About this project
Other Cinema is a long-standing bastion of experimental film, video and performance located in San Francisco's Mission District. Although under different names and housed in different locations, Other Cinema origins span back to 1978, when its founder Craig Baldwin began curating film shows at Film Offensive, at 21st and Valencia, right next to its present location at Artists’ Television Access.
In the spirit of the times, Baldwin sought to offer an alternative in reaction to the canonization of avant-garde films, which he and many others felt had become academic and institutionalized. As Baldwin says, “I didn’t see anything coming up from the ground that ended up on the screens,” so he began digging for these contemporary expressions, and has successfully curated them to this day. Other Cinema has fostered and shaped a vibrant and engaged community and supported many filmmakers, emerging and established, for over 27 years.
However, despite the boundless energy Baldwin pours into these weekly screenings, the Mission District has changed in ways that are perhaps not ideal for Other Cinema’s future. Gentrification of the neighborhood has called the certainty of OC’s continuation into serious question.
Other Cinema is in need of assistance from its friends, all-around admirers, and worldwide community. Help us keep this rich tradition alive for the exact reasons that it was first conceived—to celebrate and champion the works of underground media makers.
Here’s just a very short list of filmmakers and artists who have premiered their work at Other Cinema: Barbie Liberation Organization, Roger Beebe, Yin-Ju Chen, Jem Cohen, David Cox, Martha Colburn, Bill Daniel, Carl Diehl, Gerry Fialka, Goldwave, Sam Green, Todd Haynes, James T. Hong, Salise Hughes, Matt McCormick, Anne McGuire, Katherin McInnis, Bill Morrison, Negativland, Kerry Laitala, Jesse Lerner, Shalo P., Damon Packard, People Like Us, Potter-Belmar Labs, Vanessa Renwick, Ben Rivers, Ben Russell, Lynne Sachs, Sylvia Schedelbauer, Kelly Sears, Semiconductor, Greta Snider, Melinda Stone, Deborah Stratman, Cyrus Tabar, and Ben Wood.
Visit our website at www.othercinema.com
Press Quotes:
"Baldwin, under all these aliases, may be the longest-running punk-eclectic-experimental fusion programmer in the Bay Area, and that’s with no grant funding.”–V. Vale, Radical Light: Alternative Film and Video in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945-2000
“San Francisco’s Other Cinema typically offers a range of extreme beatnik, hippie and punk films”–J. Hoberman, Village Voice
“A ravishing exploration of the blurred boundaries of politics and personal film art.”–Edward Crouse, Village Voice
“Other Cinema is the community adhesive that binds local and traveling filmmakers to the broader media culture.” David Cox, Sign Wars: The Culture Jammers Strike Back
“Other Cinema, the Valencia Street sanctuary for cinematic extremity of all stripes.”–Steve Polta, San Francisco Cinemateque
“Silliness and surrealism are right at home.”–Dennis Harvey, Variety
“Unreel world: All year long, Other Cinema programs scramble viewers brains like so many eggs.”–Susan Gerhard, SF Bay Guardian
“Other Cinema keeps the mondo-trendo-retro-wacko ball rolling.”–Kelly Vance, East Bay Express
“But perhaps an even more essential catalyst for the revival of experimental film was the proliferation of more homespun venues, like Other Cinema”–Brian L. Frye, Radical Light: Alternative Film and Video in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945-2000
“Wild-ass wigged-out, red-hot-live video remixes (of bad TV)”–SF Bay Guardian
Original "Campaign 2000" box from Bryan Boyce’s video "Election Collectibles"
FAQ
Have a question? If the info above doesn't help, you can ask the project creator directly.
121
Backers
$5,535
pledged of $5,000 goal
0
seconds to go
Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on February 6.
