The 51st Ann Arbor Film Festival — one of the best avant garde film festivals in the world — opens tonight, March 19, with an opening night screening featuring work by Jodie Mack, Bryan Boyce, and more. The 51st AAFF runs Tuesday, March 19 – Sunday, March 24th.

With so many worthwhile screenings, it’s difficult to enumerate all of the notables.

Some highlights include new work by Jodie Mack, Ben Rivers, Laida Lertxundi, Bryan Boyce, Jennifer Reeder, Lawrence Jordan, Semiconductor, Michael Robinson, Lori Felker, Jesse McLean, Scott Stark, Fern Silva, Kent Lambert, Les Blank, and many more; a Polish Animation Juror Presentation by Marcin Giżycki; a “Psychedelic Visions and Expanded Consciousness Los Angeles in the ’60s and ’70s” program; a Juror Presentation by Laida Lertxundi; and Our Nixon directed by Penny Lane.

Below is the quick schedule for the 2013 Ann Arbor Film Festival — special thanks to Mike Everleth at Badlit.com for formatting the quick schedule — which was originally posted here.

More information can be found at the AAFF website. If you’re in the midwest, do not miss this, take a road triip.

C U @ the party.

March 19

8:15 p.m.: “Opening Night Screening”
Century, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Waiting Room, dir. Jake Fried
Rating Dogs on a Scale of 1 to 10, dir. Mark Toscano
Marcel, King of Tervuren, dir. Tom Schroeder
Beaver Creek Yard, dir. Laska Jimsen
Magnetic Reconnection, dir. Kyle Armstrong
Da Vinci, dir. Yuri Ancarani
Dad’s Stick, dir. John Smith
Persian Pickles, dir. Jodie Mack
More Is Always on the Way, dir. Bryan Boyce
Wildwood Flower, dir. A. Keewatin Dewdney

March 20

12:00 p.m.: “Juror Presentation: Marcin Gizycki — Polish Animation”
Sztandar Młodych, dir. Jan Lenica, Walerian Borowczyk
Here and There, dir. Andrzej Pawłowski
Italia 61, dir. Jan Lenica, Wojciech Zamecznik
Sweet Rhythms, dir. Kazimierz Urbański
The Dynamic Rectangle, dir. Józef Robakowski
What Do We See After Closing Our Eyes, dir. Julian Antonisz
5/4, dir. Hieronim Neumann
The First Film, dir. Józef Piwkowski
Tuning the Instruments, dir. Jerzy Kucia
Bark, You Mongrel, Raise Hell, My Pearl, dir. Wojciech Bą kowski
Kinefaktura, dir. Marcin Giżycki

4:30 p.m.: The Poor Stockinger, the Luddite Cropper and the Deluded Followers of Joanna Southcott, dir. Luke Fowler. A meditation on Edward Palmer Thompson, who taught literature and social history to the working people of the industrial towns of the West Riding of Yorkshire, England.
Screening with:
August and After, dir. Nathaniel Dosky

7:00 p.m.: “Psychedelic Visions and Expanded Consciousness Los Angeles in the ’60s and ’70s”
Les angeS Dorment, dir. Felix Venable
Lapis, dir. James Whitney
Waterfall, dir. Chick Strand
Evolution of the Red Star, dir. Adam Beckett
Binary Bit Patterns, dir. Michael Whitney
Terminal Self, dir. John Whitney Jr.
Coming Down, dir. Pat O’Neill
Pulse, dir. Peter Spoecker/B.Y.M. Productions
Aether, dir. Daina Krumins
Twelve (The First Three Parts…), dir. Beth Block
Tanka, dir. David Lebrun
The Star Curtain Tantra, dir. Peter Mays

7:15 p.m.: “Films in Competition 1″

Pittsburgh 8/5/68, dir. Ted Kennedy
Postface, dir. Frédéric Moffet
Girls Love Horses, dir. Jennifer Reeder
106 River Road, dir. Josh Weissbach
Life is an Opinion, Fire a Fact, dir. Karen Yasinsky
Artificial Persons, dir. Katherin McInnis
Incorporating Guilt Within an Autonomous Robot, dir. Steve Wetzel
Hermeneutics, dir. Alexei Dmitriev
Memorial Land, dir. Bill Brown

9:15 p.m.: People’s Park, dir. Libbie Cohn and J.P. Sniadecki. A single-shot documentary covering a journey across a famous urban park in Chengdu, Sichuan Province.

