Beat Cinema 2: Beat Scene

Posted on Sep 28, 2012

Curated and introduced by Jack Sargeant

 Underground film scholar and curator Jack Sargeant has long been fascinated by beat culture, which formed the basis for his book NAKED LENS: BEAT CINEMA (Soft Skull, 2008, first published in 1997), through three editions the book has become the definitive exploration of the beats and film. Combining works made by beat writers, their friends, affiliates and underground filmmakers, these three screenings offer a rare glimpse into areas such as ‘spontaneous’ cinema, improvised underground film, and beat notions of creativity. Mixing documentary works with experimental films, narrative features and dreamlike escapades; these films highlight the beat relation to cinema.

 Jack Sargeant (Australia) is the author of numerous books and articles on underground film and contemporary countercultures, he has toured and curated screenings of underground and cult films across the world.

PROGRAM 2: Beat Scene

The session explores the nature of beat poetry and literature as spontaneous and improvised. These two films play (and expose) the nature of improvised creativity.

WNDX acknowledges the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts in allowing us to bring Jack Sargeant to Winnipeg.