A Crude Awakening

Amanda Palmer and documentary filmmakers Ray McCormack and Basil Gelpke

This week, we will be joined by documentary filmmakers Ray McCormack and Basil Gelpke for a special preview screening of A Crude Awakening, which tells the potentially tragic story of our dependence on diminishing natural resources.

A Crude Awakening is based around the growing theory that a peak in global oil production has been reached and that civilization as we know it is about to face a future akin to the Great Depression of the 1930s.

In a world where oil provides the energy for transportation and power generation, and is key to producing products from fertiliser to cosmetics, reaching so-called peak oil is a very big deal. The case made by writer/directors Basil Gelpke and Ray McCormack is all the more powerful for not coming from environmental activists, but from hard headed oil industry insiders: geologists, scientists, and energy-focused investment bankers.

Ray McCormack and Basil Gelpke join Amanda Palmer at a Q&A to talk not only about how our oil-dependent global economy is headed for a downturn, but how the film’s conclusion questions our very way of life.

Todd Haynes

I’m Not There

Writer-director Todd Haynes’ work has been inspired from subjects such as Karen Carpenter Superstar:The Karen Carpenter Story, 1950s melodrama Far From Heaven, and David Bowie Velvet Goldmine. 

His latest film extends his wildly experimental approach. I’m Not There, far from a traditional biopic, re-imagines the legendary Bob Dylan as six separate identities played by six different actors, including Cate Blanchet, who portrays him in one of his most famous moments. 

We meet Haynes in an exclusive interview to talk about his kaleidoscopic portrait of the music icon.

Film Festival Roundup

Cairo International Film Festival

Once again, Middle Eastern film festivals are in full swing.

With 141 films from 52 countries, this year’s Dubai Film Festival provides Gulf filmmakers – in addition to George Clooney – a broader platform for international exposure.

Meanwhile, the seventh Marrakesh Film Festival focuses on new films from Eastern Europe and Asia. 

And the Cairo Film Festival highlights British films and honours actor Matt Dillon and a clearly emotional Harvey Keitel.

Mohammed Salim

Mohammed Salim

Using a 100-year-old Japanese projector and homemade loudspeakers perched on a cart, Mohammed Salim’s unique mobile cinema entertains hundreds of poor children in the crumbling city of Kolkata.

Salim hits the roads to travel 12km every day, earning, on average, three dollars a day. 

FPS meets the projectionist to discover his interesting way of keeping pace with Bollywood’s changing trends.

Watch part one of this episode of The Fabulous Picture Show on YouTube

Watch part two of this episode of The Fabulous Picture Show on YouTube

This episode of The Fabulous Picture Show aired from December 15, 2007