Film as Art in Canada by George Csaba Koller (1978)

Originally published in: The Skills Exchange of Toronto
MY-145, $25

Most people have heard of Michael Snow, but did you know that there are dozens of other artists in Canada working in the medium of film? This class will be an overview of celluloid aesthetics from B.C. to Cape Breton, held in a small, intimate screening room ideal for post film discussions. The works of Razutis, Rimmer, Snow, Wieland, Straiton, McLaren, Lipsett, Hancox, Anderson, Lock, Soul, Markson, Gagnon and Delorey will be shown, among others, including some from the American underground, for purposes of comparison. Some filmmakers will be present, to make the sessions even more interesting.

George Csaba Koller is a university trained filmmaker, who was editor/publisher of Cinema Canada magazine for three years. He spent the past year researching a book on experimental filmmakers in Canada.

Four 3-hr. sessions, Sec. A: Mon., 7-10.

(Note: “The Skills Exchange was an alternative adult education cooperative established in Toronto in 1977 and in operation until 1986. It offered a wide range of short courses in locations all over the city, taught by professionals in their own studios, offices or homes. A typical course would run two hours, one evening per week, for four weeks, at a cost of $25-50 per person. Subjects included buying your first home, photo darkroom techniques, dating etiquette, computer programming, and vegetarian cooking, to name but a few.

The organization published a monthly course catalog, offering an average of 120 courses per month. The catalogues were free and available at stores, libraries, community centres, restaurants and bars. For the first issue, 50,000 copies were printed.” (History of Education, Selected Moments of the 20th Century, a work in progress edited by Daniel Schugurensky)