settima

biography

Amerikai anzix [American Torso] (Gábor Bódy, 1975)

Feb

12

Lincoln born

Amerikai anzix (1975)

A soldier on a swing set, high up a tree. Other soldiers and civilians look on. Screenshot (and more information) via. DP: István Lugossy.

Yet another [American] Civil War, for Abraham Lincoln's birthday (1809).

 

Shot as fainted fragments* based on an Ambrose Bierce story, and outtakes from Karl Marx's diary, Amerikai anzix (litt. American Postcards) follows Hungarian-American cartographer Fiala, one of many of his countrymen fighting in the American Civil War.

 

*Using a technique described by Bódy as “light editing”, the footage looks worn and grimy.

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (Todd Haynes, 1987)

Feb

4

Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1987)

A brunette Barbie doll representing Karen Carpenter makes a statement in front of the White House. DP: Barry Ellsworth.

“Mother, didn't you know there are children starving in Africa?”

– “Karen Carpenter”

Die große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner [The Great Ecstasy of Woodcarver Steiner] (Werner Herzog, 1974)

Jan

25

Chamonix 1924 Winter Olympics

Die große Ekstase des Bildschnitzers Steiner (1974)

Live footage of Steiner preparing for his flight. DP: Jörg Schmidt-Reitwein.

Winter sports in celebration of the Chamonix 1924 Winter Olympics.

“Ich sollte eigentlich ganz allein auf der Welt sein, ich, Steiner, und sonst kein anderes lebendes Wesen. Keine Sonne, keine Kultur, ich nackt auf einem hohen Fels, kein Sturm, kein Schnee, keine Straßen, keine Banken, kein Geld, keine Zeit und kein Atem. Ich würde dann jedenfalls keine Angst mehr haben.”

– Walter Steiner

In a film that is as much about Herzog as it is about Steiner, we follow the soft-spoken woodcarver in preparation of his definitive ski flight in Planica, Yugoslavia.

Orlando (Sally Potter, 1992)

Jan

24

Billy Zane's birthday

Orlando (1992)

Orlando (Tilda Swinton) and Shelmerdine (Billy Zane) in intimate embrace. DPs: Aleksey Rodionov & Andrew Speller.

A [favourite] Billy Zane film for his birthday (1966).

“This future of yours Shelmerdine, when it's gonna begin? Today? Or, is it always tomorrow?”

– Orlando

As ordered by Queen Elizabeth I (Quentin Crisp), nobleman Orlando remains young and traverses exotic scenery, civilisations, time, and gender.

کلوزآپ ، نمای نزدیک [Klūzāp, nemā-ye nazdīk / Close-Up] (Abbas Kiarostami, 1990)

Jan

19

Nema-ye Nazdik (1990)

Hossain Sabzian on the back of a motorcycle on a busy tree-lined, four lane street. He's holding a large potted rose-red dahlia. DP: Ali Reza Zarrindast.

– Is there anything I can do for you?

– You could make a film about my suffering.

Sprawa Gorgonowej [The Gorgon Case] (Janusz Majewski, 1977)

Dec

30

1931

Sprawa Gorgonowej (1977)

Ewa Dałkowska as governess Rita Gorgonowa. DP: Zygmunt Samosiuk.

Les abysses [The Depths] (Nikos Papatakis, 1963)

Dec

2

sister's birthday

Les abysses (1963)

Michèle and Marie-Louise (real-life sisters Francine and Colette Bergé) as the real-life Papin sisters in their shared bedroom. DP: Jean-Michel Boussaguet.

Sisters for [OP's] sister's birthday.

20 de noviembre de 1936 ¿Te acuerdas de esta fecha, compañero? [20th of November] (1937)

Nov

20

1936

20 de noviembre de 1936 ¿Te acuerdas de esta fecha, compañero? (1937)

Soldiers in silhouette. Disclaimer: I am not 100% sure this still is from the correct film. DP: anonymous.

A documentary made by the Confederación Nacional del Trabajo in honour of anarchist Buenaventura Durruti, who was murdered on November 20, 1936.

“Fascism is not to be debated, it is to be destroyed.”

– Buenaventura Durruti

Na wylot [Through and Through] (Grzegorz Królikiewicz, 1972)

Nov

4

1933

Na wylot (1972)

Maria (Anna Nieborowska) and Jan (Franciszek Trzeciak) in court. The film is based on the 1933 Jan and Maria Malisz’s Case. DP: Bogdan Dziworski.

Na wylot [Through and Through] (Grzegorz Królikiewicz, 1972)

Jul

15

sandwiches

Na wylot (1972)

Jan (Franciszek Trzeciak) and Maria (Anna Nieborowska) share lunch on a bench. DP: Bogdan Dziworski.