documenting his personal journey and participation throughout the piece.

Surprisingly, the Ann Arbor Film Festival (AAFF) - a key proponent of the experimental film scene - is not mentioned in this work. Perhaps this is because George Manupelli, founder of AAFF, had a different and less curatorial idea to supporting the art form. Rather than promote a certain taste, his vision was for a more inclusive venue to foster an emerging diversity of its form (see our interview with the festival's Executive Director, Leslie Raymond). Nonetheless, Free Radicals not only serves as a useful historical view into the genre but more so is able to stand on its own as a work of art.

I hope you enjoy watching this remarkable and informative 2012 documentary on the history of experimental filmmaking!

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