Educational screen & audio-visual guide (c1956-1971])

guest editorial A lOBLE EXPERIMEST Guest editorialist Mayer Singennan is Director of the Audio-Visual Department, Chicago Office, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith. He is a member of Educational Screen's Editorial Advisory Board. It is not chauvinism that turns us a wee bit green every year as we read of film festivals in Edinburgh, Cannes, and Venice. Most of us, for a long time and for a variety of reasons, have thought that there was a great need for an American film festival. But, as great as the need seemed to be, no one wanted to undertake the task. There were too many problems, too many headaches. It was too big a job. This spring, the Film Council of America grabbed this "tiger" by the tail and hung on tightly. If they continue to keep a firm grip, they will probably tame him. If they let go, it will be a long time before anyone has the courage to try again. One FCA staff member, while briefing the judges for the Golden Reel Film Festival, said, "You are part of a noble experiment". It is good that FCA sees this first Assembly and Film Festival as an "experiment". For those who most want a successful Assembly are asking the most questions about the one just held. It may be that the answer to whether or not FCA will "tame the tiger" will depend on how well they satisfy the questioners. What questions are they asking? Let's look at some of them: "A film festival is fine, but must awards be given?" "I know it's difficult to arrive at proper categories, but couldn't you have had a category for , or , or , or . . .?" "I was a judge. We were asked to judge the film only on the basis of how well the film carried out the statement of purpose presented by the sponsor. Is this the best criterion? Is it the only one?" "Why weren't FCA affiliate and constituent members used more in the planning of the Assembly and Festival? Will there be a follow-up? Will affiliates be used more then?" These are questions dealing with specifics. There are, however, two questions the answers to which may prove to be determinant. First, "How will the American Film Assembly raise the quality of our films?" Second, "How will the American Film Assembly serve to spread the knowledge and use of educational films?" Of the first: There are some producers who haven't learned what Gilbert Seldes told us at the Assembly luncheon: "No matter how good a film is, you can get an audience for it." On the other hand, there are filmusers who don't realize that producers want nothing so much as to be told what kinds of films are wanted. The Assembly provides a unique opportunity for these people to get together in a "'non-buying-selling" atmosphere. There is no trade show, there are no sales meetings, there are no meetings to discuss the special problems of the different kinds of film-users. The FCA saw the opportunity and provided time for the various elements of the field to come together to talk about how to make and distribute better films. How 206 PICTURE OF THE MONTH It's Skippy and the JR's, winner of a Golden Reel Award at the recent American Film Festival in Chicago. Skippy shows how a first-grade teacher of today helps her pupils acquire skill in reading, writing, and arithmetic. (For a detailed review, see the November. 1953 EdScreen, page 402.) The 29-minute film was produced by Agrafilms, Inc. for the National Education Association and affiliated State Education Associations. To borrow prints, write to the State Education Association in your state. To purchase prints or to locate the nearest film library with prints for loan, write to the Division of Press and Radio Relations, National Education .\ssn., 1201 16th St., N.W., Washington 6, D.C. well even this first attempt succeeded we may knowin the future. It is for FCA — and all of us — to profit by this experience to make the next even more rewarding. Of the second determinant question: Millions of people see and learn with educational films. Many film organizations, including FCA, take great pains to maintain and increase the interest of these people. But it is to the many more millions who know nothing of our films to whom we must turn to increase our ranks. The problem of how best to use the Assembly and Film Festival for this purpose is for FCA and all of us — to ponder and solve. FCA, Board and Staff, should know that the "field" applauds the first American Film Assembly and Golden Reel Film Festival. They should also know that there are many people willing to help them make . the next .-Assembly a better one. JTiaxie'i ^ince'tman Educational Screen