Truest heir

Mapping of a Medium in Decline

 

Types of Cinephilia

 

1 Cinema Scope Cinephilia

 

Auteurist-modernist, emphasis on form, subscription to an avant-garde canon, concept of director as artist and primacy of individual expression. Primary identification is with a certain type of cinema. Clear opposition to "mainstream" and certain derivatives, especially perceived "elevated mainstream". Focus on "our cinema" vs "their cinema", though "our cinema" part is more important than "vs." part. Not overtly polemical for the most part.

Reformist, takes part in institutions, although mostly on the fringes: small festivals, sidebars of big festivals, less visible magazines etc. Cheering for Weerasethatkul wins at Cannes etc.

Mostly journalists and enthusiasts. Big on film twitter. Political alignment not important for self-image, though mostly left / left-liberal.

Truest heir of 60s art cinema scene / discourse.

Attracts both good writers and bad writers. Problems: importance of (correct) taste as an easy in, basic lingo easy to master, therefore not much quality control. Advantages: insistence on judging each work on its own merits, room and tolerance for experiments and for young writers, for the most part healthy distance from academic writing.