NOVEMBER 21, 2004 --

More than 300 films were screened at the New York International Independent Film Festival, November 12 to 21 at the Cinema East Cinema on Second Avenue in Manhattan.

Running times ranged from a few minutes to over two hours. LPR viewed films from Australia, Canada, Greece,India, Italy, Mexico,Scotland, Spain, Russia, as well as the US, learning about racial tension at Penn State, the career of the late Saul Wellman as a "professional revolutionary". the persecution of the Falun Gong movement in China, the German Shepherd world championships - perhaps some of the festival's directors will go on to great commercial success.

The motivation at this point in their careers is, it seems fair to say, self-expression, not self-aggrandizement. The kind of motivation widely-found, perhaps, on the internet.

LPR liked the comment in the Greek film "Kalabush" that the important thing is not to prevail over heavy-handed authority, but simply to stand against it. The Canadian film,"Sandstorm," about the persecution of the Falun Gong movement in China, showed the terrible price an individual can pay when asserting claims of individual conscience against the oppressive demands of authority, demands that seem to arise from the exercise of power for power's sake.

"Sandstorm" director Michael Mahonen told the audience, at the conclusion of the November 20 screening, that the Chinese government tried to get festivals in Houston and San Francisco to cancel
screenings of the film. He added that these efforts failed. Perhaps Chinese consulates might suggest, instead, that U.S. film festivals offer films that are approved by the Chinese government --extolling, perhaps, reflexive acceptance of authority?

This view was, of course, represented in the "Sandstorm" script. Perhaps it might also be indicated in films about "revolutionaries" -- say Communist
revolutionaries.

The documentary on the life of Saul Wellman made it clear that he went to jail more for his belief than his actions. The documentary did not, however, explore those beliefs. What type of government did Mr. Wellman advocate? If he was simply seeking social reform, why the need to turn to communism, and away
from our Founding legacy of liberty where leaders work for the "common good" while remaining of the people.

This documentary noted that after World War II, Mr. Wellman worked as a Communist to organize Ford autoworkers. The documentary did not acknowledge that the United Auto Workers, under
the leadership of Walter Reuther vigorously opposed communists in the labor movement.

This documentary does note that Mr. Wellman left the Party after Nikita Khrushchev revealed the terrible abuses in the Soviet Union under Stalin. Was it Lenin who declared, in defense of
The Revolution, that one does not make an omelet without breaking eggs? Was this, then, to have been understood as a defense of treating people as eggs -- to
be broken for the benefit of others?

The Indian short film, "One Among You," from director Revathi Radhakrishnan, shows the happy ending in a story about a woman sold into prostitution, who, trying to escape, suffered terrible abuse from her
jailers. In this story, justice was finally realized.

But, as "Kalabush" indicated, for justice to have any chance of prevailing, society needs people willing to seek it out.

Robb Scott, pencil artist from Halifax, Nova Scotia whose work was shown at the festival's opening.

Corrado Ravazzini, director of "Portrtaits -- Snapshots from a Dream," described as a paranormal thriller (80 minutes).

Javier Cantero, director of the Mexican short film "The Analyst."

Jay Frisch, director of "Pulling," about the backroom world of bartending?

Marlon Brando by Jamie Kovacs, another artist whose work ws shown at the opening.

Michael Mahonen, director of "Sandstorm."

David Hale Luff, director of the short film "Red Rocks" - (it is gory).

Anatoli Ivanov, director of "Black Prince," a mystical film drawn from the life of Alexander Pushkin.

The cast of "Sakenara," directed by Alan Chan (on the right).

Stuart Lessner, director of "Sleeping Does Lie." Ed Asner plays a sheriff of a small Texas town who turns out to be a villain. Asner, of TV's Lou Grant fame, is a noted liberal. Is he trying to tell us something in this 24-minute film?

Couple from Toronto, with LPR's apologies for misplacing cards with their names. This actress appeared in
"Birth Control," a short movie directed by Paul Nguyen about population control cops.

The Cast of the campy short film-- "Night of the WereMike II: Attack of The Patula: War of the Pot Monsters," directed by Joe Brady (in blue shirt).