Free Radicals - A History of Experimental Film (2010) (by REVOIRVIDEO)

In this film essay, Chodorov examines the lives and work of such experimental luminaries as Hans Richter, Michael Snow, Peter Kubelka, Stan Brakhage and the godfather of the New American Cinema, Jonas Mekas.

Named after the Len Lye’s landmark experimental film of dancing lines and marks scratched into the emulsion, “Free Radicals” gives an informative and accessible introduction into the world of avant-garde cinema. Unlike the MTV-ADD montage barrage that characterizes so many contemporary documentaries, the film does not hesitate to show extended clips of the actual films by the artists, immersing the viewer in their unique visual worlds and perspectives.

Filmmaker and film activist Pip Chodorov studied film semiotics at the University of Paris. In 1994, he founded the distribution company Re:Voir for the edition of historical and contemporary experimental films. In 2005, he also founded The Film Gallery – the only gallery devoted exclusively to experimental film artists. He is a co-founder of L’Abominable, a cooperative do-it-yourself film lab in Paris. His own films range from animation to film diary.

(Karen Pyudik - Hollywood Fine Arts Examiner)