Independent Film Research Articles

Children, boundaries, and border-crossings in Latin American and Latinx films

ABSTRACT This study examines the way children are represented and symbolically connected to themes involving boundaries and border-crossings in films directed by Latin American and Latinx filmmakers. The analysis centers on 11 films produced between 1998 and 2022, including critically-acclaimed and independent films with international distribution. Drawing from literature in critical/cultural studies and Latina/o communication studies, and using qualitative text analysis as a methodology, the analysis examines thematic references to physical, social, and symbolic boundaries and borders. Findings suggest that the figure of the child carries complex meanings in Latin American and Latinx cinema, and is connected to narrative tropes that involve a disruption of various boundaries and borders. From an intercultural and international perspective, the films emphasize ethical and humanitarian imperatives, addressing issues such as migration, exile, abandonment, and uprooting.

Methodology for small animals targeted irradiations at conventional and ultra-high dose rates 65 MeV proton beam

As part of translational research projects, mice may be irradiated on radiobiology platforms such as the one at the ARRONAX cyclotron. Generally, these platforms do not feature an integrated imaging system. Moreover, in the context of ultra-high dose-rate radiotherapy (FLASH-RT), treatment planning should consider potential changes in the beam characteristics and internal movements in the animal.A patient-like set-up and methodology has been implemented to ensure target coverage during conformal irradiations of the brain, lungs and intestines. In addition, respiratory cycle amplitudes were quantified by fluoroscopic acquisitions on a mouse, to ensure organ coverage and to assess the impact of respiration during FLASH-RT using the 4D digital phantom MOBY. Furthermore, beam incidence direction was studied from mice µCBCT and Monte Carlo simulations. Finally,in vivodosimetry with dose-rate independent radiochromic films (OC-1) and their LET dependency were investigated.The immobilization system ensures that the animal is held in a safe and suitable position. The geometrical evaluation of organ coverage, after the addition of the margins around the organs, was satisfactory. Moreover, no measured differences were found between CONV and FLASH beams enabling a single model of the beamline for all planning studies. Finally, the LET-dependency of the OC-1 film was determined and experimentally verified with phantoms, as well as the feasibility of using these filmsin vivoto validate the targeting.The methodology developed ensures accurate and reproducible preclinical irradiations in CONV and FLASH-RT without in-room image guidance in terms of positioning, dose calculation andin vivodosimetry.

The Cast in the context of Martin Scorsese's directorial style

Full-length and short independent feature films directed by Martin Scorsese are considered as the research material. The object of the study is the main elements of Martin Scorsese's directorial style. Throughout his creative career, the director under study, without fear, operates with numerous artistic techniques that today form the directorial style – broadcasting Christian motifs, cruelty combined with the beauty of the criminal world, eyes as an element of the hero's soul, using a mirror in the context of reflecting the other world of the character, narration through dreams and fantasies, as well as an abundance of editing solutions. The main attention is paid to the cast in the director's filmography, which correlates with the subject of this study. In this article, the author analyzed 33 films of the director that fall under the conditions of the study. The theoretical and methodological basis of the research was the works of domestic and foreign theorists and practitioners of cinematography, as well as film encyclopedias and film textbooks of the academic level. According to the results of the study, the author came to the conclusion that the director is committed to a permanent cast in his films. More than others, Martin Scorsese stars such actors as Robert De Niro, Catherine Scorsese, Charles Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio. The director puts himself at the top of this list. 430 actors took part in all the films studied, who appear in the director's filmography at least twice. In the films The Irishman (2019), The Wolf of Wall Street (2013), Goodfellas (1990), and Casino (1995) starred the largest number of recurring actors in the director's work. Also, in the course of our research, we found that the director in most of his films prefers to shoot not only himself, but also members of his family.

American indie cinema between DIY cultures and global Hollywood: Exploring the paradigm of Slacker

A landmark of the 1990s independent cinema and emblem of Generation X, Slacker (1991) is a significant event in the genealogy of Austin, Texas DIY scenes, with a long-lasting impact on the city's film industry and cultural history. The article applies research on DIY to the realm of American independent cinema, using Richard Linklater's iconic film to define indie cinema as a complex idea, linking the global media industries to cult performers emerging from intense subcultural contexts. After touching upon the history of American independent cinema, the film's content is read against its production networks, suggesting the historical role of DIY media ecologies in the value chain of Hollywood. The flexible career pathways emanating from Slacker chart various fates that creative labour undergoes in today's media industries. This methodological perspective reinforces a relational approach to the study of independent cinema, suggesting possible lines of inquiry for future research.