9:30 p.m.: “Out Night: History, Glamor, Magic”
Advanced Search Terms, dir. Daniel Barrow
Encounters I May or May Not Have Had With Peter Berlin, dir. Mariah Garnett
Colin Is My Real Name, dir. Benny Nemerofsky Ramsay
She Gone Rogue, dir. Zackary Drucker, Rhys Ernst
Liberaceón, dir. Chris Vargas
Song for Rent, dir. Jack Smith

March 21

12:00 p.m.: “Juror Presentation: Laida Lertxundi”
Lemon, dir. Hollis Frampton
Footnotes to a House of Love, dir. Laida Lertxundi
My Tears Are Dry, dir. Laida Lertxundi
All My Life, dir. Bruce Baillie
Cry When it Happens (Llora Cuando Te Pase), dir. Laida Lertxundi
A Lax Riddle Unit, dir. Laida Lertxundi
Picture and Sound Rushes, dir. Morgan Fisher
Farce Sensationelle!, dir. Laida Lertxundi
The Room Called Heaven, dir. Laida Lertxundi

2:30 p.m.: “Critical Means #1″
The first of two discussions focusing on the current state of film criticism and writing, with a panel of scholars, critics, programmers and filmmakers.

5:10 p.m.: “Penny W. Stamps Presents Ken Burns”

7:00 p.m.: “Films in Competition 2″
February, dir. Inhan Cho
I Am Micro, dir. Shai Heredia, Shumona Goel
The Transits of Venus, dir. Nicky Hamlyn
Replacement, dir. Katarzyna Plazinska
Looking Glass Insects, dir. Charlotte Pryce
Solar Sight II, dir. Lawrence Jordan
Deep Red, dir. Esther Urlus
Flower, dir. NAOKO Tasaka

7:15 p.m.: Leviathan, dir. Véréna Paravel, Lucien Castaing-Taylor. This poetic documentary profiles a massive groundfish trawler that works off the coast of New Bedford, Massachusetts.

9:15 p.m.: “Films in Competition 3″
Some Part of Us Will Have Become, dir. Semiconductor
Swan Song, dir. Anouk de Clercq, Jerry Galle, Anton Aeki
Passage, dir. Madison Brookshire, Tashi Wada
Secretion, dir. Willie Doherty
Splices for Sharits, dir. Joseph Bernard
2012, dir. Takashi Makino

9:30 p.m.: “Suzan Pitt Retrospective Program 1″
Jefferson Circus Songs, dir. Suzan Pitt (1973)
El Doctor, dir. Suzan Pitt (2006)
Joy Street, dir. Suzan Pitt (1995)

March 22

12:00 p.m.: “Juror Presentation: Kevin Jerome Everson”
Rhinoceros, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Workers Leaving the Job Site, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Stoplight Liberty, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Blue Caps, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Juneteenth Columbus, Mississippi, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Charlie’s Proof, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Rita Larson’s Boy, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
The Pritchard, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Fifteen an Hour, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Emergency Needs, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Something Else, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
The Picnic, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson
Second Shift, dir. Kevin Jerome Everson

2:30 p.m.: “Critical Means #2″
A continuation of the discussion on Thursday, with contributions from writers, scholars and critics based in Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Boston and Toronto

5:00 p.m.: “Polish Avant-Garde Animation Films”
The House, dir. Jan Lenica, Walerian Borowczyk
The Labyrinth, dir. Jan Lenica
Market Place, dir. J&ocute;zef Robakowski, Tadeusz Junak, Ryszard Meissner
The Journey, dir. Daniel Szczechura
New Book, dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński
Tango, dir. Zbigniew Rybczyński
Line, dir. Grzegorz Rogala
Block, dir. Hieronim Neumann
Spoken Movie 1, dir. Wojciech Bąkowski
Paper Box, dir. Zbigniew Czapla

7:00 p.m.: The End of Time, dir. Peter Mettler. An exploration of our perception of time, traveling from the particle accelerator to lava flows in Hawaii to a Hindu funeral rite and othe exotic locations.

