Film Manifestos and Global Cinema Cultures

Scott MacKenzie is Professor of Film and Media Studies at Queen’s University in Ontario. He is co-editor of Films on Ice: Cinemas of the Arctic and Arctic Cinemas and the Documentary Ethos.

• AcknowledgmentsIntroduction. “An Invention without a Future”1. The Avant-Garde(s)The Futurist Cinema (Italy, 1916)F.T. Marinetti, Bruno Corra, et al.Lenin Decree (USSR, 1919)Vladimir Ilyich LeninThe ABCs of Cinema (France, 1917–1921)Blaise CendrarsWE: Variant of a Manifesto (USSR, 1922)Dziga VertovThe Method of Making Workers’ Films (USSR, 1925)Sergei EisensteinConstructivism in the Cinema (USSR, 1928)Alexei GanPreface: Un chien Andalou (France, 1928)Luis BuñuelManifesto of the Surrealists Concerning L’Age d’or (France, 193)The Surrealist GroupManifesto on “Que Viva Mexico” (USA, 1933)The Editors of Experimental FilmSpirit of Truth (France, 1933)Le CorbusierAn Open Letter to the Film Industry and to All Who Are Interested in the Evolution of the Good Film (Hungary, 1934)László Moholy-NagyLight*Form*Movement*Sound (USA, 1935)Mary Ellen ButeProlegomena for All Future Cinema (France, 1952)Guy DebordNo More Flat Feet! (France, 1952)Lettriste InternationalThe Lettristes Disavow the Insulters of Chaplin (France, 1952)Jean-Isidore Isou, Maurice Lemaître, and Gabriel PomerandThe Only Dynamic Art (USA, 1953)Jim DavisA Statement of Principles (USA, 1961)Maya DerenThe First Statement of the New American Cinema Group (USA, 1961)New American Cinema GroupFoundation for the Invention and Creation of Absurd Movies (USA, 1962)Ron RiceFrom Metaphors on Vision (USA, 1963)Stan BrakhageKuchar 8mm Film Manifesto (USA, 1964)George KucharFilm Andepandan [Independents] Manifesto (Japan, 1964)Takahiko Iimura, Koichiro Ishizaki, et al.Discontinuous Films (Canada, 1967)Keewatin DewdneyHand-Made Films Manifesto (Australia, 1968)Ubu Films, ThomsCinema Manifesto (Australia, 1971)Arthur Cantrill and Corinne CantrillFor a Metahistory of Film: Commonplace Notes and Hypotheses (USA, 1971)Hollis FramptonElements of the Void (Greece, 1972)Gregory MarkopoulosSmall Gauge Manifesto (USA, 198)JoAnn Elam and Chuck KleinhansCinema of Transgression Manifesto (USA, 1985)Nick ZeddModern, All Too Modern (USA, 1988)Keith SanbornOpen Letter to the Experimental Film Congress: Let’s Set the Record Straight (Canada, 1989)Peggy Ahwesh, Caroline Avery, et al.Anti-1 Years of Cinema Manifesto (USA, 1996)Jonas MekasThe Decalogue (Czech Republic, 1999)Jan ŠvankmajerYour Film Farm Manifesto on Process Cinema (Canada, 212)Philip Hoffman2. National and Transnational CinemasFrom “The Glass Eye” (Italy, 1933)Leo LonganesiThe Archers’ Manifesto (UK, 1942)Michael Powell and Emeric PressburgerWhat Is Wrong with Indian Films? (India, 1948)Satyajit RayBuñuel the Poet (Mexico, 1951)Octavio PazFrench Cinema Is Over (France, 1952)Serge Berna, Guy Debord, et al.Some Ideas on the Cinema (Italy, 1953)Cesare ZavattiniA Certain Tendency in French Cinema (France, 1954)François TruffautSalamanca Manifesto & Conclusions of the Congress of Salamanca (Spain, 1955)Juan Antonio BardemFree Cinema Manifestos (UK, 1956–1959)Committee for Free CinemaThe Oberhausen Manifesto (West Germany, 1962)Alexander Kluge, Edgar Reitz, et al.Untitled [Oberhausen 1965] (West Germany, 1965)Jean-Marie Straub, Rodolf Thome, Dirk Alvermann, et al.The Mannheim Declaration (West Germany, 1967)Joseph von Sternberg, Alexander Kluge, et al.Sitges Manifesto (Spain, 1967)Manuel Revuelta, Antonio Artero, Joachin Jordà, and Julián MarcosHow to Make a