[act-ma] Whose Land? Feb. 7th at Balagan Films

[Mariya Nikiforova]

This American Land. Bound by arbitrary lines whose authority is daily
reinforced by violence and bureaucracy. Sectioned into states,
counties, and municipalities, based on voting patterns and property
lines. Continually expanding its scope through bloody conquest,
financial persuasion and cultural influence.

What lies in the middle? Empty space, crumbling centenarian
constructions and a mysterious, crawling vine that swallows up several
feet a day…

Inspired by the Occupy encampment, which questioned the "publicness"
of spaces we take for granted, on Tuesday, February 7th, Balagan
presents five films:

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Triumph of the Wild (2008, 10 mins, 35mm) by Martha Colburn
"Triumph of the Wild spans decades of battles in American history and
places a man in a landscape infested with indigenous predatory
animals." - MC

Future So Bright (2010, 23 mins, HDCam) by Matt McCormick
"[T]he film explores ghost towns, abandoned military bases, and
boarded up tourist traps to present a meditative time capsule of the
false starts and failed attempts of the past 200 years of American
Western Expansion." - MM

Kudzu Vine (2011, 20 mins, 35mm CinemaScope) by Josh Gibson
Beautiful, eerie portrait of an invasive species from Korea that is
taking over the Southern landscape several feet a day.

Crossings (2005, 5 mins, 16mm) by Robert Fenz (appearing in person!)
"By visually simulating what the [United States-Mexico border] wall
symbolizes, Fenz depicts terror and awe as impossibly intertwined." -
Trinie Dalton (2008 Whitney Biennial)

You Are on Indian Land (1969, 34 mins, 16mm) by Mort Ransen and Mike Mitchell
Legendary vérité document of a 1969 protest by members of the Mohawk
tribe against a levy imposed on them by the U.S.-Canada border
authority.

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DJ Angela Sawyer of Weirdo Records opens the night at 7pm with vinyl
gems from her collection! Films start at 8pm. Tickets are $10 regular
/ $8 student and senior. Location: Brattle Theatre (40 Brattle Street
in Cambridge).

Images and more info here: www.balaganfilms.com/whose-land.