Anna Feistel

The challenge of assembling a short film canon lies in the very notion of what a “canon” should represent. When does a film become “historical” enough to enter a canon? Does it need to be historical? For what do we need a canon? Is it a collection of works that have already stood the test of time, or can it also include contemporary pieces that anticipate future influence? One immediately faces questions of selection, bias, and historical perspective. It is bounded by my personal perspective, by my own “film archive,” influences by academia, film festivals, own interest. I guess a balanced canon would ideally include both historically significant films and contemporary ones that resonate with today’s sensibilities. Ideally,  selection should reflect the full diversity of the art form. But it would be an ongoing ever changing and dynamic list, always lacking positions... The canon is a snapshot of cultural value judgments. The perfect canon would be one, that is always moving, not a static one. I'm very curious what will come out of this collection of films.