Between Two Cinemas

Filmmaker and accomplished film restorationist Ross Lipman is one of the most exciting figures of today’s American independent cinema. Once again, this becomes evident in his new work, a hybrid between autobiographical essay, newly edited short films, and unpublished archival material – including footage of Andrei Tarkovsky and Stan Brakhage – and a conversation with experimental filmmaker Bruce Baillie. Form and technique are both exceptionally important for Lipman, and each of his films finds its very own language through these cinematic ingredients. “Between Two Cinemas”, for that matter, owes its unique tone to collage techniques and artist collaborations. This makes sense, because Lipman’s central question here is how he can reconcile the fragments of his own artist biography and the conflicting influences on which his work rests: abstraction and realism, avant-garde and fiction, America and Europe. “Between Two Cinemas” is a fascinating personal retrospection – rarely can we witness an artist so closely and vividly reflecting on his own work - at the same time, the film ponders questions of perception and seeing. It is astounding how effortless this filmmaker creates such connections. For him, philosophical examination and first-class entertainment do not contradict each other. Supported by the contemplative music of Hungarian composer Mihály Víc, Ross Lipman succeeds once more in exciting us for the "adventure of perception" (Stan Brakhage).