Adrian Clement

Brett Garten, “projectionist, film collector, and would-be film philosopher”, who has been running and programing the excellent Chauvel Cinematheque since July, 2006, announced on Monday the 9th of February that he has been contacted by the Chauvel Cinema management to say that his service as curator of the Cinematheque is “no longer needed”. Instead, the program will now be curated by the Chauvel Cinematheque, a so-called “team” of people that does not include Brett Garten.

To cut straight to the point, by replacing Brett Garten as curator of The Chauvel Cinematheque will mean that Sydney’s premier film society will no longer be the same in alarming drastic ways.

Over the past 3 years (of which the first two years he volunteered), Brett has carefully selected films to make up programs which have been absolutely invaluable to the general public because they have been about “screening films that can’t be seen elsewhere, making new discoveries, and taking risks” as a way to “promote and encourage the appreciation of film as an art and social force” not “about embalming the classics”.

The programs Brett created were diverse, and looked at things such as Golden Age Hollywood films, animation, serials, multi-screen films, educational films, documentaries, mockumentaries & parodies, occultism, short films, experimental new media, German expressionism, cinema verite, directors such as Jan Svankmajer, Stan Brakhage, Ivan Mosjoukine, Andy Warhol… The list goes on and on.

The screenings also often featured special guests, such as directors (including Toby Zoates), film-historians (including the one and only Barrie Pattison) and writers (including UNSW Professor David McKnight), and has also featured special live scores by bands and musicians including Toy Death, Quaob, Kenny Davis Jr (The Jackson Code, Decoder Ring) and myself.

If you’re not convinced, take a look at some of the previous programs yourself:

And now compare them to the new program:

As a result, you can see that by pulling Brett away from the Cinematheque we no longer have an extremely significant “world-class” film society but are left with a program full of films that are not only easily available on DVD, but are precisely about “embalming the classics”. This is alarming, and I encourage you speak with Palace Cinemas and The Chauvel about their decision.

Here are a few ways you can do so listed in order of most effective to least effective:

1. Make a phone call.

There is nothing like a good old phone call. Try contacting Palace Cinema’s head office. Their number is (03) 9817 6421. Try contacting City of Sydney council (who have a lot to do with The Chauvel). You can call them on (02) 9265 9222.

Tell them how shocked, saddened and infuriated over their decision to get rid of Brett from his Cinematheque program. Let them know that they are making a terrible decision and they are getting rid of an invaluable learning resource for Sydney’s cultural scene. Make sure they realise the significance of Brett’s programs, and how they have always been extremely well-informed and mark rare opportunities to catch brilliant films, and also talks, performances and discussions.

2. Write a Letter

As effective as they are, emails are often deleted.

Send Palace Cinema’s head office a hard copy to 233 Whitehorse Rd, Balwyn VIC 3103 and City of Sydney, GPO Box 1591, Sydney NSW 2001

Even if you send the exact same thing, it’s good to try as much as you can.

3. Send an Email

Even though it’s better to write a letter, emailing is better than nothing.

Email Palace Cinemas at palace@palacecinemas.com.au and CC to council@cityofsydney.nsw.gov.au

With your help, hopefully we can fight this decision. Send out info about this to everyone you know. Spread the word. Get this bad decision fixed.

Update No. 1 Both the Australian Council of the Arts and Screen Australia say they can’t do anything to influence the decision (Screen Australia say it’s a staffing decision, but in essence it’s really much more than that).

Update No. 2: The Chauvel have added this disclaimer to their website:

You may have heard some rumours that the Chauvel Cinema is cancelling the Chauvel Cinematheque. This is not true! Cinematheque is on every Monday 6:30pm, it will NOT be cancelled. Our Cinematheque team are putting the final touches on a new program – stay tuned!

Apart from bad spelling, it looks as if The Chauvel Cinema are feeling pressured or have at least been receiving some negative feedback in regards to their decision to remove Brett from his position as curator for the Cinematheque. My point has always been that removing Brett from the Cinematheque will result in it not being in any way the same, and that it has always been his dedication and effort that has ensured it to be of the highest quality. Saying that the Cinematheque will continue running no problems with someone else in charge is like someone telling me one of my favorite bands, The Velvet Underground, are reforming but with none of the original members. Instead, the poster boys from *NYSNC, will be taking duties, doing a twisted version of a “Don’t Look Back” tour, playing The Velvet Underground & Nico with Britney Spears on vocals.

Update No. 3: Please note that this post is not an attempt to spread rumors and acuse the Chauvel of slandering information. That would be a waste of time because I would have no personal gain in doing something like that. Quite simply and genuinely, I am a Sydney citizen who is concerned about loosing something which is an important feature of our culture that is necessary for future generations.