The Territory 31st Season


THE TERRITORY SEASON 31 (2007) The Territory series showcases new directions in film, video, and digital art. The 31st season is a provocative mix of experimental, documentary, narrative, and animated shorts that allows the audience to take TV trips around the world and to major film festivals. The Territory is produced by the Southwest Alternate Media Project, the Austin Museum of Art, and HoustonPBS, in cooperation with The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. The 31st Season of The Territory airs on Tuesday nights at 11:00PM on Channel 8, HoustonPBS. Click here for the PBS listings for The Territory. Click on images to see full size photos; click on titles to see production credits.
Delivery Life Against Memory	PROGRAM 1 (February 13, 2007) *Loon Dreaming (La Rêve du huard)* Iriz Paabo, Canada, 2002, 7:37 minutes In this exquisite animated piece, we soar from a bird’s-eye view of the world outside to the internal landscape of the marvelous creature that imagines it. Delivery Till Nowak, Germany, 2005, 9 minutes In this futuristic tale, a solitary inventor living outside a ravaged city tests the limits of his creativity. The Erlking Ben Zelkowicz, Canada, 2002, 5 minutes Sand-on-glass animation lends a stylized, woodcut quality to this sad, haunting tale inspired by Goethe’s poetry and Shubert’s music. Life Against Memory Evan Torchin & James Webb, Texas, 4:30 minutes Reality seems to have the capricious upper hand in this drama about perception.
Berlin Beirut Cory Arcangel/Beige, ”Beach Boys / Geto Boys,” 2004. Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York.	PROGRAM (February 20, 2007) Berlin Beirut Myrna Maakaron, Germany, 2003, 22 minutes This experimental memoir contrasts a young woman’s experiences in two divided cities where violence and conflict have shaped the forces of everyday life. Beach Boys / Geto Boys Cory Arcangel, New York, 2004, 4:15 minutes In an unlikely blend of an urban hip-hop rant and a classic rock 'n' roll ballad, this film celebrates coming of age in two very different American eras.
Frontera	PROGRAM 3 (February 27, 2007) Frontera Luis Salinas, Mexico/Texas, 2006, 25:57 minutes This well-crafted documentary traces the plight of migrants and so-called “illegals” on both sides of the Rio Grande, who always seem to have one border to cross.
Sommarlek	PROGRAM 4 (March 6, 2007) Sommarlek (Summer Play) Axel Danielson, Sweden, 2004, 15:02 minutes This dark but tender coming-of-age story set in the Swedish countryside probes the strange interplay of summer rituals and sexual awakening. Dilemma Boris Pavel Conen, The Netherlands, 2005, 9:59 minutes What would you do if you had time to really think through and intervene in a life-changing, split-second decision?
Mary Lucier, ”Arabesque,” 2004. Courtesy Electronic Arts Intermix (EAI), New York	PROGRAM 5 (March 13, 2007) Copenhagen Cycles Eric Dyer, Maryland, 2006, 6:31 minutes Denmark’s capital city is captured in a kinetic collage of images with an inspired jazz score in this documentary update of the “city symphony” tradition. Dies irae (Day of Wrath) Jean-Gabriel Periot, France, 2005, 10 minutes Cascading still images create hypnotic, flowing impressions that transform familiar passageways into barren geometric dreamscapes. Arabesque Mary Lucier, New York, 2004, 7:11 minutes A routine bull ride and a classic country tune are transposed through digital abstraction into a graceful, re-imagined rodeo. Souvenir Stephen Rose, California, 2005, 4:56 minutes Low tech meets high concept in this bittersweet fable of epic proportions shot entirely with a toy camera.
» PROGRAM 6 (March 20, 2007) Ryan Chris Landreth, Canada, 2004, 13:50 minutes This portrait of the legendary animator Ryan Larkin creates a nightmare vision of a life and career that somehow went terribly awry. The Brainwashers Patrick Bouchard, Canada, 2002, 12 minutes In this chilling piece, a man is taken to a doctor’s office, but not for an ordinary check up.
Medusa: The First Date	PROGRAM 7 (March 27, 2007) Hadacol Christmas Brent Green, Pennsylvania, 2005, 10:51 minutes This inventive, mixed-media animation tells a hallucinatory tale about Santa’s affliction with an age-old problem. Morir de amor Gil Alkabetz, Germany, 2004, 12:07 minutes While their owner is having his siesta, two old caged parrots rake up memories from the past, with unexpected consequences of all of them. Medusa: The First Date Pierce Davison, Australia, 2004, 3 minutes All she wants is to be loved for herself, as Medusa takes a chance on a blind date with Eric, the physicist.
