New Brakhage prints at Canyon: Gift (1973) and Chartres Series (1994)

Posted May 31st, 2018 in Announcements, New Acquisitions, New Films, News / Events

Through the courtesy of the Estate of Stan Brakhage and the Academy Film Archive we are pleased to announce two recent additions to the Canyon catalog:

For the first time in distribution at Canyon Cinema,  a new print of Stan Brakhage’s Gift is now available.

Gift (1973 | 2. 5 min | color | silent)

A “found object of paint and mold” given to Brakhage by the poet David Meltzer. According to Jane Brakhage, Stan did nothing to it but see it, splice it, and add titles. (From Barrett and Brabner. Stan Brakhage: A Guide to References and Resources)

Also a new 16mm print of Brakhage’s beloved hand-painted film Chartres Series has recently received:

Chartres Series (1994 | 9 min | color | silent)

A year and a half ago the filmmaker Nick Dorsky, hearing I was going to France, insisted I must see the Chartres Cathedral. I, who had studied picture books of its great stained-glass windows, sculpture and architecture for years, having also read Henry Adams’ great book three times, willingly complied and had an experience of several hours (in the discreet company of French filmmaker Jean-Michele Bouhours) which surely transformed my aesthetics more than any other single experience. Then Marilyn’s sister died; and I, who could not attend the funeral, sat down alone and began painting on film one day, this death in mind … Chartres in mind. Eight months later the painting was completed on four little films which comprise a suite in homage to Chartres and dedicated to Wendy Jull.