Articles

New Series: Bette, Marilyn, and #MeToo
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New Series: Bette, Marilyn, and #MeToo

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Kerry McElroy announces a timely and compelling series that will run bi-monthly this fall at The Independent. The series titled, “Bette, Marilyn, and #MeToo: What Studio-Era Actresses Can Teach Us About Economics and Resistance Post-Weinstein,” highlights Hollywood legends (including Olivia de Havilland, Louise Brooks, Marilyn Monroe, and Elizabeth Taylor) who all carved out spaces of autonomy in a decidedly male-controlled film industry at the height of its exploitative powers. McElroy will reveal, through analysis that spans seven decades, what these actresses have to teach us in this contemporary moment of feminist reckoning.

The Global Screen: Joe Cruz

The Global Screen: Joe Cruz

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In this third installment of The Global Screen, Joe Cruz discusses diasporic and nationalistic contestations emerging in Puerto Rico’s guerrilla cinema. In a way, films belonging to this movement articulate a somewhat transgressive view of Puerto Rico’s national identity. Although the century-old colonial rule continues to draw criticism, no longer is the island territory’s rural past romanticized. Instead, new cinematic discourses concerned with exploring Puerto Ricans’ national identity through the lens of current en masse migration to North American metropolis seem to be taking shape. 

Sons of The Evil Dead

Sons of The Evil Dead

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In May, LA-based filmmakers, Brett and Drew Pierce, completed filming their third indie horror film, Hag, shot on location in rural northwestern Michigan. The Pierce brothers became aficionados of the genre early on under the influence of their father, Bart, a special effects artist on the 1981 cult classic horror film, The Evil Dead. Rebecca Reynolds draws on conversations with the family in this exploration of Brett’s and Drew’s influences, strategies, and creative talents.

Brave New World: Possibilities for Diversity in VR Technology
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Brave New World: Possibilities for Diversity in VR Technology

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As virtual reality develops into a viable technology for immersive storytelling, today’s filmmakers are witnessing the birth of a new, perhaps more inclusive, form of cinema. Reporting on VR from this year’s Tribeca Film Festival, Rebecca M. Alvin, explores how the doors are open for a much more diverse group of creators and a wider range of stories to tell.

Woman

Women in Film Portraits: Lauren Atkins

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In this installment of Women in Film Portraits, Lauren Sowa profiles Lauren Atkins, creator of the award-winning web series My Friends Think I am Funny. Atkins founded NYC Web Fest after recognizing there were several festivals showcasing digital series on the west coast but nothing in New York. After a successful launch in 2014, NYC Web Fest continues to gain in size and momentum, with guests flying in from around the world. Here Atkins talks with Sowa about her creative influences and her approach to challenges.