LIFT announces Vancouver Filmmaker Alex MacKenzie

LIFT ANNOUNCES VANCOUVER-BASED FILMMAKER ALEX MACKENZIE

Toronto, April 30, 2013—The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) announces that Vancouver-based filmmaker Alex MacKenzie will be coming to Toronto to present his most recent film performance and teach two workshops on Expanded Cinema and Handmade Film Emulsion. He will be in town from May 31 to June 2. Mackenzie’s unique work is primarily based in 16mm analog film equipment and hand processed imagery, creating works of expanded cinema, light projection installation, and projector performance. His work screens internationally at film festivals, galleries and alternative screening spaces.

His perrformance of his most recent work, “Intertidal,” co-presented with Pleasure Dome, will take place at CineCycle on March 31 at 7:30pm (129 Spadina Avenue). Tickets are $8 for non-members and $5 for LIFT and Pleasure Dome members. “Intertidal” is a 16mm analytic projector performance inspired both by Ed Ricketts, the American marine biologist and philosopher, known for his pioneering study of intertidal ecology, and the mesmerizing science films of Jean Painlevé. The performance unfolds as a submersive exploration of the tidal zones and marine life off the shores of BC. Using both camera and non-camera approaches, this performance-based work presented on two analytic projectors speaks to the fragility of both the film medium and the marine environment explored. Travelling as far West as Nootka Sound on Vancouver Island and North to the tip of Naikoon on Haida Gwaii, this route purposefully emulates that which Ricketts and his close friend author John Steinbeck intended to revisit prior to Ricketts’ untimely death in 1948. The scope and materiality of both emulsion and environment are explored using elements as wide ranging as photograms, alternative film chemistry, live manipulation, and the very movement of the tides themselves. At once personal, political, visual and ecological, the work gives equal weight to representation and abstraction.

MacKenzie’s Handmade Film Emulsion: Creating Black and White Film Stock from Scratch workshop will be June 1 at LIFT (1137 Dupont Street) and is limited to five people. Pre-registration is required at 416.588.6444 and the workshop costs $115 for non-members and $95 for LIFT members. A basic chemistry lesson will be provided to introduce the essential make-up of film emulsion (gelatin, potassium bromide, and silver nitrate), followed by the creation of the emulsion in a darkroom. The mixture is then literally painted on to clear transparent acetate, followed by contact printing a filmstrip onto the raw stock, hand processing, and assessing the results. The workshop is aimed at both experienced practitioners and beginners, and includes all film stock, chemistry, and supplies.

His workshop Expanded Cinema: Apparatus and Methodology follows on June 2 at LIFT (1137 Dupont Street) and is limited to ten people. Pre-registration is required at 416.588.6444 and the workshop costs $60 for non-members and $50 for LIFT members. The workshop will focusing on repurposing 16mm and super 8 projectors to expand upon their use in a cinema— learning how to manipulate the machines to allow for more performative and installation based applications.

Alex MacKenzie is an experimental film artist working primarily with analog equipment and hand processed imagery. He creates works of expanded cinema, light projection installation, and projector performance. His work has screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival, the EXiS Experimental Film Festival in Seoul, Lightcone in Paris, Kino Arsenal in Berlin and others. Alex was the founder and curator of the Edison Electric Gallery of Moving Images, the Blinding Light!! Cinema and the Vancouver Underground Film Festival. He was an artist in residence at Atelier MTK in Grenobles, France and Struts Gallery/Faucet Media in New Brunswick. Alex co-edited Damp: Contemporary Vancouver Media Art (Anvil Press 2008), and interviewed David Rimmer for Loop, Print, Fade + Flicker: David Rimmer’s Moving Images (Anvil Press 2009). Alex was recently Artist in Residence at Cineworks’ Analog Film Annex in Vancouver. www.alexmackenzie.ca

Intertidal: A Film Performance by Alex MacKenzie
Friday, May 31, 2013
7:30pm
CineCycle, 129 Spadina Avenue (down the lane)
Admission: $5 LIFT & Pleasure Dome members, $8 non-members

Handmade Emulsion: Creating Black and White Film Stock From Scratch
Saturday, June 1, 2013
10:00am – 6:00pm
Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)
1137 Dupont Street (at Gladstone Avenue)
Cost: $115 LIFT members, $95 non-members
Pre-registration Required. Enrolment limited to 5
Register 416.588.6444

Expanded Cinema: Apparatus and Methodology
Sunday, June 2, 2013
11:00am – 4:00pm
Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT)
1137 Dupont Street (at Gladstone Avenue)
Cost: $60 LIFT members, $50 non-members
Pre-registration Required. Enrolment limited to 10
Register 416.588.6444

The Liaison of Independent Filmmakers of Toronto (LIFT) is Canada’s foremost artist-run production and education organization dedicated to celebrating excellence in the moving image. LIFT exists to provide support and encouragement for independent filmmakers and artists through affordable access to production, post-production and exhibition equipment; professional and creative development; workshops and courses; commissioning and exhibitions; artist-residencies; and a variety of other services. LIFT is supported by its membership, Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, Ontario Trillium Foundation, Ontario Arts Foundation, the Government of Ontario and the Toronto Arts Council.

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For additional information please see http://lift.ca and http://www.alexmackenzie.ca or

or e-mail Executive Director Chris Kennedy at office@lift.on.ca

Friday 31 May 2013 –

Non-members: Various
Members: Various

Location:

Canada