SMU Experimental Camera 2019

In Tom Gunning’s “Towards a Minor Cinema,” the author identifies a unique set of filmmakers that are constantly creating work that challenges the norm found within the medium. Gunning mentions Kafka’s celebration of “minor literature” which he states “remains aware of, and celebrates, its minor identity, fashioning from it a revolutionary consciousness.” Thus, he makes the claim that “minor cinema”, as he defines it, calls into question the terms in which the future of the avant-garde has been theorized in recent decades. Gunning identifies that the films which were considered to be “alternative” during the 80s aimed to distance themselves from the “ghetto” of avant-garde film. However, the recent films that he finds exciting, openly maintain a position outside of the mainstream cinematic languages. In northern words, the filmmakers do not represent desire to be included in commercial cinema. These filmmakers also most often work within analogue technologies, such as Super 8.

Tom Gunning's, "Toward a Minor Cinema" essay aimed more at the intimate cinema. Gunning called it "submerged narratives" and wanted people to understand that it explored the fine grain of imagery.

In Hoffman's article called, Vulture Aesthetics, he states that it is the moment of transformation. To be completely honest that is all I got from this reading. It wasn't the most clear to read in my opinion.