Ester	PROGRAM 8 (April 3, 2007) Francis Brent Green, Pennsylvania, 2002, 5 minutes Inspired by a dream, this narrative tells of an elderly woman who taunts bears in her backyard in the hope that they will eat her. Stiltwalkers Sjaak Meilnik, Canada, 2002, 5 minutes A solitary fisherman carves and sketches to pass the time; but on this day, his creations seem to have a life of their own. Ester Petra Elmquist & Pernilla Johansson, Sweden, 2004, 3:14 minutes A woman becomes her idol through the power of will and a rich imagination. How to Cope with Rejection Chris Waitt, United Kingdom, 2005, 4:30 minutes After some futile attempts, a young slacker resorts to drastic measures to reclaim his ex-girlfriend.
	PROGRAM 9 (April 10, 2007) Bebop Babies Gail Reaben, Texas, 2006, 17:18 minutes Super-8 home movies shot by free-spirited teens capture authentic 1950s girl culture, when rock was young and liberation was a very private ritual. Vincent Valdez: The Art of Boxing Ray Santisteban, Texas, 2006, 9 minutes In this documentary profile, the art of boxing takes on a double meaning for the acclaimed San Antonio artist Vincent Valdez. Photos: Vincent Valdez: The Art of Boxing, photo by Vincent Valdez (left) Bebop Babies (inset)
Carjacking	PROGRAM 10 (April 17, 2007) Amal Richie Mehta, Canada/India, 2004, 18:07 minutes An auto-rickshaw driver in New Delhi seems too good to be true to everyone he meets. Carjacking Lars Blumers, France/Germany, 2006, 8:38 minutes This tragic comedy of errors features a heroine with remarkable survival skills.
PROGRAM 11 (April 24, 2007) K-7 Christopher Leone, California, 2005, 18:07 minutes An ordinary job interview becomes a battle for life or death in this Kafkaesque tale of identity and performance. The Ocularist Vance Malone, California, 2002, 8:20 minutes Using a stunning array of visual techniques, this innovative documentary examines the work of a consummate artisan/scientist.
Caspian Bride	PROGRAM 12 (May 1, 2007) Silent Companion Katayoon Shahabi, Iran, 2001, 14:31 minutes In this haunting film, a communal wedding gown comes to symbolize the fragile hopes of an entire culture in crisis. Caspian Bride Veit Helmer, Germany/Azerbaijan, 2005, 8:32 minutes This offbeat, magical tale, set in an Azerbaijan oilfield, traces the determined efforts of a lovelorn laborer to find his dream girl.
PROGRAM 13 (May 8, 2007) Photos (L-R): Sadiq, Offside, Les Skateurs Sadiq Sean Mullin, Indiana, 2006, 11:44 minutes The good cop/bad cop story takes a frightening turn in this tense morality tale of three combatants somewhere in Iraq. Offside Guy Nattiv & Erez Tadmor, Israel, 2005, 7 minutes Sports and military metaphors collide and become all too real in this gripping intermission during an ancient border conflict. Les Skateurs (The Skaters) Mirko Martin, Germany, 2004, 7:27 minutes Islamic Moroccan skateboarders discuss theology, politics, and emigration.
THE TERRITORY Executive Producers Judith Sims, Austin Museum of Art Mary M. Lampe, Southwest Alternate Media Project Co-Producers Ed Hugetz, The University of Houston Celia Lightfoot, Independent Producer, Houston Marian Luntz, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston Dr. Tom Schatz, The University of Texas at Austin Editor Joe Brueggman, HoustonPBS Director of Programming Ken Lawrence, HoustonPBS Director of Operations Steve Pyndus, HoustonPBS Opening Title Design The Art Guys, Houston Website Angela L. Lee, Houston Linda Cozzen Production Assistance Michelle Mower, Southwest Alternate Media Project Special Thanks 44th Ann Arbor Film Festival Clermont-Ferrand Short Film Festival Electronic Arts Intermix, New York Envie de Tempete Productions, Paris Flickerfest Short Film Festival, Australia The Houston Film Commission Icelandic Film Center Ryan Long, Austin Manhattan Short Film Festival National Film Board of Canada Network Ireland Television, Dublin Screen Door Film, Austin Short Film Festival, KurzFilmAgentur, Hamburg SND Films, Amsterdam Village Films, Rome All text and images © SouthWest Alternate Media Project and/or their respective creators, 2007