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

EFLA What Has It Done? Where Is It Going? of new films. 'I"he l-'iliii Review Digest was originally a separate jjeriodical, but two years ago it was included in the membership service for Constituent and Service members. Starting in SejJtember, 1958, the Film Review Digest is being sent without extra charge to all EFLA members, including the Personal .Members. It is published whenever the editor has accumulated three reviews from different soinces for each of the twelve to fifteen films it takes to fill an issue. Members with orderly minds find this sporadic jiublishing schedule disturbing, but nothing can be done to improve it until more magazines publish more film reviews. The Service Supplements are also somewhat irregular in appearance. L'sually, four or five are issued during the membership year, covering such utilitarian topics as a membership list, an Index to Evaluations, or a Conference report, as well as less routine material. During 1958, the major Supplement was "Films and Filmstrips on .\rchaeology," which brought together information on a field which is of growing interest and importance. Supplements are sent EFLA members, and may be purchased by nonmembers. EFLA has always worked closely with related organizations, and has been strongly in favor of cooperation rather than competition among the various audiovisual groups. For that reason, it was glad to take part in the formation of the .Audiovisual Council on Public Information (.WCOPI) and has been an active participant in .\VCOPrs program to improve understanding of the role of audiovisual education. F"or the past year, EFL.\ has provided office space and clerical help in New York to .WCOPI, and EFL,\'s Administrative Director has served as SecretaryTreasurer of the Council. EFL.\ has also worked with CINE (Committee on International NonTheatrical Events) to nominate American films to be sent to film festivals abroad. Conferences are naturally an important part of the program of any association. EFL.\ has held its Annual Conference usually in July in Chicago, just preceding the NAV.\ Trade Show. Recently, there have also been Regional Meetings in New York and elsewhere. The first Southern Regional Meeting was held in Tallahassee at Florida State University on November 6-8, 1958. Los .\ngeles was the site of a Western Regional Meeting in May, 1957, and another meeting may be held there in 1959. The EFL.\ Board is working on a plan for a series of regional meetings to have correlated programs, as well as featiues of primarily regional interest. Of major importance in EFLA's plans for 1959 is the new .American Film Festival. Since the last Golden Reel showings, there has been no national educational film festival, and EFL.A had been urged by both producers and users to undertake such a venture. After careful consideration, and with due regard for the criticisms which have been aimed at the Golden Reel and other festivals, the EFLA Board decided to establish a new American Film Festival, to cover 16mm films and 35mm filmstrips in the fields of education and information, religion and ethics, business and industry, health and medicine, and culture and art. Awards will be given in about thirty categories following screening during the Festival in New York, April 1-4, 1959. Why have a Film Festival? It means a lot of work, and probably a lot of criticism from those who don't like the way it is run, or who disagree with the jurors' decisions. But a Festival can accomplish a great deal. It gives film users a chance to see a wide variety of films. It is a gathering place for film enthusiasts, where they can discuss all aspects of film making. .And of course it is a place to meet fellow workers from all over the country, to make new acquaintances, and to talk shop. But the primary purpose of the American Film Festival is to encourage the improvement of educational and informational films by giving recognition to outstanding productions. For twelve years, EFLA has been rating and appraising films under the Evaluation program. That this has been a useful and needed service is proved by the continuous growth of EFLA membership. But the time has come to sharpen our critical judgment. Film users have a right to demand high quality in content, organization, technique, and approach. .And producers who make high quality films should receive the honor they have earned. If, as a result, they also earn a little more money, it should encourage them to continue the good work. Then EFLA members and all other film users will benefit from higher standards in film production. EFL.A expects that 1959 will be one of the most important years in its history. The prospect ahead is exciting, if somewhat intimidating, but after all the vicissitudes of its past, EFL.A is able to look forwanl hopefidly, even to a Film Festival. EdScreen & AV Guide — Decennber, 1958 621