Outsider Cinema

New American Cinema

The New York independents who, from 1960, organised to make, distribute and show films outside Hollywood.

Movement · Two filmmakers in the guide

Jonas Mekas and other filmmakers founded the New American Cinema Group in 1960 and set out its aims in a manifesto against the commercial film industry. Shirley Clarke and Ed Emshwiller were among the filmmakers in its circle.

Its lasting work was practical. The Film-Makers' Cooperative, set up in 1962, distributed any member's film without selection. Anthology Film Archives, which Mekas co-founded in 1970, gave the avant-garde a permanent cinema and archive.

Films to start with

In the order they were made. Runtimes are approximate.

  1. A still from Walden.

    Walden

    Jonas Mekas · 1969 · 3 hr · 16mm, colour

    Subtitled Diaries, Notes and Sketches. Footage from 1964 to 1968: weddings, Warhol, the Velvet Underground, snow in Central Park, cut fast and set to music and Mekas's voice.

Where it led

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