The Margaret Mead Film Festival is an annual film festival held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. It is the longest-running, premiere showcase for international documentaries in the United States, encompassing a broad spectrum of work, from indigenouscommunity media to experimental nonfiction. The Festival is distinguished by its outstanding selection of titles, which tackle diverse and challenging subjects, representing a range of issues and perspectives, and by the forums for discussion with filmmakers and speakers.
The festival owes its origins (and its name) to renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead, who worked for 52 years at the American Museum of Natural History. She acted as curator in the Museum's Department of Anthropology, where she helped create the Hall of Pacific Peoples, which bears her name. In her lifetime, Margaret Mead greatly advanced the academic standing and popular appeal of cultural anthropology, and was also one of the earliest anthropologists to integrate visual methods into her research, focus on the study of visual communication, and teach courses on culture and communication. "Pictures are held together," Dr. Mead wrote, "by a way of looking that has grown out of anthropology, a science in which all peoples, however contrasted in physique and culture, are seen as members of the same species, engaged in solving problems common to humanity."
In 1976, in commemoration of her 75th birthday, the museum decided to pay tribute to her work with a film festival of top ethnographic and other documentary films. In its early years, the festival focused on ethnographic films and was hosted by the USC Center for Visual Anthropology (directed by Mead's student, the late filmmaker Tim Asch).[1][2] Today, the Festival continues to exemplify Mead's teachings: that film is a tool for cross-cultural understanding and that it is possible, and important, for societies to learn from each other.
Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award
Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award recognizes documentary filmmakers who embody the spirit, energy, and innovation demonstrated by anthropologist Margaret Mead in her research, fieldwork, films, and writings. Each year the award is given to a filmmaker whose feature documentary offers a new perspective on a culture or community remote from the majority of our audiences' experience as well as displays artistic excellence and originality in storytelling technique. U.S., North American, or World Premiere documentaries (60 minutes or longer) are eligible for the Award. This award has a cash prize.
2010 Winner: Marc Francis/Nick Francis for When China Met Africa[3]
2012 Winner: Adam Isenberg for A Life Without Words[5]
Traveling Festival
The Margaret Mead Traveling Film & Video Festival presents highlights of the Festival that takes place in November. Each year titles are selected from the annual Mead Festival to participate in this year-long program which brings innovative non-fiction work to communities throughout the United States and abroad.
2012 Mead Festival
18 Days in Egypt by Jigar Mehta and Yasmin Elayat
Bad Weather by Giovanni Giommi - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Bay of All Saints
Bury the Hatchet by Aaron Walker
Buzkashi!
Children of Srikandi
A Fierce Green Fire: The Battle for a Living Planet
George Stoney Tribute: How the Myth Was Made
Grab
Himself He Cooks by Valérie Berteau and Philippe Witjes - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
The Human Tower by Ram Devineni and Cano Rojas - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Jai Bhim Comrade
Keep Me Upright (Tiens moi droite) by Zoé Chantre - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
A Life Without Words (Una Vida Sin Palabras) by Adam Isenberg - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
The Light in Her Eyes
Manapanmirr, in Christmas Spirit by Miyarrka Media - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Maori Boy Genius by Pietra Brettkelly - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Mead Arcade
Meanwhile in Mamelodi by Benjamin Kahlmeyer
Nagaland: The Last of the Headhunters by Patrick Morell - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Re-Seeing the Century: The Expedition on Film
Sun Kissed
Sweet Dreams
The Other Half of Tomorrow by Sadia Shepard and Samina Quraeshi - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Through Navajo Eyes
Tropicália
Tundra Book. A Tale of Vukvukla, the Little Rock (Kniga Tundry. Povest' o Vukvukaye - malen'kom kamne)
Tunniit: Retracing the Lines of Inuit Tattoos (Atuaqsiniq Inuit Tunninginnik)
Wheat and Tares (Het Kaf en Het Koren) by Stefan Wittekamp and Suzanne Arts - Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee
Whose Story Is It? Story Lounge
2011 Mead Festival
2011 Films
At Night, They Dance (La nuit, elles dansent) by Isabelle Lavigne and Stéphane Thibault
^. Archived from the original on 2009-11-27. Retrieved 2009-11-29.
^. Archived from the original on 2008-05-24. Retrieved 2009-12-07.
^"Directors Marc and Nick Francis Win First Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award for When China Met Africa at the American Museum of Natural History". AMNH Filmmaker Award. AMNH Press Center.
^"2012 Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award Announced". AMNH Filmmaker Award. AMNH News.
