THE ZANZIBAR FILMS AND THE DANDIES OF MAY 1968

ICA, London, 8 - 14 Feb 2002

Between 1968 and 1970, Sylvina Boissonnas, a young French
patroness of the arts, financed about fifteen 35mm films. The
resultant series, the ‘Zanzibar films’, starring the likes of 60s
models Zouzou and Caroline de Bendern, were strongly inflected
by the spirit of May 68. The Zanzibar participants, who all had
strong ties with the world of fashion, had an equal interest in
making revolution and being dandies. The emphasis on extremely
long takes with minimal dialogue reflects a keen awareness of
Warhol.

The young filmmakers became the darlings of Henri Langlois, who
often showed their work in late-night screenings at the
Cinémathèque Française. They were also shown in New York in
1970, but had completely disappeared from view until last year's
major retrospective of experimental cinema at the Cinémathèque
Française. Now for the first time in the UK, the Institute of
Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London will show a selection of these
films in a season curated by Sally Shafto.

The season, presented with the cooperation of Mark Webber,
includes a selection of the Zanzibar films and an illustrated talk by
Sally Shafto. Several of the Zanzibar participants will be on hand to
introduce the films, including Zouzou (MARIE POUR MÉMOIRE),
Caroline de Bendern (DETRUISEZ-VOUS), Jackie Raynal (DEUX
FOIS) and Daniel Pommereulle (VITE).

Please note that LE LIT DE LA VIERGE is being replaced in the
program by Philippe Garrel's MARIE POUR MÉMOIRE. The Pardo
film on LIT DE LA VIERGE will still be shown, but the screenings of
Pierre-Richard Bré's  2 1/2 hour documentary on LE LIT DE LA
VIERGE is being replaced by two additional screenings of DEUX
FOIS and VITE.

On sale at the ICA Bookshop: the Zanzibar monograph by Sally
Shafto, and LE RÉVÉLATEUR, the first of the Zanzibar films to
come out on cassette by Re-Voir Editions.

For further information, please see www.ica.org.uk or contact
Sarah Hoyle at the ICA: [log in to unmask]

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