Agnes Varnum's blog

Chef du Cinema: Cinema Paradiso

Agnes Varnum — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:30:57 +0000

I don't remember when I first watched Cinema Paradiso but the memory of that loving embrace of a sentimental story propelled me to finally attend a Chef du Cinema class with Austin Film Society member and friend Ron Deutsch. The movie washed over me again just like the warm eggplant fritters served on a swirl of tangy marinara that kicked off the meal, along with a few sips of tempranillo from the Central Market Cooking School stash.

As Ron disclaimed before we walked in the door, the setting isn't a good one for anyone who values the darkened, silent theatrical experience but if you are willing to compromise for the addition of a cooking demonstration, you will be rewarded with a lovely meal while you enjoy the movie.

I had forgotten my favorite part of the film -- the movie reel of kisses and sexy bits. What an astonishingly wonderful detail of a time in movie history that was gone years before I was even born. It's amazing how our history is remembered by movies and food.

Ron's program notes are extensive on both the history of the film and the food. His travels to Italy had inspired the menu, and his meticulous research leaves me wondering how many hours of prep he spends on these monthly classes (he posts recipes so you can make your own "dinner and a movie" night).

I picked up some tips to use in the kitchen. I've been skeptical about the idea that citrus "cooks" seafood, a la ceviche, but I learned that it is indeed a good way to prep fresh fish. The citrus-marinated swordfish over arugula with orange slices (including a special knife technique for juicy segments) was my favorite course. I've been on a restricted diet all week so it matched my eating goals.

Celebrate a Year of Cinema41 Screenings

Agnes Varnum — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:05:16 +0000

If you haven't yet read Alison Macor's book Chainsaws, Slackers, and Spy Kids: 30 Years of Filmmaking in Austin, Texas, you are missing out on the rich history of Austin's film community. I was excited when Ryan Darbonne, executive director of Cinema41 -- a volunteer group of cinephiles producing twice-monthly screenings at The Salvage Vanguard Theater -- told me that the group's namesake was Cinema 40 Film Society, a student-run volunteer effort at The University of Texas that he'd read about in Macor's book.

The year was 1965 and much like the Austin Film Society, Cinema 40 started out as a way to showcase art films presented by the directors. The group enjoyed highlights with Jean Luc Godard and Andy Warhol presenting work ... a pedigree worthy of reincarnation by a recent college grad looking for black independent films and indies of the 80s and 90s on Austin screens and coming up short.

Darbonne put out the call on Craigslist to identify other film enthusiasts to work with, and he got exactly two responses: Heather Cain and her partner Chris Popkoff. As the former manager of the Dobie Theatre, Cain helped channel Darbonne's DIY spirit into professional presentations (read: paying screening fees, working with press, the fine art of flyering). Cain and Popkoff have since moved out of Austin but Cinema41 has enlisted additional volunteers and are celebrating the group's one-year anniversary on Thursday with a free public screening of Living In Oblivion at Austin Studios.

SXSW 2012: Trifecta Returns: Technology + Us, or Intelligent Face-Eating Robots

Agnes Varnum — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:30:14 +0000

Lost and Sound
Welcome to the Machine
King Kelly

Each year, SXSW is a set of experiences that spark new ideas and directions in my life. My SXSW experience in 2005 prompted my now-defunct blog, Doc It Out. I consider that experiment a success since I stuck with it for three years and it spurred my career as a writer and programmer. The festival, via then-producer Matt Dentler and now-producer Janet Pierson, eventually led me to my job at the Austin Film Society and to live in Austin. SXSW creates an environment for thought, creativity and entrepreneurship. This year, I found my experiences pointing me toward the role of technology in our lives.

Avi Zev Weider and his wife Alex used science to get pregnant, and like so many couples these days, they wound up with multiples—triplets to be exact. Avi's film, Welcome to the Machine, is his exploration into whether or not this kind of technological intervention into human life is a positive development. It's easy to understand how they might question their choice when we see their three prematurely born babies in neo-natal incubators and the subsequent challenges. As the family struggles, Avi ponders if they have discovered a dark side to using technology to have a family.

Lost and Sound filmmaker Lindsay Dryden revealed during the Q&A at SXSW that she is partially deaf with a chance she might lose all of her hearing. As someone who is "obsessed with music," she wondered if she does lose her hearing, what can she expect her experience of music to be? She finds several people at various stages of deafness -- a dancer who was born deaf, a music critic who lost hearing in one ear and experiences pain when he tries to listen to music, and a young piano player who lost her hearing from a bout with meningitis. The girls have cochlear implants, or electronic devices in their inner ears and aids on the outside, to assist with hearing, while the music critic undergoes a series of medical scans to get help coping with tinnitus pain. Cochlear implants may also be an option for him.