Kenneth Anger to Appear at 48th Ann Arbor Film Fest

Legacies collide as 82-year-old Anger returns to Ann Arbor. The Ann Arbor Film Festival has been selected as one of two dozen film festivals nationwide to receive a generous grant from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. This award supports a tribute to American avant-garde icon Kenneth Anger at the 48th festival (March 23 - 28, 2010). This tribute to Anger will include multiple screenings of his work and a live on-stage conversation with him at the historic Michigan Theater.

As one of the seminal figures of post-war American avant-garde filmmaking, Anger’s imprint on the contemporary film world is pervasive, with direct influences on filmmakers Martin Scorcese, David Lynch, Gus Van Sant, Andy Warhol, George Lucas, and Guy Maddin. Anger’s early works were exhibited at the Ann Arbor Film Festival in the 1960s/1970s.

Included in the tribute will be recent 35mm restorations of Anger’s films by UCLA, preserved through the Avant-Garde Masters program funded by The Film Foundation and administered by the National Film Preservation Foundation. After the film Anger will be present onstage at the historic Michigan Theater for an interview and audience Q&A. 

Anger’s participation in the 48th Ann Arbor Film Festival supports the organization's commitment to providing audiences with an understanding of the historical context for independent filmmaking. With the 50th anniversary of the Ann Arbor Film Festival approaching, the AAFF is focusing attention on the festival’s important contributions to the history and success of independent filmmakers.

"We are honored to receive support from the Academy to bring Kenneth Anger to Ann Arbor for our 48th festival," states Donald Harrison, Executive Director of the AAFF. "It's significant that the Academy recognizes the importance of paying tribute to Kenneth Anger at the Ann Arbor Film Festival, a forum renowned for screening avant-garde films made outside of the movie industry. We are thrilled to share this rare appearance with our audiences."

The Academy-supported tribute to Kenneth Anger will take place on Saturday, March 27, 2010 during the 48th Ann Arbor Film Festival. The six-day festival screens nearly 200 independent films from dozens of countries, featuring the finest of experimental and independent films of all genres and lengths, as well as panel discussions, lectures, parties and live performances. The full program of films will be announced March 1, 2010.