Boston Underground Film Festival 2009

On the surface, these films all have very little in common other than that they're (more or less) non-narrative and they all contain some far-out and unusual imagery. But allow yourself to be lost in the logic of each film and of the program as a whole, and they can fine-tune your senses in unique and unexpected ways as you begin to discover connections not immediately apparent. In many ways, these small experimental works are more radical in the ways they confront and challenge your perceptions than the more obviously subversive films elsewhere in the festival program.

This program is structured in two ways: the first half is comprised of works by film and video artists presented on video; the second half are works presented on 16mm film. On another level, the films move from the absurd to the sublime, from subject to object to the beyond. Some films may test your patience, but if you sink in and let them work their magic, you're in for a treat. From Magsamen + Hillerbrand's surreal PB&J gross-out "Let's Get Married" to Robert Todd's profoundly moving spiritual investigation in "Spirit House," this is a truly strange trip. I hope you enjoy it. Tune in, turn on, drop out, and dig these films!

Let's Get Married
Mary Magsamen + Stephan Hillerbrand, 3.5 min.

Poltron y Perezoso
Heidi Zienty, 5 min.

Trinity of Three Dragons
Orland Nutt, 9 min.

Boyant
Akosua Adoma Owusu, 5 min.

The Illogic of a Dream Had Taken Over Completely
Ruby Quincunx, 5 min.

Polar
Scott Nyerges, 1 min.

Set Stories
Ron Resendes, 7 min.

Kitschen Sink
Lauren Stambaugh, 2.5 min.

Dig
Robert Todd, 2.5 min.

Black and White Trypps Number Four
Ben Russell, 10.5 min.

Trypps #5 (Dubai)
Ben Russell, 3 min.

Infrastructure
John McCarthy, 5.5 min.

tour/TOWER
Roger Beebe, 5 min.

Spirit House
Robert Todd, 10 min.