^. AMNH Film Listings. AMNH. Archived from the original on 2011-10-25. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
^. AMNH. Archived from the original on 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
^. Retrospective. AMNH. Archived from the original on 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2011-10-28.
^. AMNH.org. AMNH. Archived from the original on 2011-10-31. Retrieved 2011-10-26.
External links
Further reading
Lutkehaus, Nancy D. Margaret Mead: The Making of an American Icon. Princeton University Press, 2008.
"Mead Film Festival." Yarrow, A. New York Times, Monday, September 14, 1987.
"A World of Families" Press Release, American Museum of Natural History, 2002.
January 30, 2023
margaret, mead, film, festival, annual, film, festival, held, american, museum, natural, history, york, city, longest, running, premiere, showcase, international, documentaries, united, states, encompassing, broad, spectrum, work, from, indigenous, community, . The Margaret Mead Film Festival is an annual film festival held at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City It is the longest running premiere 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 representing a range of issues and perspectives and by the forums for discussion with filmmakers and speakers The Mead Festival has a distinguished history of firsts including being the first venue to screen the now classic documentary Paris Is Burning 1990 about the urban transgender community Furthermore the Mead Festival has introduced New York audiences to such acclaimed films as the Oscar winning documentary The Blood of Yingzhou District 2006 Oscar winning animated short The Moon and the Son An Imagined Conversation 2005 The Future of Food 2004 Power Trip 2003 and Spellbound 2002 Contents 1 Background 2 Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award 3 Traveling Festival 4 2012 Mead Festival 5 2011 Mead Festival 5 1 2011 Films 5 2 2011 Mead Filmmaker Award Nominees 5 3 2011 Retrospective Series 5 4 2011 Jury 6 See also 7 References 8 External links 9 Further readingBackground Edit Margaret Mead in 1969 The festival owes its origins and its name to renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead who worked for 52 years at the American Museum of Natural History She acted as curator in the Museum s Department of Anthropology where she helped create the Hall of Pacific Peoples which bears her name In her lifetime Margaret Mead greatly advanced the academic standing and popular appeal of cultural anthropology and was also one of the earliest anthropologists to integrate visual methods into her research focus on the study of visual communication and teach courses on culture and communication Pictures are held together Dr Mead wrote by a way of looking that has grown out of anthropology a science in which all peoples however contrasted in physique and culture are seen as members of the same species engaged in solving problems common to humanity In 1976 in commemoration of her 75th birthday the museum decided to pay tribute to her work with a film festival of top ethnographic and other documentary films In its early years the festival focused on ethnographic films and was hosted by the USC Center for Visual Anthropology directed by Mead s student the late filmmaker Tim Asch 1 2 Today the Festival continues to exemplify Mead s teachings that film is a tool for cross cultural understanding and that it is possible and important for societies to learn from each other Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award EditMargaret Mead Filmmaker Award recognizes documentary filmmakers who embody the spirit energy and innovation demonstrated by anthropologist Margaret Mead in her research fieldwork films and writings Each year the award is given to a filmmaker whose feature documentary offers a new perspective on a culture or community remote from the majority of our audiences experience as well as displays artistic excellence and originality in storytelling technique U S North American or World Premiere documentaries 60 minutes or longer are eligible for the Award This award has a cash prize 2010 Winner Marc Francis Nick Francis for When China Met Africa 3 2011 Winner Yuanchen Liu for To the Light 4 2012 Winner Adam Isenberg for A Life Without Words 5 Traveling Festival EditThe Margaret Mead Traveling Film amp Video Festival presents highlights of the Festival that takes place in November Each year titles are selected from the annual Mead Festival to participate in this year long program which brings innovative non fiction work to communities throughout the United States and abroad 2012 Mead Festival Edit18 Days in Egypt by Jigar Mehta and Yasmin Elayat Bad Weather by Giovanni Giommi Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Bay of All Saints Bury the Hatchet by Aaron Walker Buzkashi Children of Srikandi A Fierce Green Fire The Battle for a Living Planet George Stoney Tribute How the Myth Was Made Grab Himself He Cooks by Valerie Berteau and Philippe