Directed & Edited by James Scott Executive Producer Al Morrow WORLD PREMIERE: SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2016 DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION

Transcription

1 Directed & Edited by James Scott Executive Producer Al Morrow WORLD PREMIERE: SXSW FILM FESTIVAL 2016 DOCUMENTARY SHORTS COMPETITION Running Time: 34 minutes PRESS PACK Contact James Scott +44 (0)

2 Short Synopsis No one on the planet has drawn more than Laurie Lipton. With millions of tiny strokes of her humble pencil, Laurie s haunted images seek answers to some of the most uncomfortable themes in our culture. But what compels her to live a life of isolation drawing is neither black nor white. Long Synopsis Love Bite chronicles Laurie Lipton s life and prolific body of black & white work spanning over fifty years. Largely ignored by the mainstream art world, her creations are perhaps too real, too raw and show us a portrait of ourselves we re not willing to see. Born in New York in the 1950 s, Laurie escaped the suburbs and spent thirty- five years in Europe drawing obsessively with a technique she invented, using millions upon millions of tiny strokes of the humble pencil. The resulting images are not only photographic in quality, but offer an insight into the distinct blend of angst, longing, isolation, restlessness and uncertainty that is emblematic of our time. In 2011 she left the vacuous wasteland of celebrity worship and mindless consumerism to find salvation in the unlikeliest of places - Los Angeles. Inspired by the 16 th Century Flemish Masters, Laurie and her work seek answers to some of the most avoided and uncomfortable themes in our culture - fear, politics, sexuality, murder, mayhem, greed, and indifference - answers that will likely never be black or white. Love Bite follows Lipton's monumental task of creating a series of nine- foot tall drawings for an L.A. gallery, pieces that take six months each to complete. What compels a bright, funny and outspoken woman to live a life of isolation drawing is as disquieting as the images themselves. You never know what kind of gift comes out of suffering.

3 Director s Notes I came across Laurie Lipton s work completely by accident in a Winnipeg bong shop cum bookstore in Her drawing Señorita Muerte was on the cover of a book of her drawings, it locked eyes with me from across the room and drew me towards it. Little knowing that when I opened it I would discover a body of work that totally mesmerised me. Never had I seen images that affected me in such a way. It was a religious experience seeing them for the first time, especially one particular piece called Love Bite. Through the incredible detail of her disturbing and confrontational drawings shone through universal truths and dark humour beyond my comprehension. There was something so personal about the work, which the black & white pencil palette mysteriously accentuated. It was like looking through a time machine of photographic memories. I knew immediately I had to contact her. For the next four years I would stalk Lipton with my camera, filming her move to Los Angeles after thirty-five years living in Europe, and watching her drawings expand in size, inconceivably to over 9-feet tall. In a time when mainstream art and entertainment appear to thrive on mediocrity, Lipton has never compromised her vision of drawing about the absurdities and injustices in our culture, and investigating the uncomfortable complexities of the human condition. With the prolific work ethic of a 16 th century monk making illuminated manuscripts, she is completely dedicated to her obsessive craft, a dedication rarely seen in the modern day. As our friendship grew, Lipton opened up more about her past and how her childhood experiences have subconsciously shaped her art, and how drawing has always been a necessity for her, not a choice. In the film I try and create an atmosphere for the viewer that is similar to my experience seeing the drawings for the first time. And I hope that by sharing her story, philosophies and artwork in this way, the film can encourage people to think about their own lives and choices in an unconventional way. Something her images did to me. You cannot unsee a Laurie Lipton drawing.