7:30 p.m.: “Films in Competition 4″
Our Summer Made Her Light Escape, dir. Sasha Waters Freyer
I Remember: A Film About Joe Brainard, dir. Matt Wolf
Audition, dir. Karen Yasinsky
The Mutability of All Things and the Possibility of Changing Some, dir. Anna Marziano
Handful of Dust, dir. Hope Tucker
WEST: What I know about her, dir. Kathryn Ramey

9:30 p.m.: “Films by Pat O’Neill”
Ojo Caliente, dir. Pat O’Neill (2012)
Painter & Ball 4-14, dir. Pat O’Neill (2011)
Squirtgun/Stepprint, dir. Pat O’Neill (1998)
Foregrounds, dir. Pat O’Neill, (1979)
Saugus Series, dir. Pat O’Neill (1974)
Downwind, dir. Pat O’Neill (1973)
Last of the Persimmons, dir. Pat O’Neill (1972)

9:45 p.m.: “Animated Films in Competition”
The Deep End, dir. Jake Fried
and/or, dir. Emily Hubley
Bite of the Tail, dir. Song E Kim
Stay Home, dir. Caleb Wood
Pareidolia, dir. Maya Erdelyi
A Modern Convenience, dir. Maureen Selwood
Beluga, dir. Shin Hashimoto
Pinball, dir. Suzan Pitt
Sugarcoat, dir. Meejin Hong
In Hanford, dir. Chris Mars
Isle of the Dead (La Isla de los Muertos), dir. Vuk Jevremovic
PXXXL, dir. Lauren Cook
Dumb Day, dir. Kevin Eskew
Binary, dir. Ben Popp

March 23

11:00 a.m.: Your Day Is My Night, dir. Lynne Sachs. A hybrid documentary covering the stories told in a Chinatown “shift-bed” apartment, as told through dreams, movement and song.
Screening with:
Despedida (Farewell), dir. Alexandra Cuesta

12:00 p.m.: The Central Park Five, dir. Ken Burns, Sarah Burns, David McMahon. This documentary covers the sensationalist story of five teenagers from Harlem who were convicted of brutally beating and raping a white woman in New York City’s Central Park in 1989, then set free when the real culprit was finally found.

1:00 p.m.: “Films in Competition 5″
Zabriskie Point (Redated), dir. Stephen Connolly
Entre Temps, dir. Ana Vaz
Phantoms of Libertine, dir. Ben Rivers
The United States of America, dir. Bette Gordon, James Benning

3:30 p.m.: “Films in Competition 6″
BROKEN NEWS 1: Disaster, dir. Lori Felker
Our relationships will become radiant, dir. James Lowne
Circle in the Sand, dir. Michael Robinson
The Invisible World, dir. Jesse McLean

4:00 p.m.: Water and Power, dir. Pat O’Neill. One of the most significant experimental films from the 1980s, O’Neill spent nearly ten years creating this poetic dedication to activities found within the Los Angeles Basin.
Screening with:
7362, dir. Pat O’Neill

7:00 p.m.: “Suzan Pitt Retrospective Program 2″
Bowl, Theatre, Garden, Marble Game, dir. Suzan Pitt (1970)
Whitney Commercial, dir. Suzan Pitt (1973)
Crocus, dir. Suzan Pitt (1971)
The Damnation of Faust, dir. Suzan Pitt (1988)
ESO-S, dir. Suzan Pitt (1985)
Pinball, dir. Suzan Pitt (2013)
Visitation, dir. Suzan Pitt (2011)
Asparagus, dir. Suzan Pitt (1979)

7:15 p.m.: “Films in Competition 7″
Ritournelle, dir. Christopher Becks, Peter Miller
Nile Perch, dir. Josh Gibson
Seoul Electric, dir. Richard Tuohy
48 Heads from the Merkurov Museum (after Kurt Kren), dir. Anna Artaker
Hay Algo Y Se Va. , dir. There is something. Now it’s gone.), dir. Kimberly Forero-Arnias
Bloom, dir. Scott Stark
Burn, dir. Paddy Jolley, Reynold Reynolds
Arbor, dir. Janie Geiser
Burning Star, dir. Joshua Gen Solondz
Here Is Everything, dir. Duke and Battersby

9:15 p.m.: Suitcase of Love and Shame, dir. Jane Gillooly. Constructed from an accidentally uncovered reel-to-reel audiotape, two lovers make their way through the sexual revolution.
Screening with:
Skinningrove, dir. Michael Almereyda

