STF celebrates the 25th anniversary of THE GOOD FIGHT
- by Raphaela Neihausen, October 30, 2009
Matti Mattson, the 93-year-old veteran who fought with the Abraham Lincoln Brigade in the Spanish Civil War, took the stage on Tuesday to a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd at Stranger Than Fiction (pictured). The occasion was the 25th anniversary screening of THE GOOD FIGHT, co-presented by the Abraham Lincoln Brigade Archives. Mattson praised the filmmakers for capturing the spirit of the times when over 3,000 American soldiers volunteered to fight against the fascist forces in Spain. The filmmaking trio of Noel Buckner, Mary Dore, and Sam Sills were joined by the film’s consulting historian David Paskin in a Q&A to discuss the making of the film. They noted that the film was among the last round of projects to be funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities under the administration of President Carter. It took over five years to complete and entailed over 100 interviews. Twenty-five years later that investment of energy is still paying dividends as a historical record. Among the STF audience were filmmakers who have previously presented their own work in the series including George Stoney, Ngawang Choephel, and David Leitner.
After the screening, Matti Mattson and the filmmakers braved the rain to join fans for drinks at the bar 99 Below, where a descendant of another Brigade fighter hushed everyone to raise a toast. (Photos courtesy of Joshua Z Weinstein)
THE GOOD FIGHT directors (L to R): Noel Buckner, Sam Sills and Mary Dore.
L to R: Directors Noel Buckner, Mary Dore, Sam Sills and project historian David Paskin. Seated in front is 93-year-old veteran Matti Mattson.
Matti enjoying some wine at 99 Below.
Director Ngawang Choephel (
A toast to the directors.
Related Film/Screening: THE GOOD FIGHT by Noel Buckner, Mary Dore & Sam Sills
Comments
No Comments Commenting is not available in this weblog entry.Join the STF Mailing List »
Upcoming Screenings
Feb 7: UNFINISHED SPACES
by Alysa Nahmias and Benjamin Murray“Cuba will count as having the most beautiful academy of arts in the world.” —Fidel Castro (1961) Cuba’s ambitious National Art Schools project, designed by three young artists in the wake of ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Feb 14: ZELIG
by Woody Allen”[Allen’s] new, remarkably self-assured comedy is to his career what… Berlin Alexanderplatz is to Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s and… Fanny and Alexander is to Ingmar Bergman’s ... Zelig is not only ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Feb 21: TOOTIE’S LAST SUIT
by Lisa Katzman“Tootie represented a kind of soulfulness in the community, and a certain type of style, and everybody loved him.” – Wynton Marsalis TOOTIE’S LAST SUIT explores the complex relationships, rituals, ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Feb 28: THE PROMISE: THE MAKING OF DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN
by Thom ZimnyDescription from TIFF 2010 catalog by Thom Powers: The Promise: The Making of Darkness on the Edge of Town takes us into the studio with Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band for the recording of ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Mar 6: SMASH HIS CAMERA
by Leon Gast“Famously and successfully sued by Jackie Onassis, and slugged just as famously and successfully by Marlon Brando, denounced from the pulpits of punditry for decades, Galella has been a man easy to ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Mar 13: THE MAN NOBODY KNEW: IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER, CIA SPYMASTER WILLIAM COLBY
by Carl ColbyA son’s riveting look at a father whose life seemed straight out of a spy thriller, THE MAN NOBODY KNEW: IN SEARCH OF MY FATHER, CIA SPYMASTER WILLIAM COLBY uncovers the secret world of a legendary ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
Mar 20: GIRL MODEL
by Ashley Sabin and David Redmon Description from TIFF 2011 catalog by Thom Powers: Girl Model shows a rarely seen side of the fashion industry. The film brings a novelist’s eye for emotional and psychological complexity to its ...
Get More info or Buy Tickets »