Pledge $1 or more Pledge $1 or more
Your name on the roster of supporters on the Other Cinema website
Pledge $11 or more Pledge $11 or more
Edition of the infamous "War Is Over" prank issue of The New York Times, guerrilla-published by the Yes Men.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
DVD of “Crooked Beauty,” Ken Paul Rosenthal’s poetic documentary that chronicles an artist-writer’s transformative journey from psych ward patient to pioneering mental health advocacy, and explores living with madness as a tool of creativity, inspiration and hope. www.crookedbeauty.com
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
DVD of Megan Prelinger’s movie "Rockets of Yesterday," depicting a journey to the Moon and Mars, with a soundtrack by Matmos and NASA audio recordings.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
One T-shirt (American Apparel). White ink on black shirt with “hairy” Other Cinema logo.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
One historic, signed VHS tape of “Bringing it To You! The ®™ark Video,” an early project of the Yes Men.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
DVD of Negativland’s “Our Favorite Things. ” 27 years of the group's "greatest hits" have become all-new moving pictures.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
DVD of “Who Is Bozo Texino?”, Bill Daniel’s picaresque chronicle of a 16-year search for the source of a ubiquitous rail graffiti—a simple sketch of a blank-staring character with an infinity-shaped hat.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
DVD of “The Muse of Cinema” by Kerry Laitala. A rowdy frolic through early moving picture technology, illuminating the atmosphere of the darkened theater.
Pledge $22 or more Pledge $22 or more
One Brion Gysin-inspired hand-made postcard by Kelly Sears. Cut up and cryptic communiqués from the past. Approx. 4” x 6”
Pledge $33 or more Pledge $33 or more
Double DVD set of "Orphans in Space." Films on this DVD include "A Trip to the Planets" (Paramount Pitograph, 1920); "Meteorites" (Pavel Klushantsev, 1947), "Beyond the Moon" (R.E. Barnes, 1965); "Project Apollo" (Ed Emshwiller, 1968); "Galaxies" (Lillian Schwartz, 1974); "Men in Orbit" (John Lurie, 1979), "Teenage Cosmonauts" (USSR, 1980); and "These Blazeing Starrs!" a new film by Deborah Stratman.
Pledge $33 or more Pledge $33 or more
DVD of “Chromatic Cocktail” by Kerry Laitala. Motion / color / light studies in Chroma-Depth. Comes with 3D glasses!
Pledge $33 or more Pledge $33 or more
One photograph of “Craig Baldwin, Collage Essayist” by Bill Daniel, from the “Tri-X-Noise” series. Silver gelatin print, signed. 8” x 10”
Pledge $33 or more Pledge $33 or more
One photograph of “Film Cave, Other Cinema” by Bill Daniel, from the “Tri-X-Noise” series. Silver gelatin print, signed. 8” x 10”
Pledge $33 or more Pledge $33 or more
“Shadows, Spectres, Shards: Making History in Avant-Garde Film,” book by Jeffrey Skoller. Examines experimental films, including work by Eleanor Antin, Ernie Gehr, and Jean-Luc Godard. Paperback, 264 pages, 2005.
Pledge $44 or more Pledge $44 or more
Craig Baldwin’s personal, used copy of “Radical Light, Alternative Film and Video in the San Francisco Bay Area, 1945-2000”, including original white Post-It tape, basement schmutz, fingerprints, and personalized message. This kaleidoscopic collection of essays, interviews, photographs, and artist-designed pages chronicles the vibrant and influential history of experimental cinema in the San Francisco Bay Area. Paperback, 352 pages, 2010. Unique object.
Pledge $44 or more Pledge $44 or more
DVD of "Benjamin Smoke", a film by Jem Cohen & Peter Sillen, incl. 45 min. extras, plus a signed poster of the film.
Pledge $55 or more Pledge $55 or more
One portrait of Patti Smith by Jem Cohen. Inkjet print, unframed, signed by Jem Cohen.
Pledge $66 or more Pledge $66 or more
One Box-Set of Craig Baldwin’s films, including “Mock Up On Mu,” “Spectres of the Spectrum,” “Sonic Outlaws,” “Tribulation 99,” “RocketKit KongoKit,” and “Wild Gunman” plus special gift.
Pledge $88 or more Pledge $88 or more
Signed exhibition catalog, including an original drawing on the inside sleeve, plus a signed digital print of "Where Is My Vote?" by Martha Colburn.