9:30 p.m.: “Films in Competition 8″
Split Ends, I Feel Wonderful, dir. Akosua Adoma Owusu
Orpheus (outtakes), dir. Mary Helena Clark
Releasing Human Energies, dir. Mark Toscano
Someone behind the door knocks at irregular intervals, dir. James Lowne
Concrete Parlay, dir. Fern Silva
Wrest, dir. Kent Lambert
21 Chitrakoot, dir. Shambhavi Kaul
Meteor, dir. Matthias Müller, Christoph Girardet
Rabbit, dir. Run Wrake

March 24

11:00 a.m.: “Films in Competition 9 (Ages 6+)”
The Edge of Summer, dir. Charlotte Taylor
Like a Lantern, dir. Lilli Carré
Triangles, dir. Ben Popp
Dear Pluto, dir. Joanna Priestley
Song of the Spindle, dir. Drew Christie
Coversong, dir. Eric Dyer
Close the Lid Gently, dir. Ariana Gerstein
Burrow-Cams, dir. Sam Easterson
Skin, dir. Deanna Morse
Blanket Statement #1: Home Is Where the Heart Is, dir. Jodie Mack
Island Light, dir. Andrew Rosinski
Places With Meaning, dir. Scott Fitzpatrick
Don’t Break Down, dir. Matt Meindl

11:30 a.m.: “Regional Competition Program”
Where Will We Go by IAMDYNAMITE, dir. Marty Stano
Retrospective, dir. Brandon Belote
Me (That’s What She Said), dir. Kelly Dudzik
Printing in the Infernal Method, dir. Ben Beckett
Monster, Me, dir. Milt Klingensmith
Echoes in a Shallow Bay, dir. Scott Northrup
They Cannot Touch Her, dir. Katie Barkel
Open City, dir. Tracey D. Sims
City Without a Past, dir. Nicole Macdonald
Who Are We?, dir. Aaron Valdez
The Slaughter, dir. Jason B. Kohl

12:00 p.m.: “Music Videos in Competition”
I’ll Be Around by Yo La Tengo, dir. Phil Morrison
Black Up by Shabazz Palaces, dir. Kahlil Joseph
Quicksand Passin’ Through by Tijuana Hercules, dir. John Vernon Forbes, Shawn Brennan
Bird of Flames by David Lynch, Chrysta Bell, dir. Chel White
Postcard From 1952 by Explosions in the Sky, dir. Peter Simonite, Annie Gunn
Reagan by Killer Mike, dir. Daniel Garcia, Harry Teitelman
Jack by U.S. Girls, dir. Emily Pelstring
And And by Toru Matsumoto, dir. Mirai Mizue
Wild Rumpus by Sonnymoon, dir. Lauren Santorio
Kicks by The Judy Green, dir. Kent Lambert
Monad by Chris Cohen, dir. Kate Dollenmayer
Until the Quiet Comes by Flying Lotus, dir. Kahlil Joseph
Hot Potato Style by Nicky Da B, dir. Bob Weisz, Casey Coleman
Hashshashin Chant by Demdike Stare, dir. Jonny Redman

1:00 p.m.: “Films in Competition 10″
where she stood in the first place., dir. Lindsay McIntyre
Decroux’s Garden, dir. Baba Hillman
Buffalo Death Mask, dir. Mike Hoolboom
17 New Dam Rd., dir. Dani Leventhal
Jackson / Marker 4am, dir. Ruth Beckermann
Spend It All, dir. Les Blank

2:00 p.m.: The Radiant, dir. The Otolith Group. This documentary explores the aftermath of the horrific earthquake that struck the northeast coast of Japan on March 11, 2011.
Screening with:
Reconnaissance, dir. Johann Lurf
Construct, dir. Robert Todd

3:00 p.m.: Our Nixon, dir. Penny Lane. This documentary is constructed entirely of real Super 8 “home movies” created by White House aides during the presidency of Richard Nixon.
Screening with:
Lie Back and Enjoy It: A Film About JoAnn Elam, dir. Jessica Bardsley

6:00 p.m.: “Award Screening 1″

8:00 p.m.: “Award Screening 2″

More:

Official Site: 51 Ann Arbor Film Festival

2013 Ann Arbor Film Festival: Official Lineup via Badlit.com

Sidenote: my new film Island Light is playing at the 51 AAFF on Sunday, March 24, as part of the Films in Competition 9 program. I try not to mention my stuff on DINCA, but this seems sorta apropos.