On the centenary of Samuel Becketts birth, publishing pioneer Barney Rosset presents a selection of films with unique literary pedigrees. In the early 1960s, Rossets legendary Grove Press commissioned film scripts from leading figures in world literature, including Beckett, Eugene Ionesco, Harold Pinter, and Marguerite Duras, to be produced by their Evergreen Theater production company. Only Becketts Film was shot and completed. It remains his single cinematic work, as well as Buster Keatons final role. The film also helped Grove Press enter the distribution business, and within a decade the publishing house had become one of the most respected independent film distributors in America.

Organized by Jytte Jensen, Curator, Department of Film and Media, and Ed Halter, independent curator and writer. Thanks to Astrid Myers.
Film. 1965. USA. Directed by Alan Schneider. Screenplay by Samuel Beckett. With Buster Keaton. Beckett made his only trip to America for the film shoot in New York. Taking as its basis George Berkeleys theory that to be is to be perceived, Film follows Keaton as a hooded agoraphobe. 21 min. Outtakes from Film. 1965. Never-before-seen alternate scenes, recently discovered in Rossets private archives. Approx 10 min. Un Chant damour. 1950. France. Written and directed by Jean Genet. Distributed by Grove Press. Genets classic is sordid, brutal, and provocative, yet as poetic and lyrical as its title suggests. Silent. 26 min. The Hard-Boiled Egg. 2006. USA. Directed by James Fotopoulos. Digital video production of Ionescos heretofore unproduced screenplay, commissioned by Rosset from Fotopoulos. 25 min. World premiere. Total runtime approx 82 minutes . Friday, May 12 at 8:30.

Program as listed above, followed by a conversation with Barney Rosset and James Fotopoulos, moderated by Ed Halter. Free admission.

Saturday, May 13 at 2:00.
program as listed above.