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Notfilm
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Wikipedia article
'Notfilm' is a 2015 feature-length documentary, directed by Ross Lipman on the production of playwright Samuel Beckett's only film, an experimental short titled 'Film' starring Buster Keaton.
While conducting preliminary research to restore 'Film', filmmaker and restorationist Ross Lipman visited Grove Press founder and 'Film' producer Barney Rosset at his apartment, where Lipman discovered reels of film and audio. This material contained outtakes from Beckett's 1965 production, including a prologue long-thought lost.
'Notfilm' reconstructs this prologue and integrates rare audio of Beckett's voice, surreptitiously recorded by Rosset, in a self-described "Kino Essay" that analyzes the philosophical foundation of 'Film', arguing it was an expression of Samuel Beckett's own distaste for the public eye.
Synopsis
Both a traditional making-of documentary and an essayistic exploration into the philosophical implications of Samuel Beckett's 'Film', 'Notfilm' outlines the circumstances leading to its production, the production process and its critical reception. Director Ross Lipman's narration outlines the philosophical foundation of 'Film' as a rebuttal of the Irish philosopher George Berkeleys premise that to be is to be perceived. Audio secretly recorded by Rosset at a production meeting leads into an examination of Beckett's own distaste for being filmed and photographed.
Critical reception
Following an October 2015 world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival, 'Notfilm' went on to screen at several other notable festivals, including CPH:DOX, International Film Festival Rotterdam, Dublin Film Festival, Film Comment Selects, Hong Kong International Film Festival and Docs Against Gravity.
It appeared on several Best of the Year lists, including Nicole Brenez's published in 'Artforum', in 'The New Republic' and in 'Paste' magazine
It was also widely reviewed, appearing in the 'Los Angeles Times', the 'New York Times', 'Film Comment', 'The New Yorker', the 'Village Voice' and 'Slate'. A.O. Scott wrote "'Notfilm' finds a hitherto uncharted dimension of human and cinematic experience.
References
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