SCFZ poll: Harun Farocki

[flip]

Polling the films of director Harun Farocki.

The rules:

- your list can include no more than half of the Farocki films you've seen, up to a maximum of 5. So if you've seen seven of his films, for example, you can list only a top 3. It's only if you've seen ten or more of his films than you can list the maximum of five.

- i'll assume ballots are ranked unless you tell me otherwise. unranked ballots are fine.

- deadline for ballots: next Friday, in seven days, whatever day that is

- if anyone is watching films for these polls, then i'll extend the deadline up to three days, if someone requests an extension

- next poll: whoever posts the first ballot in this thread is free to nominate the director we poll next, unless you've nominated in this round already (everyone should get a chance). Already nominated this round: greg x, umbugbene, roscoe, bure, greennui, wba, brian d, mesnalty, ofrene

umbugbene created an index on letterboxd of all of our previous polls here: letterboxd.com/umbugbene/list/index-of-all-scfz-director-polls/

one rule for nominees: at least 3 scfzers need to have seen 10+ of a nominee's films, or at least 4 scfzers need to have seen at least 8 of the nom's films, so if it isn't clear if that will be the case, we'll confirm that's true before moving forward

if 24 hours pass after a poll opens, and no one eligible to nominate has posted a ballot, then i'll nominate someone, and then we'll start over, and everyone will be able to nominate again

[flip]

we'll use the 'new rules' for this poll:

New Rules

Because Farocki has fewer views than most directors we've polled, I'm changing some of the rules for this poll:

- if you have seen an odd number of Farocki films, you can round up, when dividing by two, instead of down, to determine the length of your ballot. So if you have seen 7 Farocki films, you can vote for 4 films (instead of 3). But please only vote for the additional film if you think it's deserving of a vote.

- if you have seen 11 or more Farocki films, your ballot can extend beyond 5 films -- if you have seen 13, say, you can vote for up to 7 films. I'll award 0.5, 0.3 and 0.1 points to 6th, 7th and 8th ranked films (and nothing to 9th or later ranked films). Those additional votes will help to get a complete top ten.

[greennui]

Seen 10.

Parallel I-IV
In Comparison
Indoctrination
Bedtime Stories: Ships
Bedtime Stories: Bridges

[Holymanm]

surely now you're just making up director names...

[ofrene]

seen 15

Videograms of a Revolution
Images of the World and the Inscription of War
War at a Distance
Interface
Parallel I-IV
The Inextinguishable Fire
In Comparison
How to Live in the German Federal Republic

[liquidnature]

surely now you're just making up director names...

just wait until we get to Rza Abbasgulu oglu Tahmasib

[wba]

01. Zwischen zwei Kriegen "Between Two Wars" (1978)
02. Zum Vergleich "In Comparison" (2009)
03. Nicht ohne Risiko "Nothing Ventured" (2004)

Farocki seen: 5

[St. Gloede]

Seen 8:

Still Life
Between Two Wars
Images of the World and the Inscription of War
As You See

*Not seen any of his shorts

[flip]

Seen 8:

st gloede, you can pick our next director if you like!

[St. Gloede]

Do we have the views for Alain Cavalier?

If not, how about one of the Czechoslovakian New Wave giants, for instance Chytilova or Jabubisko? I believe I pushed both before, but with the slightly more relaxed rules they may pass.

[Mauries]

I have only seen two, but been meaning to watch more of him - i'll try to do so in the next week.
Btw, I screened Parallel I-IV on several occasions in the Netherlands.

[Umbugbene]

I've got 2 Cavalier, 9 Jakubisko, and 6 Chytilová.

[flip]

cavalier, chytilova and jakubisko would all be interesting choices, hopefully one of them has enough viewership - definitely think we need to check, though. i've only seen 2 by chytilova and 2 by jakubisko, none of cavalier but have been meaning to for a long time

[brian d]

1 cavalier, 11 jakubisko, 17 chytilová (excited about either of the czech/slovak options).

[flip]

assuming st gloede has 9 or 10 jakubisko, he'll definitely work, and if someone else has 7+ chytilova, she'd work too -- i think i won't start the next poll until friday, so we'll see if any other chytilova or cavalier viewers post, and then can decide which director to go with

[wba]

Alain Cavalier: only 1 (but a personal favorite)
Chytilova: merely 2, but both were great! (and a DVD from Second Run with 2 of her films is currently being shipped to me frrom the UK)
Jakubisko: only 1 (but what a masterpiece!)

[St. Gloede]

assuming st gloede has 9 or 10 jakubisko, he'll definitely work, and if someone else has 7+ chytilova, she'd work too -- i think i won't start the next poll until friday, so we'll see if any other chytilova or cavalier viewers post, and then can decide which director to go with

This is brilliant!

(Seen 12 by Jakubisko, 12 by Chytilova and 9 by Cavalier).

We can do Jakubisko then, I'll nominate Chytilova next time, though I'm very surprised she is the one with less views.

[flip]

i started this poll a day late, so i'll tally it tomorrow - last chance to watch more farocki and post or edit a ballot!

[Mauries]

Seen 4

In Comparison
Parallel I-IV

[john ryan]

Seen 4

1. The Inextinguishable Fire
2. Parallel I-IV

[mesnalty]

Seen 4

1. The Inextinguishable Fire
2. Bedtime Stories: Ships

[flip]

the winning film only got 8.3 points, which might be the lowest total for a winning film in any of the polls we've run -- there weren't as many votes in this poll as in others, understandably, and the votes were also spread around a lot, which explains the low point totals for each film

results

1. In Comparison (2009) -- 8.3 pts
2. Parallel I-IV (2014) -- 8 pts
3. Images of the World and the Inscription of War (1989) -- 6 pts
3. Between Two Wars (1978) -- 6 pts
5. Videograms of a Revolution (1992) -- 5 pts
6. The Inextinguishable Fire (1969) -- 4.5 pts
7. Still Life (1997) -- 4 pts
8. Bedtime Stories: Ships (1977) -- 3 pts
8. Indoctrination (1987) -- 3 pts
8. War at a Distance (2003) -- 3 pts
11. Interface (1995) -- 2 pts
12. As You See (1986) -- 1 pt
12. Bedtime Stories: Bridges (1977) -- 1 pt
12. Nothing Ventured (2004) -- 1 pt
15. How to Live in the Federal Republic of Germany (1990) -- 0.1 pts

[Umbugbene]

Public Service Announcement: the winner of this poll, In Comparison, just became available for streaming here:
https://www.arsenal-berlin.de/mitglieds ... leich.html

Expires in two weeks.

[josiahmorgan11]

In Comparison is excellent.

[flip]

up at letterboxd:

https://letterboxd.com/fliptrotsky/list ... -poll-201/