Moving Homes, Moving Histories: Displacement and Refuge in Remi Weekes' "His House"

Abstract The past few decades have witnessed a dramatic increase in the mass movements of people across borders owing to political turmoil(s) and uprising(s). Such displacements, especially towards continents like Europe and North America, have given rise to narrative and cultural productions introducing a crucial intersection of existing socio-cultural and historical debates around the larger rubric of refugee community and culture. One such instance of South Sudan, experiencing a recent civil unrest and administrative change, leading to forced migration, has been explored through the visual and visceral cinematic experience encapsulated by Remi Weekes’ independent Netflix film ‘His House.’ The film tells an evocatively poignant story of two Sudanese refugees, seeking home and refuge, who are given asylum in Britain under various oppressive conditions. The film is, quite literally, perched on the binaries of culture, tradition and memory that go on to become the foundation of certain necessarily imaginative ideas of home and livelihood the couple builds across borders, away from their homeland. My paper would discuss the desire for ‘home’ in an asylum seekers’ life highlighting journeys and (re)production of narratives as an essential part of their trans-cultural lives. My arguments attempt to discuss the re-construction of (cross)cultural topologies and reconfiguration of space/borders. Finally, my research seeks to incorporate larger debates on myth and memory-making by negotiating space and imagination within the corporeal reality of ‘home.’

STRATEGI PENGEMBANGAN BISNIS INDUTRI KREATIF SKALA KECIL MELALUI PENDEKATAN BUSINESS MODEL CANVAS (STUDI KASUS PADA PLATFORM OTT SINEASMOV)

This research investigates small-scale creative industry business development strategies, particularly focusing on the OTT platform SineasMov. It observes the growth of the independent film industry in Indonesia and identifies challenges in distributing independent films and the lack of income for independent filmmakers. PT. Sineas Kreatif Indonesia innovates by creating the OTT Platform named SineasMov as a solution to these issues. SineasMov offers TVOD and AVOD services while focusing on networking and events. Through the Business Model Canvas (BMC) analysis, this study clarifies the key elements in SineasMov's business model, highlighting the need for the right business concept to support the company's growth. This research remaps the SineasMov BMC to suggest further development strategies, including enhancing customer segmentation, improving value propositions, diversifying revenue streams, optimizing resources, and strategic partnerships. From the SWOT analysis and the Four Action Framework, a new BMC formulation is proposed to strengthen SineasMov's position in the Indonesian independent film industry market.
 
 Key words: Independent Film, Business Model Canvas, OTT Platform.

Tracing Evolution and Communication Dynamics in Chinese Independent Documentary Films (2012-2022): A Systematic Review of Genre, Censorship, Culture, and Distribution

In the last decade, Chinese independent documentaries have witnessed a profound transformation. While mainstream Chinese documentaries have been extensively examined in scholarly research, there remains a noticeable gap in the comprehensive analysis of independent documentaries from 2012 to 2022. This study employs a systematic literature review methodology to provide a holistic assessment of the evolution of Chinese independent documentaries during this pivotal period. It delves into various dimensions, encompassing the impact of political dynamics, funding mechanisms, the selection of film themes, ethical considerations, distribution challenges, and documentary filmmakers’ perspectives. By conducting a rigorous qualitative analysis of approximately 47 scholarly articles from the specialized journal Chinese Independent Cinema Observer and the academic database Scopus, this research reveals the nuanced progression of independent documentaries within China’s dynamic cultural, social, and political context. Preliminary insights from the selected research articles indicate a focused understanding and interest in societal hotspots and political censorship issues within independent documentaries. Furthermore, this research focuses on the unique challenges and opportunities encountered by Chinese independent documentaries during the phases of dissemination and reception. This study offers scholars a profound comprehension of the Chinese independent documentary landscape and provides invaluable strategic insights for producers and distributors.

