CITYist

Few artists capture the imagination quite like filmmakers. Perhaps it’s the immediacy of the medium, but these men and women seem to have an uncanny ability to map the spirit of the times. As we enter the new decade, it’s an odd moment for movies. On one end of the spectrum, record-breaking crowds flock to blockbusters based on marketing campaigns (thanks, Michael Bay). On the other, your friend’s cousin is cutting his first flick at home on his laptop right now, and it could very well be a massive hit. Even in a saturated market, though, there will always be personalities who rise above the fray. Revealing a dedication to the authentic, an unwavering eye, and a willingness to get a little dirty along the way, the filmmakers profiled here are all paving the road for the next new wave.

ALEX HOLDRIDGE
Alex’s In Search of a Midnight Kiss received the John Cassavetes Award honoring films budgeted at less than $500,000 at the 2009 Independent Spirit Awards


Photography: David Black

What is this moment in time like for you?
In Search of a Midnight Kiss was a dream come true. I’d made two other independent films and when they all kind of fell apart, I was in the midst of utter depression. Just literally not a dime to my name, nothing but credit card debt and going through a breakup. I was having these deep questions of, ‘Do I have the will to start over and do this again?’ Because every [film] kills you just a little bit. You feel guilty asking so much of the people [you’re working with]. On Midnight, people were very kind and generous because we’ve worked together over the past decade. I was determined to do one [more film] before I gave up on LA.

[ . . . read the rest of Alex Holdridge's interview along with five additional young American filmmakers . . . ]