4 WEBSITE AND SOCIAL MEDIA HANDLES Website: Facebook: Laurie Lipton Website: Facebook:

5 Biographies JAMES SCOTT (Director / Editor) is an award-winning editor based in Brighton, UK, originally from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. He has been making films since the age of fourteen. A Cinema Eye Honours nominee and winner of the Special Jury Award for Editing at Sundance 2015 for his Edit of Jerry's Rothwell's How To Change The World, James' feature-length documentary Editor credits include Sophie Robinson & Lotje Sodderland s My Beautiful Broken Brain (Netflix / SXSW 2016) about a young woman's new life after suffering a cerebral haemorrhage; Toby Amies' Grierson-nominated The Man Whose Mind Exploded, about Brighton eccentric Drako Oho Zarhazar's amazing life and extraordinary past dealing with the repercussions of brain damage; Jeanie Finlay's The Great Hip Hoax (SXSW 2013), winner of the Nigel Moore Award at DOXA 2013, about two Scottish rappers who faked their way into the music industry; Dunstan Bruce's This Band is So Gorgeous, runner-up for the Music Doc Award at IDFA 2012, about 70's UK punk band Sham 69's tour of China; and The Search For Weng Weng about one obsessive video store owner's quest to find the true story of cult 1980's primordial dwarf Filipino action movie star Weng Weng, Winner of The Audience Award at Terracotta Far East Film Festival London Love Bite, is his documentary directorial debut. AL MORROW (Executive Producer) is an award-winning producer and Head of Documentary at Met Film Production. Her producing credits include Jerry Rothwell s award winning How To Change The World (BFI, SKY, Bell Media, Netflix) which premiered at Sundance 2015 (Opening Night Film); Jeanie Finlay's Pantomime (BBC Storyville); The Great Hip Hop Hoax (BBC, Creative Scotland, BBC Scotland) which premiered at SXSW and was nominated for a 2014 Grierson and 2013 BIFA Award; BAFTA winner Sarah Gavron's Village At The End of The World which premiered at the BFI London Film Festival 2012; Jerry Rothwell's critically acclaimed theatrical documentary Town of Runners (Britdoc C4 Film Fund, PBS, Arte) which premiered at Tribeca FF ; the Grierson Nominated Films Donor Unknown (Arte, More 4, VPRO) winner of the Tribeca (online) Audience Award and Sync of Swim aka Men Who Swim (BBC, ZDF/Arte, VPRO, SVT, PBS); Deep Water (Pathe, UKFC, FilmFour, IFC) directed by Jerry Rothwell and Louise Osmond, winner of the Grierson Award for Best Cinema Documentary and Best Documentary at Rome Film Festival; and Jerry Rothwell's Heavy Load (BBC Storyville, IFCtv, ITVS). She is in production on Sour Grapes directed by Jerry Rothwell and Reuben Atlas for Netflix and Arte.

6 Contributors LAURIE LIPTON was born in New York and began drawing at the age of four. She was the first person to graduate from Carnegie-Mellon University in Pennsylvania with a Fine Arts Degree in Drawing (with honours). She has lived in Holland, Belgium, Germany, France, the UK and has recently moved to Los Angeles after 36 years abroad. Her work has been exhibited throughout Europe and the USA. Lipton was inspired by the religious paintings of the Flemish School. She tried to teach herself how to paint in the style of the 16th century Dutch Masters and failed. When travelling around Europe as a student, she began developing her very own peculiar drawing technique building up tone with millions of fine cross-hatching lines like an egg tempera painting. TERRY GILLIAM was born in Minnesota near Medicine Lake. When he was 12 his family moved to Los Angeles where he became a fan of Mad Magazine. In his early 20's he was often stopped by the police who often suspected him of being a drug addict and Gilliam had to explain that he worked in advertisement. Gilliam said these experiences made him understand how it was like to be Black or Mexican and gave him sympathy for the poor. In the political turmoil in the 60's, Gilliam feared he might develop into a terrorist and decided to leave the USA. After moving to England he landed a job on the children's television show Do Not Adjust Your Set as an animator. There he would meet his future collaborators in Monty Python. In 2006 he renounced his American citizenship. Biography by: BomberX

7 CREDITS Starring LAURIE LIPTON Directed, Edited & Shot by JAMES SCOTT Executive Producer AL MORROW Also Featuring TERRY GILLIAM SEAN SORENSON DOUGLAS CHRISMAS HENRY BOXER MIKE MCGEE Produced by JAMES SCOTT Archive Producer ELIZABETH KLINCK Music Supervisor AMY ASHWORTH Sound Design NICK RYAN Cinematography JAMES SCOTT Second Camera JEFF GATESMAN MARK BIRBECK Assistant editor CHARLIE WEBB Online services MET FILM Senior Colourist MATT TROUGHTON

8 Archive Film courtesy of KINO LIBRARY A/V GEEKS AND PRELINGER ARCHIVES ATOM CENTRAL Special Thanks to Jerry Rothwell, Dunstan Bruce, Sophie Robinson, Aaron Wickenden, Toby Amies, Daisy Asquith, Kat Mansoor, Roger Lipton, Ade Foiadelli, Jeff Drake, Darren Berry, Mummo & Bubbo. Please contact for full credit list Love Bite Ltd. 2016