October 18–21, 2018 amnh.org/mead AMNH.ORG/MEAD | 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS MUSEUM LEADERSHIP DESIGN Rachel Cooper Special Thanks Lewis W. Bernard Ming Fearon Beatriz D’Alessandro Chairman Matthais Dettling The Margaret Mead Film Festival Ellen V. Futter WRITER is made possible by the New York State Dominic Davis President Tim Hone Council on the Arts with the support of Fernanda de la Torre Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the Jean Pierre Dion New York State Legislature. MUSEUM CURATORS FESTIVAL INTERNS Laurel Kendall Caroline Collesidis Nate Dorr Curator of Asian Ethnology The Flaherty and Chair of the Division of Bryce Goyer Anthropology Riyad Mammadyarov Mathieu Fournet Peter Whiteley Rachel Smythe Sarah Gambardella Special support provided by the Academy of Curator of North American Nina Strong Anna Garrido Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Ethnology, Carlos Gutierrez Division of Anthropology Alaina Wibberly Maeve White Maria Halava-Napoles FESTIVAL STAFF Sally Holt Ruth Cohen PRE-SCREENERS Julian Jahnz Elizabeth Bailey THE ACADEMY Bella Desai Henne Kamil Soley Esteves April Bethea Sevanne Kassarjian Support for the Margaret Mead Film Festival is provided, in part, by Emily Haidet William Best Vera Kuipers the May and Samuel Rudin Family Foundation, Kira Lacks Aaliyah Chin Jacklyn Lacey Inc. and the family of Frederick H. Leonhardt. Alonso Teruel Irene Devlin-Weiss Sandrine Ligabue Support also provided by Alessandra Susan Enowitz Eugenia Levenson Vecino-Gazabon Luke Gibson Alice McDowell Mark I. Gross PROGRAMMING Lisa Linde Nieveid CONSULTANTS Kali Karagias Thomas Norcott Noah Bashevkin Marlene Kawalek Nicolas Polet Olli Chanoff David Lieber Eran Polishuk Rachel Chanoff Linda Lipson Lisa Rifkind Laurie Cearley Carol Merril Alanna Ruse Jeffrey Rosen Gabrielle Davenport Jenny Saavedra Tricia Rosen Catherine DeGennaro Ariun Sanjaajamts Hannah Shostack Charles Jabour Elena Sansalone Margaret Wadsworth Lynn Koek Catherine Scheinman Harriet Weldon Ana Maroto Moriah Shtull Laura B. Whitman Bernhard Simek FESTIVAL Christine P. Williams Tomek Smolarski CONSULTANTS Yvette Wojciechowski Samuel Tran Faye Ginsburg Sharon Young Kriser Professor of Anthropology Maria Ubeda Morales and Director, Center for Media, Juan-Pablo Valdes Culture and History, NYU SPECIAL THANKS Kristin Wahlberg Pegi Vail Talia Amador Beth Weinstein Documentary Instructor Eduardo Almirantearena and Associate Director, Susan Weisbrod Center for Media, Culture Mary Catherine Bateson Isaac Zablocki and History, NYU Joan Kelly Bernard The American Museum Andrew Okpeaha MacLean Mahen Bonetti Assistant Arts Professor of Natural History Audio/ Bridge Multimedia Visual Team and Academic Director for NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts Anita Caltabiano The 2018 Mead Volunteers 2 | 2018 MARGARET MEAD FILM FESTIVAL WELCOME Image from Rituals of Resistance (page 22). Rachel Cooper Beatriz D’Alessandro Welcome to the Mead Matthais Dettling Dominic Davis A blind, Indigenous musician from a remote community organizations that train and Fernanda de la Torre corner of Australia achieves international support Indigenous and other filmmakers, Jean Pierre Dion fame and bridges two wildly different Collectively showcases a slate of films from Nate Dorr worlds (Gurrumul, p. 17). Transgender three extraordinary groups: Bophana Center The Flaherty women in Tonga create a safe and jubilant of Cambodia, Maisha Film Lab of East Africa, Mathieu Fournet space for self-expression (Leitis in Waiting, and Vídeo nas Aldeias | Video in the Villages Sarah Gambardella p. 18). A Scottish musician shapes a of Brazil. Anna Garrido movement to preserve and reinvigorate the Carlos Gutierrez As always, the Mead is a place for Maria Halava-Napoles performance of traditional Scottish fiddle music (The Groove Is Not Trivial, p. 16). conversation and connection—from Mead Sally Holt Mixers to stimulating dialogues (p. 7) to Julian Jahnz Where else but the Mead? As an post-screening discussions and the annual Henne Kamil anthropologist, Margaret Mead helped Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award Ceremony. Sevanne Kassarjian illuminate our shared humanity. This year’s The Mead is also a gateway to many exciting Vera Kuipers Jacklyn Lacey festival honors her legacy by connecting us happenings at the American Museum of Sandrine Ligabue to communities across the globe through Natural History. While you’re here, take time Eugenia Levenson stories of resilience, portraits of strength, to see our newest temporary exhibitions, Alice McDowell and actions by people who refuse to be cast Unseen Oceans and Our Senses: An Immersive Lisa Linde Nieveid as victims. Experience, and visit old favorites like the blue Thomas Norcott whale in the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life. Nicolas Polet Each