The Portrayal and Representation of Mythological Stories in Chinese Cinema in the Digital Age

This scholarly article delves into the dynamic interplay between mythological narratives and digital innovation in Chinese cinema. By scrutinizing the amalgamation of traditional story arcs with modern cinematic techniques, it casts light on how digital advancements enrich narrative complexity and enhance visual allure. The methodology merges traditional film critique with digital analytic tools, underscoring the profound influence of digital technology on storytelling. Central to this discourse are case studies like "Ne Zha," which exemplify the modern reinterpretation of mythological themes. The paper contrasts how mythology is depicted in mainstream versus independent films, shedding light on their distinct narrative approaches. Additionally, the analysis extends to understanding the diverse reception of these mythological stories among domestic and international audiences, with particular attention to motifs of nostalgia and youth. In its concluding section, the article contemplates the wider ramifications for the film industry, explores challenges in audience engagement, and discusses the intricacies of copyright in the digital era.

Channel 4 and the South Series (1991-93): from the Third World to the Global South

This article provides a case study of a groundbreaking yet hitherto overlooked transnational coproduction experience on European broadcasting: the South series (1991–93). An ambitious initiative led by Channel 4’s Independent Film and Video Department (IFVD) and the South Productions company, headed by Argentine producer Ana de Skalon, the South series was widely conceived and promoted as the first magazine programme in the world to be directed by film and video makers from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Focusing on Latin America, this article reconstructs this unique experience of transnational collaboration on a global scale while also examining the shifting relationship between European broadcasting and the cinema of this region. Drawing on the internal production files of South Productions and using interviews with filmmakers, commissioning editors, and producers as well as the valuable information contained in Channel 4’s press packs, this article sheds light on this major effort of transnational coproduction. South not only constitutes the peak of the transatlantic collaborations developed between British television and Latin American cinema, but also embodies the conceptual shift from the Third World to the Global South through its broadening of film- and video-making practices, as is made clear through the series’ title.

Weldable and calligraphy programmable humidity-actuated regenerated cellulose film from waste cotton fabric

The textile industry has caused significant pollution and resource consumption. To address the issue of textile waste, it is crucial to effectively recycle most common natural fiber - cotton. However, current methods face limitations in terms of cost and efficiency. In this study, we developed a weldable and programmable humidity-actuated regenerated cellulose (RC) film based on discoloration, dissolution, regeneration, and vacuum filtration of cotton textiles waste. Therein, the dissolution of cotton waste by phosphoric acid (PA) offers advantages of high efficiency, low cost, and mild dissolution conditions. Especially, we proposed a water-assisted welding process to connect independent films, allowing for the design of a smart cuff with adjustable flaps showing the potential for improved thermal-moisture comfort. Furthermore, inspired by Chinese calligraphy, a hydrophobicity programming strategy is introduced, facilitating diverse actuation and the creation of an information encryption device. Overall, this work shows promise for efficient, cost-effective recycling and intelligent application of cotton textiles waste. The proposed water-assisted welding and calligraphy-inspired programming would pave the way to advance multiscale, adaptive, and intelligent actuation of cellulose materials.

Southeast Asian Shapeshifters in the age of streaming: minor transnationalism, horror and reimagining MUBI in Malaysia

ABSTRACT In Malaysia, the re-emergence of local horror films at the start of the twenty-first century after nearly 30 years of absence coincided with the rise of a new wave of digital filmmaking. Since then, digital streaming platforms have proliferated as new circulatory routes for engaged, political and independent local films and audiovisual works, being less stringent than the Malaysian mainstream, state-controlled film and media landscape. Streaming platforms appear to be more suited for hosting horror, since this genre is often targeted by censorship due to excessive violence, explicit images and emphasis on evil. Notably, ‘Southeast Asian horror’ has emerged as one of the key curating and marketing strategies for the global arthouse streaming service MUBI in Southeast Asia. Through an analysis of global, regional and local streaming platforms with a particular focus on MUBI’s programming, alongside interviews with Malaysian film industry practitioners, this article explores how digital streaming services forge new circulatory routes for Southeast Asian cultural works and prompt new forms of ‘minor transnationalism.

