What is the Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival?
The Margaret Mead Film & Video Festival is the largest showcase for
international
documentaries in the United States, encompassing a broad spectrum of work, from
indigenous community media to experimental nonfiction. The Festival is
distinguished by
its outstanding selection of titles, which tackle diverse and challenging
subjects and
represent a range of issues and perspectives, and by the forums for
discussion with
filmmakers and speakers.
The Festival was founded by the American Museum of Natural History in 1977,
in honor
of pioneering anthropologist Margaret Mead on her seventy-fifth birthday
and her fiftieth
year at the Museum. A film festival represented an especially apt form
with which to
celebrate Mead's life, as she was one of the first anthropologists to
recognize the
significance of film for fieldwork. From 1936 to 1938, working among the
Balinese with
Gregory Bateson and cinematographer Jane Belo, Mead produced Trance and
Dance in
Bali, Learning to Dance in Bali, and Karba's First Years. She also
produced films that
examined child rearing from a cross-cultural perspective, including Bathing
Babies in Three
Cultures. The Festival occasionally screens Mead's films.
Back to Top
Are all the films in the Festival made by anthropologists?
Most of the films and videos are produced by independent artists, however
each year about
20% of the works screened have some anthropological input, whether it be
through the
director, producer, or researcher.
Festival programmers try to strike a
balance among
works produced by social scientists, independent film- and videomakers,
students, and
indigenous media-makers.
Back to Top
How many titles are submitted each year?
Every year the Festival receives approximately 700 submissions from all
over the world.
Festival programmers learn about new works through attending other
festivals, maintaining
contacts with independent film- and videomakers and with film centers in
the U.S. and
abroad, and conducting an international call for entries. In 1992, the
Festival wove video
into its programming; today, nearly half of the submissions are in video
format. The
Festival is held in the fall, and the submission period is from January to
mid-May.
Beginning every January, entry forms can be downloaded from this Web site.
Back to Top
How are the program themes designed?
The Mead Festival differs from a curated film event, in that not all themes
and topics are
pre-planned. Every year's Festival includes a few predetermined program
themes:
Examples have included "Fake Documentary," "International Film
Collectives," and
retrospectives of the work of various filmmakers. Other programs are
created from the
strongest submissions which have themes in common, and have included such
topics as
"Women and Islam," "Fathers and Sons," and "Manipulating Media." Regional and
topical diversity are also significant factors in Festival programming.
Back to Top
Who comes to the Festival?
As one of the few festivals in the U.S. devoted exclusively to nonfiction
film, we draw a
diverse audience that is interested in documentary cinema and in the
featured topics and
issues.
Back to Top
Are there special features for video- and filmmakers?
Yes. The Festival provides an ideal venue for video- and
filmmakers-question-and-
answer sessions are scheduled around screenings, and symposia are held in
conjunction
with New York University's Department of Anthropology, Program in Media,
Culture,
and History. These offer in-depth discussion among independent video- and
filmmakers,
cinema-studies specialists, social scientists, and the general public about
topics in film and
the social sciences. Parties and gatherings throughout the Festival offer
informal meeting
places for filmmakers and people in the film industry.
Back to Top
Are there programs for young adults?
Yes. Throughout the season, a high-school program offers opportunities
for students in grades 1012 to view films, engage in discussions,
and learn about filmmaking and how to analyze film critically.
Follow this link for more Information on our outreach
programs.
Back to Top
Does the Festival own the films and videos it screens?
The Festival does not own any of the titles, but most of the video- and
filmmakers and
directors permit preview videos to be held in the library of the American
Museum of
Natural History. It is possible to arrange for an on-site screening of
titles from past
Festivals. Please call 212-769-5419 for an appointment. If you are
interested in renting or
purchasing a title, you must contact the distributor directly. The
distributors of each year's
titles are listed on the Web site.
(The Films made by Margaret Mead are
currently
distributed by Penn State Audio Visual Services-800-826-0132.)
Back to Top
Does the Festival occur only in New York City?
In 1992, the Festival developed the Margaret Mead Traveling Film
& Video Festival. Each year a selection of titles from that year's
Mead Festival travels to independent film and community centers,
museums, and universities throughout the nation. Since 1997, the
Traveling Festival has been featured at international sites as
well. Please see Traveling
Film & Video Festival for further details.
Back to Top
How do I get to the Museum?
The Museum is located on Central Park West between 77th and 81st Streets.
By SUBWAY, take the 8th Avenue C or B to 81st Street, or take the
Broadway Local #1/#9 to 79th Street, walk two blocks east on 79th Street to
the Museum.
By BUS, take the M10 uptown or downtown to 81st Street
and Central Park West, or take the M79 across town to same intersection.
Please follow this link for a
subway map.
Back to Top