Canadian Film (Canada, 1967)Guy GloverHow to Not Make a Canadian Film (Canada, 1967)Claude JutraFrom “The Estates General of the French Cinema, May 1968” (France, 1968)Thierry Derocles, Michel Demoule, Claude Chabrol, and Marin KarmitzManifesto of the New Cinema Movement (India, 1968)Arun Kaul and Mrinal SenWhat Is to Be Done? (France, 197)Jean-Luc GodardThe Winnipeg Manifesto (Canada, 1974)Denys Arcand, Colin Low, Don Shebib, et al.Hamburg Declaration of German Filmmakers (West Germany, 1979)Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Wim Wenders, et al.Manifesto I (Denmark, 1984)Lars von TrierManifesto II (Denmark, 1987)Lars von TrierManifesto III: I Confess! (Denmark, 199)Lars von TrierThe Cinema We Need (Canada, 1985)R. Bruce ElderPathways to the Establishment of a Nigerian Film Industry (Nigeria, 1985)Ola BalogunManifesto of 1988 (German Democratic Republic, 1988)Young DEFA FilmmakersIn Praise of a Poor Cinema (Scotland, 1993)Colin McArthurDogme ’95 Manifesto and Vow of Chastity (Denmark, 1995)Lars von Trier and Thomas VinterbergI Sinema Manifesto (Indonesia, 1999)Dimas Djayadinigrat, Enison Sinaro, et al.3. Third Cinemas, Colonialism, Decolonization, and PostcolonialismManifesto of the New Cinema Group (Mexico, 1961)El grupo nuevo cineCinema and Underdevelopment (Argentina, 1962)Fernando BirriThe Aesthetics of Hunger (Brazil, 1965)Glauber RochaFor an Imperfect Cinema (Cuba, 1969)Julio García EspinosaTowards a Third Cinema: Notes and Experiences for the Development of a Cinema of Liberation in the Third World (Argentina, 1969)Fernando Solanas and Octavio GetinoFilm Makers and the Popular Government Political Manifesto (Chile, 197)Comité de cine de la unidad popularConsciousness of a Need (Uruguay, 197)Mario HandlerMilitant Cinema: An Internal Category of Third Cinema (Argentina, 1971)Octavio Getino and Fernando SolanasFor Colombia 1971: Militancy and Cinema (Colombia, 1971)Carlos AlvarezThe Cinema: Another Face of Colonised Québec (Canada, 1971)Association professionnelle des cinéastes du Québec8 Millimeters versus 8 Millions (Mexico, 1972)Jaime Humberto Hermosillo, Arturo Ripstein, Paul Leduc, et al.Manifesto of the Palestinian Cinema Group (Palestine, 1973)Palestinian Cinema GroupResolutions of the Third World Filmmakers Meeting (Algeria, 1973)Fernando Birri, Ousmane Sembene, Jorge Silva, et al.The Luz e Ação Manifesto (Brazil, 1973)Carlos Diegues, Glauber Rocha, et al.Problems of Form and Content in Revolutionary Cinema (Bolivia, 1976)Jorge SanjinésManifesto of the National Front of Cinematographers (Mexico, 1975)Paul Leduc, Jorge Fons, et al.The Algiers Charter on African Cinema (Algeria, 1975)FEPACI (Fédération panafricaine des cinéastes)Declaration of Principles and Goals of the Nicaraguan Institute of Cinema (Nicaragua, 1979)Nicaraguan Institute of CinemaWhat Is the Cinema for Us? (Mauritania, 1979)Med HondoNiamey Manifesto of African Filmmakers (Niger, 1982)FEPACI (Fédération panafricaine des cinéastes)Black Independent Filmmaking: A Statement by the Black Audio Film Collective (UK, 1983)John AkomfrahFrom Birth Certificate of the International School of Cinema and Television in San Antonio de Los Baños, Cuba, Nicknamed the School of Three Worlds (Cuba, 1986)Fernando BirriFeCAViP Manifesto (France, 199)Federation of Caribbean Audiovisual ProfessionalsFinal Communique of the First Frontline Film Festival and Workshop (Zimbabwe, 199)SADCC (South African Development Coordination Conference)Pocha Manifesto #1 (USA, 1994)Sandra Peña-SarmientoPoor Cinema Manifesto (Cuba, 24)Humberto SolásJollywood Manifesto (Haiti, 28)Ciné InstituteThe Toronto Declaration: No Celebration of Occupation (Canada, 29)John Greyson, Naomi Klein, et al.4. Gender, Feminist, Queer, Sexuality, and Porn ManifestosWoman’s Place in Photoplay Production (USA, 1914)Alice Guy-BlachéHands Off Love (France, 1927)Maxime Alexandre, Louis Aragon, et al.The Perfect Filmic Appositeness of Maria Montez (USA, 1962)Jack SmithOn Film No. 4 (In Taking the Bottoms of 365 Saints of Our Time) (UK, 1967)Yoko OnoStatement (USA, 1969)Kenneth AngerWet Dream Film Festival Manifesto (The Netherlands, 197)S.E.L.F. (Sexual Egalitarianism and Libertarian Fraternity)Women’s Cinema as Counter-Cinema (UK, 1973)Claire JohnstonManifesto for a Non-sexist Cinema (Canada, 1974)FECIP (Fédération européenne du cinéma progressiste)Womanifesto (USA, 1975)Feminists in the MediaVisual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema (UK, 1975)Laura MulveyAn Egret in the Porno Swamp: Notes of Sex in the Cinema (Sweden, 1977)Vilgot SjömanFor the Self-Expression of the Arab Woman (France, 1978)Heiny Srour, Salma Baccar, and Magda WassefManifesto of the Women Filmmakers (West Germany, 1979)Verband der FilmarbeiterinnenWimmin’s Fire Brigade Communiqué (Canada, 1982)Wimmin’s Fire BrigadeThoughts on Women’s Cinema: Eating Words, Voicing Struggles (USA, 1986)Yvonne RainerThe Post Porn Modernist Manifesto (USA, 1989)Annie Sprinkle, Veronica Vera, et al.Statement of African Women Professionals of Cinema, Television and Video (Burkina Faso, 1991)FEPACI (Fédération panafricaine des cinéastes)Puzzy Power Manifesto: Thoughts on Women and Pornography (Denmark, 1998)Vibeke Windeløv, Lene Børglum, et al.Cinema with Tits (Spain, 1998)Icíar BollaínMy Porn Manifesto (France, 22)OvidieNo More Mr. Nice Gay: A Manifesto (USA, 29)Todd VerowBarefoot Filmmaking Manifesto (UK, 29)Sally PotterDirty Diaries Manifesto (Sweden, 29)Mia Engberg5. Militating HollywoodCode to Govern the Making of Talking, Synchronized and Silent Motion Pictures (Motion Picture Production Code) (USA, 193)Motion Picture Producers and Distributors of AmericaRed Films: Soviets Spreading Doctrine in U.S. Theatres (USA, 1935)William Randolph HearstStatement of Principles (USA, 1944)Motion Picture Alliance for the Preservation of American IdealsScreen Guide for Americans (USA, 1947)Ayn RandWhite Elephant Art vs. Termite Art (USA, 1962)Manny FarberSuper Fly: A Summary of Objections by the Kuumba Workshop (USA, 1972)Kuumba WorkshopThe World Is Changing: Some Thoughts on Our Business (USA, 1991)Jeffrey KatzenbergFull Frontal Manifesto (USA, 21)Steven Soderbergh6. The Creative Treatment of ActualityTowards a Social Cinema (France, 193)Jean VigoFrom “First Principles of Documentary” (UK, 1932)John GriersonManifesto on the Documentary Film (UK, 1933)Oswell BlakestonDeclaration of the Group of Thirty (France, 1953)Jean Painlevé, Jacques-Yves Cousteau, Alain Resnais, et al.Initial Statement of the Newsreel (USA, 1967)New York NewsreelNowsreel, or the Potentialities of a Political Cinema (USA, 197)Robert Kramer, New York NewsreelDocumentary Filmmakers Make Their Case (Poland, 1971)Bohdan Kosinski, Krzysztof Kieslowski, and Tomasz ZygadloThe Asian Filmmakers at Yamagata YIDFF Manifesto (Japan, 1989)Kidlat Tahimik, Stephen Teo, et al.Minnesota Declaration: Truth and Fact in Documentary Cinema (Germany, 1999)Werner HerzogDefocus Manifesto (Denmark, 2)Lars von TrierKill the Documentary as We Know It (USA, 22)Jill GodmilowEthnographic Cinema (EC): A Manifesto{ths}/{ths}A