A24 and the Asian American Prestige Film

Some of the most visible and acclaimed recent Asian American films (Minari, The Farewell, After Yang, Everything Everywhere All at Once, Past Lives) have been financed or distributed by the Hollywood studio A24. This article explores A24’s “winning formula” for Asian American prestige, a package of discourses around race, independent film, and Asian American representation that appeals to both Oscar voters and Asian American filmgoers ready to venerate the films on social media and in journalistic writing. Specifically, in its advertising and other paratextual materials, A24 uses discourses of cultural authenticity, often around familiar and legible narratives of Asian immigrant families, to position these films as “quality” works worthy of official recognition. Their success in doing so speaks to a moment when Hollywood insiders both recognize the industry’s historical inability to represent Asian stories and desperately want to commend any efforts at doing so.

정동진독립영화제의 상상력 구조와 의미에 대한 연구

This paper examined the imaginative structure of films screened at the 25th Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival in 2023. A total of 22 films were screened at this fi lm festival, including 19 short fi lms, 1 feature fi lm, and 1 film festival support film. Among these works, seven works whose imaginative structure was easy to identify and whose narrative structure was clear were examined. Just as there is an explanation that the human unconscious is structured by language or libido that created the works submitted to this year's Jeongdongjin Independent Film Festival.
 The typical imaginative structures that appeared commonly at this film festival. Structures were paradox and human insight. The roots was love for humanity and family. It seems necessary to characterize fi lm festivals with specific themes. It may be necessary to plan with specialized themes such as family or the sea. Operating a children's film class program can also be considered, and it is also worth considering adding a program in the nature of a silver class.

Viewing place: Australian queer screen audiences born in the 1970s and 1980s

This article investigates how viewers born in the 1970s and 1980s recall Australian film and television LGBTQ+ themes, characters and narratives they viewed while they were growing up. Aspects of place and space were centred in these accounts, from memories of watching a shared television in the domestic family setting to the physical artefact of the video tape. Participants emphasised the theme of mobility toward the city and a rural/urban distinction in the film and television they discussed, and the role of city contexts in providing better access to screen media that represented LGBTQ+ lives – for example, through access to independent cinemas. These memorial accounts were considered formative and often provided the framework by which participants perceive and navigate everyday life as members of minority communities. At the same time, these place-bound accounts of encounters with LGBTQ+ screen texts expressed a complex attachment to domestic spaces, tangible objects and narratives of mobility.

Streaming Black girlhood: biculturality, nostalgia and hypervisibility in Cuties

ABSTRACT The era of streaming services and online distribution of independent films have offered more varied representations of the African Diaspora than were previously available through traditional media. Within this context, Maïmouna Doucouré’s acclaimed 2020 film, Cuties, presents a poignant and nuanced, yet controversial representation of Black immigrant biculturality, girlhood, and puberty. In this essay, we engage with Cuties through the lens of nostalgia as an escape from uncomfortable realities. Set in France, the film centres the immigrant experience. The protagonist Aminata (Amy), a French-Senegalese preteen, witnesses her mother’s sadness at her husband’s impending wedding. Amy embarks on a journey of body agency and rage that demonstrates her navigation between cultures. We critically engage with how Amy disrupts her mother’s and community’s immigrant nostalgia: a longing and idealizing for the culture of their homeland in opposition to the dominant culture of their adopted country. We also examine how the U.S. release of Cuties on Netflix got caught, perhaps unintentionally, in the crosshairs of a U.S. culture war. The marketing for Cuties presented a sexualized, feel-good depiction of the girls in the film which distracted from Doucouré’s true aim of depicting the rage of girlhood and the negative influences of sexualized popular culture, hypervisibility, and imagery on adolescent girls. We consider this backlash from the perspective of nostalgia as well: We unpack how this controversy reflects some Black viewers’ desire for a ‘return’ to polite and tame filmic representations of Black girls. Despite Doucouré’s efforts to explain herself and sympathetic critics’ campaign to defend the film, there was some preoccupation with the young girls’ display of sexuality. We perceive Doucouré as challenging audiences to stay present in the challenges facing young Black girls, particularly as they are increasingly exposed to online models of sexuality and femininity.