year we are astonished by the breadth Eran Polishuk of human stories represented. These stories There is a sense of momentum—even Lisa Rifkind allow us to look past fear-inducing news hope—to this year’s Mead and we can’t wait Alanna Ruse cycles and renew our belief in real people to press play together. Jenny Saavedra who are rising up, breaking new ground, and Ariun Sanjaajamts pushing their communities forward. Around Elena Sansalone the world and in our own backyard, there is a Catherine Scheinman sense of moving forward and drive—we are Moriah Shtull seeing resilience in motion. Bernhard Simek Tomek Smolarski In addition to its best-of-the-best Bella Desai Samuel Tran documentary films, this year’s Mead offers Director of Public Programs and Exhibition Education Maria Ubeda Morales virtual reality, oral histories, and more Juan-Pablo Valdes in the Mixed Media Lounge. The Mead Kristin Wahlberg also features a beautiful installation by ON THE COVER Beth Weinstein a contemporary artist of the Northwest This image is from the Susan Weisbrod Coast’s Haida Nation, who bridges traditional film Genesis 2.0, courtesy Isaac Zablocki of Evgenia Abrugaeva. motifs and contemporary experience. New Learn more about this The American Museum film on p. 16. of Natural History Audio/ this year is a centerpiece presentation we Visual Team call Collectively. Focusing on the work of The 2018 Mead Volunteers AMNH.ORG/MEAD | 3 IN THEIR OWN WORDS Image from Ceres (page 13). In Their Own Words Filmmakers reflect on the festival’s 2018 “A documentary about modern voter theme, Resilience in Motion: suppression and the 2016 Presidential election, this film’s strength lies in the “The most interesting and sustainable personal dedication and determination of seeds of resilience are spread from a couple Laverne, Steve, Claire, and Trista to help of enthusiasts with a passion for a cause their fellow citizens vote. Their continued growing a movement and inspiring others.” work fighting for democracy and the resilience they embody parallels our hope —Kurt Reinhard and Christoph Schreiber for the resilience of democracy itself.” Ciao Babylon —Anne de Mare Capturing the Flag “We have a Finnish “The singers’ and dancers’ resistance to concept called sisu. It can cultural assimilation is profound. Today, some 40 years after the making of the film, be translated into grit, Yup’ik dance flourishes in a remarkable bravery, determination, renaissance.” or even resilience, and it’s —Sarah Elder something that embodies Uksuum Cauyai (The Drums of Winter) our national character. “It’s a film about Scotland’s cultural and G. J. Ramstedt, our artistic resilience, resistance to erasure, documentary hero, was and sheer joy in celebrating freedom of infused with a great deal self-expression. Whether knowledgeable about traditional Scottish music or a of sisu.” complete novice, folks of all stripes find powerful connection to the film’s energetic, —Niklas Kullström free-spirited sound and politically relevant and Martti Kaartinen theme of cultural reclamation and resilience.” Eastern Memories —Tommie Dell Smith The Groove Is Not Trivial Look for more responses from our filmmakers on our website:amnh.org/mead 4 | 2018 MARGARET MEAD FILM FESTIVAL COLLECTIVELY Collectively at the Mead A rich trove of storytelling lies beyond mainstream film markets across dynamic collectives that have emerged internationally since 1986. Collectively illuminates how media empowers communities whose voices were previously underrepresented. The three collectives showcased this year represent a diverse group of visual storytellers—East African filmmakers, voices of the Brazilian Amazon, and Cambodia’s multimedia memory-makers. Each collective provides training and access to filmmaking equipment as well as mentorship. The resulting stories offer unique and vital cultural perspectives celebrated by the Margaret Mead Film Festival. Vídeo nas Aldeias | Video in the Villages Brazil SAT OCT 20 | 11:30 am | Program F36 Since its founding by award-winning documentary film- maker and activist Vincent Carelli, Vídeo nas Aldeias has supported 40 Indigenous groups in 14 Brazilian states that now use media to shape the portrayal of Amazonian communities in mainstream society, change public policy, and communicate with each another. Maisha Film Lab Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda SAT OCT 20 | 2 pm | Program F35 Oscar-nominated director Mira Nair founded Maisha, which means ‘life’ in Kiswahili, with the motto, “If we don’t tell our own stories, no one else will.” Since 2004, the collective has funded more than 700 participants from Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda, producing more than 75 short films. Bophana Center Cambodia SUN OCT 21 | 2 pm | Program F34 Founded by acclaimed filmmaker Rithy Panh, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge genocide,