Editorial Issue 9 (Sep-Oct 2000)

editorial

welcome to Issue 9 of our journal!

When this journal was first conceived it was never envisaged that it would exist in the shape that it does today. Compared to the modest size of Issue 1, December 1999, which was comprised of 8 articles, the current issue includes over 35 articles not including the 'CTEQ Annotations' - a figure which has been approximated for the last four issues. Yes, the journal has grown, but it has also continued to fill the gap and address the aims that it was originally set up to achieve. These are primarily to provide the space for eclectic, serious and passionate discussion of film, especially underground and alternative cinema. As the editor of Senses of Cinema, I will continue to steer the journal in this direction.

I am excited to present the current issue, which includes essays and interviews on Greek cinema and the Iranian filmmaker, Abbas Kiarostami. The latter is one of the most interesting, challenging and rewarding filmmakers working today, and should be discussed and acknowledged. Melbourne audiences were fortunate to see Kiarostami's latest masterpiece The Wind Will Carry Us at the 49^th Melbourne International Film Festival, which concluded mid-August. Also screening at the Festival were two films by Jem Cohen, Benjamin Smoke and Amber City. In this issue, Rhys Graham provides a fascinating interview with this most spirited and prolific filmmaker. In addition there are essays on Beat cinema, the films of Philippe Garrel and John Cassavetes, modernism in early Australian film, the critical worthiness of the trailer by UK-writer Brad Stevens, Ghost Dog, a comprehensive coverage of the Melbourne International Film Festival, reports from other festivals around the world, a wonderful book review on two recently-released studies of Hong Kong cinema and intriguing, provocative reviews of current releases. On a less positive note, this issue includes a eulogy by long-time admirer Philip Brophy to Jack Nitzsche, who recently passed away. Philip's moving eulogy is a reminder - in this hype-driven, commercialised society - of the many outsiders and loners who work on the fringes of social and aesthetic convention, and whose achievements rarely are acknowledged or appreciated. An important aim of Senses of Cinema is to acknowledge the work of such visionaries.

In addition, there is a solid section on contemporary Australian cinema. Philip Tyndall pays a heartfelt tribute to Paul Cox whilst important recent films like Heaven's Burning and Metal Skin are paid intelligent critical attention. The symposium on suburbia in Australian film brings together a range of contributors - academics, writers, students, an architect, and critics - to reflect on this intriguing topic.

Thank you to everyone who contributed, and for making the issue what it is. Special thanks go to Geoff Gardner and Nicole Brenez for their unfailing and prompt help and, of course, to Adrian Martin, the journal's indispensable Godfather.

So, now I direct you to the contents of this Issue. Enjoy! Go to Contents Issue 9

Fiona A. Villella

Senses of Cinema is an online film journal devoted to the serious and eclectic discussion of cinema. It has been set up to address a lack of cinephilic writing in local discourse, that is, writing sprung from the desire to think and write seriously, knowledgeably and passionately about film.

Senses of Cinema is unique in its eclecticism: it encourages articles of all styles (casual, personal, academic, critical, impressionistic and poetic - or a combination of these), analytical approaches (thematic, psychoanalytic, etc) and subject matter. The only criteria that we prescribe are that all articles are demonstrably passionate, serious, intelligent and insightful reflections and/or analyses on the topic of cinema.

Senses of Cinema promotes various divergent "voices" that speak to a wide and diverse audience. It aims to bring together a mix of writers: established and emerging, theorists and un-published cinephiles, filmmakers and film programmers, and local and international writers.

We are particularly committed to discussing art, independent, experimental and third world cinemas (everything from Renoir to Antonioni to Solàs to Oshima to Morrissey to Jost to Friedrich to Snow, feature films as well as short films) , theorising new encounters with digital technologies, and promoting writing that increases one's understanding and appreciation of cinema.

We recognise that an object as ephemeral and ethereal as cinema continues to fascinate, to provoke, to inspire, to turn on, to evolve. And it is in relation to this object that we seek to facilitate and encourage expression and appreciation.

Want to contribute to this journal?
Click on the words above to read our guidelines for writers.

Editor - Fiona A. Villella, 26, studied film at Melbourne University and has since gone on to write for many publications, including Metro, Real Time, IF and C'TEQ annotations. She is also an independent filmmaker, has worked around the film scene, and lived and worked in NYC for 6 months. She is also co-curator of the Melbourne Filmoteca and a board member of the Melbourne Cinémathèque. Her favourite directors are Martin Scorsese, Robert Bresson, Eric Rohmer, Jean-Luc Godard, Federico Fellini, Spike Lee, Claire Denis and Julie Dash.

You can email Fiona.

Webmaster / Founding Editor - Bill Mousoulis, 37, is an independent filmmaker with over 60 films to his name, including four low-budget features. He was involved with the formation of the Melbourne Super 8 Film Group in 1985, and was its administrator for six years. Over the years he has also done occasional film criticism, for magazines such as Filmnews, Filmviews, Cantrills Filmnotes, and was a regular member of the FILM REVIEW CREW on 3RRR-FM in the late 80's. His favourite directors are Roberto Rossellini, Robert Bresson, Jean-Luc Godard, Frank Borzage and Chantal Akerman.

Senses of Cinema receives financial assistance from Cinemedia.