Rethinking National Identity Construction Through Independent Films In Indonesia Creative Industry

Background: The creative industry in Yogyakarta, since the post-reformation era, specifically the independent film industry, has been producing films that challenge the meaning and interpretation of national identity in its society. Yogyakarta independent films offer different discourses concerning the constructions of national identity. Thus, within this current context of the post-reformation era, the notion of national identity needs proper scrutiny. Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to define and understand the manifestations of Indonesian national identity as depicted in independent films during the post-reformation era within Yogyakarta’s creative city, utilizing Benedict Anderson’s (2006) imagined community concept. Methods: This study conducted a qualitative research methodology using the text analysis of four selected independent films and in-depth interviews with 27 informants located in Yogyakarta. The primary source of the data collected in this study were the textual analyses and the in-depth interviews. Results: The results of this study indicate that within the horizontal comradeship dimension, the notion of multiple interpretations of national identity was highlighted through the issues on the diversity of ethnic identity, modernization, Islamic fundamentalist organization, the promotion of local language, and community attachment to the nation’s symbols. Meanwhile, in the context of the geographical boundaries dimension, the regional attachment within the territory where the communities live implied the important role of the Yogyakarta Monarchy system and as a sovereign power of a Special Region in influencing the diverse interpretations of national identity. Implications: The findings indicated that the past historical meaning of Pancasila, which underscored a requirement for homogeneous identities within the society, contrasted with the evidence found, which demonstrated the evidence of diversity or heterogeneous identity.

Enhancing power generation for carbon black film device based on optimization of liquid capillary flow

Power generation via spontaneous water evaporation is considered as one potential solution to the energy and pollution issues in very recent years. The efforts to harvest this type of green energy have been made in the previous works, which proved the different functional materials can be used for the energy harvesting device. However, few studies focused on the capillary flow of liquid inside the devices, which should be a key factor in the process of electricity generation. In this work, four carbon black film devices with different geometries are designed and fabricated. From the experimental test, it is found the optimization of device geometry is an efficient approach for improving the electricity output performance, and an increase of 200% in the generated open-circuit voltage can be achieved. In addition, three different types of capillary grooves are etched on the Al2O3 substrates through ultrafast laser micromachining, which is to further improve the liquid capillary flow inside the devices and reduce the flow losses. A voltage output of 188 mV can be realized in the device with the fractal tree-like capillary grooves, which obtains a 652% improvement compared to the original one. By connecting eight independent carbon black film devices in series, a portable electronic calculator can be powered, which shows the potential application of this new energy harvesting technique.

Nobility, Interrupted: The Queer Poetics of Vandana Kataria’s Noblemen

This paper explores the role of noble kinship in Noblemen, Vandana Kataria’s adaptation of The Merchant of Venice. Noblemen is a 2019 Indian independent film written during the apex of gay decriminalization discourse in India. While Bollywood adaptations of Shakespeare have been well studied, independent films such as Noblemen that “speak back” to mainstream regimes of cinema and culture demand more attention. The film transforms the Christian Venetian setting of Shakespeare’s play to that of an all-boys boarding school in India dubbed “Mount Noble High.” I argue that the film depicts male dominated kinship networks that oppress queer difference to emphasize how mainstream kinship perpetuates and reinforces an oppressive and monolithic “imagined community.” Kataria transplants the oppressive kinship apparent in The Merchant of Venice to Noblemen’s Noble High to emphasize how kinship networks’ discrimination, particularly homophobia, results in an imagined community bonded by corrupt nobility and erasure of marginalized identity. Such kinship networks force Shay, Kataria’s Shylock, to renounce his queer identity and convert to a position of subordination. Shay is only able to escape this subordination and exact revenge against the bullies by enacting the lawful role of Portia. This victory, however, fails to restore his nobility as it further ingratiates him in societal structures that reinforce oppression and heteronormativity. By showing how mainstream noble kinship is built upon a foundation of oppression rather than virtue, Kataria encourages audiences to question the virtue of laws, societal practices, and Bollywood films that reinforce imagined community by marginalizing queerness.

Extra or Ordinary? : Cinematic Style and the Long Take in Korean Independent Films

Extra or Ordinary? : Cinematic Style and the Long Take in Korean Independent Films

The right to believe: constructions of white Christian victimhood in the God’s Not Dead series

ABSTRACT This essay argues that the Christian independent film series God’s Not Dead operates to further affective investment in white Christian nationalism. I combine Lundberg’s (2009) analysis of evangelical publics with Kelly’s (2020) concept of ressentiment to explore how the series acts as performances of white Christian marginality Further, the felt marginality of conservative Christians in the series is aligned with civil rights movements and identity politics. I argue that the God’s Not Dead series is an illustrative example of how media in the conservative Christian culture can operate to maintain investments in white Christian nationalism that can motivate political action and justify violence.