Empty Quarter (2011) Directed by Alain LeTourneau and Pam Minty Friday - March 29 - 6:30 p.m. Eschewing traditional forms of documentary cinema, Empty Quarter deploys a long-take style reminiscent of the works of James Benning and Sharon Lockhart to depict the politicized landscape of the sparsely populated “empty quarter” of Southeast Oregon. By presenting the audience with images and stories of the industries, laborers, landscapes, and social lives that make up this region, the filmmakers craft a surprisingly accessible and subtly political portrait that calls on audiences to develop their own ideas about the relationships of people to land and of labor to industry. Directors Alain LeTourneau and Pam Minty are scheduled to be present. (16mm. 71 min. Not rated.) Los Angeles Plays Itself (2003) Directed by Thom Andersen Friday - April 5 - 6:30 p.m. At once epic in scope yet provocative in its critique of cinema, Los Angeles Plays Itself explores the world’s most photographed city both as a character within film history and beyond its often limited depiction in the media. Mining fiction films for their “documentary revelations,” Thom Anderson unveils a captivating mosaic of the city using clips from over 200 films, incorporating everything from silent comedies, to classic film noir, African American cinema, gay pornography, and big-budget action movies. Through its affectionate examination of the city’s neighborhoods, architecture, urban folklore, and hidden histories, the film contemplates the politics of representation while simultaneously celebrating the beauty of the cinematic image. (DigiBeta. 169 min. Not rated.) 20 Underground Film Series Tickets: (812) 855-1103