Provocation (USA, 23)Jay RubyReality Cinema Manifesto (Russia, 25)Vitaly ManskiyDocumentary Manifesto (USA, 28)Albert MayslesChina Independent Film Festival Manifesto: Shamans * Animals (People’s Republic of China, 211)By several documentary filmmakers who participated and also who did not participate in the festival7. States, Dictatorships, the Comintern, and TheocraciesCapture the Film! Hints on the Use of, Out of the Use of, Proletarian Film Propaganda (USA, 1925)Willi MünzenbergThe Legion of Decency Pledge (USA, 1938)Archbishop John McNicholasCreative Film (Germany, 1935)Joseph GoebbelsVigilanti Cura: On Motion Pictures (Vatican City, 1936)Pope Pius XIFour Cardinal Points of A Revolução de Maio (Portugal, 1937)António Lopes RibeiroFrom On the Art of Cinema (North Korea, 1973)Kim Jong-il8. Archives, Museums, Festivals, and CinemathequesA New Source of History: The Creation of a Depository for Historical Cinematography (Poland/France, 1898)Boleslaw MatuszewskiThe Film Prayer (USA, c. 192)A. P. HollisThe Film Society (UK, 1925)Iris BarryFilmliga Manifesto (The Netherlands, 1927)Joris Ivens, Henrik Scholte, Men’no Ter Bbaak, et al.Statement of Purposes (USA, 1948)Amos Vogel, Cinema 16The Importance of Film Archives (UK, 1948)Ernest LindgrenA Plea for a Canadian Film Archive (Canada, 1949)Hye BossinOpen Letter to Film-Makers of the World (USA, 1966)Jonas MekasA Declaration from the Committee for the Defense of La Cinémathèque française (France, 1968)Committee for the Defense of La Cinémathèque françaiseFilmmakers versus the Museum of Modern Art (USA, 1969)Hollis Frampton, Ken Jacobs, and Michael SnowAnthology Film Archives Manifesto (USA, 197)P. Adams SitneyToward an Ethnographic Film Archive (USA, 1971)Alan LomaxBrooklyn Babylon Cinema Manifesto (USA, 1998)Scott Miller Berry and Stephen Kent JusickDon’t Throw Film Away: The FIAF 7th Anniversary Manifesto (France, 28)Hisashi Okajima and La fédération internationale des archives du film Manifesto Working GroupThe Lindgren Manifesto: The Film Curator of the Future (Italy, 21)Paolo Cherchi UsaiFilm Festival Form: A Manifesto (UK, 212)Mark Cousins9. Sounds and SilenceA Statement on Sound (USSR, 1928)Sergei Eisenstein, Vsevolod Pudovkin, and Grigori AlexandrovA Rejection of the Talkies (USA, 1931)Charlie ChaplinA Dialogue on Sound: A Manifesto (UK, 1934)Basil Wright and B. Vivian BraunAmalfi Manifesto (Italy, 1967)Michelangelo Antonioni, Bernardo Bertolucci, Pier Paolo Pasolini, et al.10. The Digital RevolutionCulture: Intercom and Expanded Cinema: A Proposal and Manifesto (USA, 1966)Stan VanDerBeekThe Digital Revolution and the Future Cinema (Iran, 2)Samira MakhmalbafThe Pluginmanifesto (UK, 21)Ana KronschnablDigital Dekalogo: A Manifesto for a Filmless Philippines (The Philippines, 23)Khavn de la Cruz11. Aesthetics and the Futures of the CinemaThe Birth of the Sixth Art (France, 1911)Ricciotto CanudoMemo from Walt Disney to Don Graham (USA, 1935)Walt DisneyThe Birth of a New Avant Garde: La caméra-stylo (France, 1948)Alexandre AstrucFrom Preface to Film (UK, 1954)Raymond WilliamsThe Snakeskin (Sweden, 1965)Ingmar BergmanManifesto (Italy, 1965)Roberto Rossellini, Bernardo Bertolucci, Tinto Brass, et al.Manifesto on the Release of La Chinoise (France, 1967)Jean-Luc GodardDirect Action Cinema Manifesto (USA, 1985)Rob NilssonRemodernist Film Manifesto (USA, 28)Jesse RichardsThe Age of Amateur Cinema Will Return (People’s Republic of China, 21)Jia ZhangkeAppendix. What Is a Manifesto Film?NotesAcknowledgments of PermissionsIndex