Pledge $99 or more Pledge $99 or more
One Year Pass to Other Cinema. Free admission to Other Cinema screenings for one year.
Pledge $99 or more Pledge $99 or more
Special collection of films by Academy Award-nominated maker Sam Green. Includes "Lot 63, Grave C"; "Utopia"; "Clear Glasses"; "The Rainbow Man / John 3:16"; "The Weather Underground"; and "The Universal Language".
Pledge $111 or more Pledge $111 or more
One original artwork by Anne McGuire entitled “RedWing” (2011). Water color, stamp on paper, framed. 8” x 8”
Pledge $122 or more Pledge $122 or more
Triple 7-inch vinyl set by The Dramatics (Martha Colburn and Jason Willett), “Garbage for Your Gut.” Cover hand-made by Martha Colburn. 33 RPM, 1996, Stomach Ache, RRR Records, US
Pledge $222 or more Pledge $222 or more
One original mixed-media lino-cut collage “Survivor” by Martha Colburn. Watercolor, ink, linoleum cut, collage.
Pledge $222 or more Pledge $222 or more
One black and white never before published photographic print entitled "Björk at Cannes" after accepting her award for Best Actress, by Mark Brecke. RC Pearl Finish. 16x20.
Pledge $222 or more Pledge $222 or more
One 3D Viewmaster Portrait by Greta Snider & Johunna Grayson. A Viewmaster Portrait of someone in the Bay Area. 1 Portrait sitting (1 hour plus hand processing) yielding 1 or 2 custom Viewmaster reels.
Pledge $255 or more Pledge $255 or more
One original digital inkjet print (artist’s proof) entitled “Skullcap Aurora” by Ben Rivers. Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth 305g, 36cm x 23cm
Pledge $333 or more Pledge $333 or more
Portrait of William S. Burroughs and Anne Waldman by Pamela Mosher (a.k.a. Kamera Zie), originally published on the cover of "Search and Destroy" #10, 1978, silver gelatin print, framed, signed.
Pledge $444 or more Pledge $444 or more
Mint condition Landscape Coin in pure silver, in presentation case inside specially handmade box. A unique, uncirculated, undistributed artwork by Megan and Rick Prelinger.
Pledge $444 or more Pledge $444 or more
"Hippie Houseboat Sausalito 2002", from the Sunset Scavenger Project, by Bill Daniel. Silver gelatin print, signed. 16" x 20"
Pledge $555 or more Pledge $555 or more
"John Easley East Bound," from the LA MOCA exhibition "Art in the Streets", by Bill Daniel. Silver gelatin print, signed. 42" x 62"
Pledge $5,555 or more Pledge $5,555 or more
One original Survival Ball by the Yes Men. An original prop from the film “The Yes Men Fix The World.”
Pledge $9,999 or more Pledge $9,999 or more
The original macaroni-art "Campaign 2000" box from Bryan Boyce’s video "Election Collectibles." As George W. said, "Can you imagine what this thing will be worth 10 years from now?"
Project By
Has not connected their Facebook account.
Other Cinema is a long-standing bastion of experimental film, video, and performance in San Francisco's Mission District. We are inspired and sustained by the ongoing practice of fine-art filmmaking, as well as engaged essay and documentary forms. But OC also embraces marginalized genres like "orphan" industrial films, home movies, ethnography, and exploitation, as media-archeological core-samples, and blows against consensus reality and the sterility of museum culture.
Whether avant-garde or engagé, our emphasis is on the radical subjectivities and sub-cultural sensibilities that find expression in what used to be called "underground cinema".
Our calendars are curated on a semi-annual basis, mostly comprised of polymorphous group shows--several pieces, in different moving-image and intermedia formats--organized around a common theme. Almost always the artist herself appears in person, bringing new work to a energized microcinema audience opting for the provocative images and ideas only available in a non-commercial and non-academic salon environment.
Conceived and stewarded by Craig Baldwin, with a whole lotta help from ATA Gallery, Steve Polta, Christine Metropoulos, and others in a core collective whose commitment has created a space for contemporary cinematic expression and exchange.
