March 28: FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM! documentary theatrical premiere in New Jersey

[Douglas Meltzer]

One of the highlights at CineSea 25 was the screening of a work-in-progress cut of filmmaker Peter Flynn’s fascinating documentary about film collecting and film preservation. After the showing there was a Q&A with Peter. That movie, now titled FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM!, will be having its theatrical premiere on March 28th, 7:30 PM at The Barrymore Film Center in Fort Lee, New Jersey.

To me, it really captures the world of film collecting, the many personalities involved and how collectors are responsible for the existence of countless prints that would have vanished without their endeavors.

For ticket information and to view the trailer, please check out the Barrymore Film Center's website.

[Steve Klare]

I really enjoyed Long Live Film, but then again if we had paid Peter Flynn to make us a movie, I don't think it would have looked a lot different than this! It gets beyond just the nuts and bolts of collecting film into the personalities and lives of film collectors, and if you go to CineSea, you'll know a great many of the personalities, well...personally!

If this one winds up on a disk, I will be among the first on line for sure! (In the best of all worlds, an 8mm or 16mm print would be ideal, but...)

[Douglas Meltzer]

The premiere took place yesterday with both Peter Flynn and his film receiving enthusiastic applause.

This was a different edit than the one shown at the CineSea 25 screening and I found it more focused and more emotional. The film features collectors and archivists telling their stories but also includes their families who often have a different perspective about their life's pursuit. It's beautifully shot & edited.




There was a Q&A with Peter after the screening. The documentary now has a distributor, so hopefully it will have a good theatrical run.

Here's a review of the film.

[Douglas Meltzer]

Something I didn't mention earlier is how impressed I was that a number of the CineSea group traveled in from other states to attend the premiere. Michael Lattavo came from Ohio, Geoffrey Curtis from Maryland, Todd Tuckey from Pennsylvania, Stuart & Pauline Finkelstein from Massachusetts and Jack Cleveland from Maryland. Compared to them, Evan Samaras and I had a very short trip from NYC.

Peter's film is now making the festival run. FILM IS DEAD. LONG LIVE FILM! just won best feature documentary at the Desertscape International Film Festival in St. George, Utah.