Witjes Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee The Human Tower by Ram Devineni and Cano Rojas Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Jai Bhim Comrade Keep Me Upright Tiens moi droite by Zoe Chantre Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee A Life Without Words Una Vida Sin Palabras by Adam Isenberg Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee The Light in Her Eyes Manapanmirr in Christmas Spirit by Miyarrka Media Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Maori Boy Genius by Pietra Brettkelly Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Mead Arcade Meanwhile in Mamelodi by Benjamin Kahlmeyer Nagaland The Last of the Headhunters by Patrick Morell Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Re Seeing the Century The Expedition on Film Sun Kissed Sweet Dreams The Other Half of Tomorrow by Sadia Shepard and Samina Quraeshi Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Through Navajo Eyes Tropicalia Tundra Book A Tale of Vukvukla the Little Rock Kniga Tundry Povest o Vukvukaye malen kom kamne Tunniit Retracing the Lines of Inuit Tattoos Atuaqsiniq Inuit Tunninginnik Wheat and Tares Het Kaf en Het Koren by Stefan Wittekamp and Suzanne Arts Mead Filmmaker Award Nominee Whose Story Is It Story Lounge2011 Mead Festival Edit2011 Films Edit At Night They Dance La nuit elles dansent by Isabelle Lavigne and Stephane Thibault The Bengali Detective by Phil Cox Blue Meridian by Sofie Benoot Broad Channel by Sarah J Christman Cinema and the Future of Space by Michael Shara Convento by Jarred Alterman The Creators by Laura Gamse Deus Ex Boltanski by Robert Gardner Empty Quarter by Alain LeTourneau and Pam Minty The End of the World Kres Swiata by Mateusz Skalski Extraction by Myron Lameman Flames of God by Meshakai Wolf Grande Hotel by Lotte Stoops Guanape Sur by Janos Richter Hula and Natan by Robby Elmaliah Moroloja by Alexander Ingham Brooke The Observers by Jacqueline Goss Planet Kirsan Planeta Kirsan by Magdalena Pita Skydancer by Katja Esson Space Tourists by Christian Frei Voice Unknown by Jinhee Park White Elephant Nzoku ya Pembe by Kristof Bilsen 6 2011 Mead Filmmaker Award Nominees Edit All for the Good of the World and Nosovice Vse Pro Dobro Sveta a Nosovic by Vit Klusak Kinder Kids by Bettina Buttner Memoirs of a Plague by Robert Nugent Rainmakers by Floris Jan van Luyn Small Kingdom of Lo by Caroline Leitner Daniel Mazza and Giuseppe Tedesch Space Sailors Fliegerkosmonauten by Marian Kiss To the Light by Yuanchen Liu 7 2011 Retrospective Series Edit Jaguar by Jean Rouch Jero on Jero A Balinese Trance Seance Observed by Patsy Asch Timothy Asch and Linda Connor Kanehsatake 270 Years of Resistance by Alanis Obomsawin Les maitres fous The Mad Masters by Jean Rouch N ai The Story of a Kung Woman by John Marshall and Adrienne Miesmer Trance and Dance in Bali by Gregory Bateson and Margaret Mead A Wife Among Wives by David MacDougall and Judith MacDougall We Still Live Here As Natayunean by Anne Makepeace 8 2011 Jury Edit The Mead Award jury is led by the Academy Award nominated director of Black Swan and The Wrestler Darren Aronofsky Karen Cooper director of New York City s Film Forum Liz Garbus Academy Award nominated director of Bobby Fischer Against the World The Farm and 2002 MacArthur Fellow Stanley Nelson director of the Emmy winning documentary The Murder of Emmett Till 9 See also EditFilm festivals in North and Central AmericaReferences Edit Center for Visual Anthropology USC Department of Anthropology Archived from the original on 2009 11 27 Retrieved 2009 11 29 Filming Culture Nigeria Korea and Beyond Margaret Mead Ethnographic Film Festival Travels to the University Bringing Two Videos by Usc Visual Anthropology Graduates Archived from the original on 2008 05 24 Retrieved 2009 12 07 Directors Marc and Nick Francis Win First Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award for When China Met Africa at the American Museum of Natural History AMNH Filmmaker Award AMNH Press Center Liu Wins 2011 Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award AMNH Filmmaker Award AMNH News 2012 Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award Announced AMNH Filmmaker Award AMNH News A Z Listings AMNH Film Listings AMNH Archived from the original on 2011 10 25 Retrieved 2011 10 26 AMNH Filmmaker Award AMNH Archived from the original on 2011 10 31 Retrieved 2011 10 26 2011 Retrospective Retrospective AMNH Archived from the original on 2011 10 31 Retrieved 2011 10 28 2011 Jury AMNH org AMNH Archived from the original on 2011 10 31 Retrieved 2011 10 26 External links EditOfficial WebsiteFurther reading EditLutkehaus Nancy D Margaret Mead The Making of an American Icon Princeton University Press 2008 Mead Film Festival Yarrow A New York Times Monday September 14 1987 A World of Families Press Release American Museum of Natural History 2002 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Margaret Mead Film Festival amp oldid 1105891853, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
