September 2007

This past July, the most comprehensive retrospective to date of Hal Hartley's work was undertaken by the ERA New Horizons Festival in Wroclaw, Poland (www.eranowehoryzonty.pl).

Two books appeared in Polish to coincide with the occasion; one a series of essays by noted Polish film critics published by the festival, and the other a lushly illustrated series of interviews between Hartley and American film historian and educator, Kenneth Kaleta -- True Fiction Pictures & Possible Films (www.terytoria.com.pl).

LA COMMEDIA (2008)

Meanwhile, Hartley is collaborating again with Dutch composer Louis Andriessen on the staging of his newest orchestral work, "la Commedia", which will premiere in June 2008 in the Theater Carre, Amsterdam as part of the Holland Festival.

Based on "The Divine Comedy" of Dante, Andriessen's "la Commedia" also includes passages from "Lucifer" and "Adam's Fall" by the Dutch playwright Joost van der Vondel (1587 - 1679). A large part of the performance will be a new film installation to be produced in early spring. The three principle singers will be Claren McFadden, Christina Zavalloni, and Joroen Willems.

Hartley and Andriessen first collaborated in 1999 on "The New Math(s)" which was produced for the BBC in England in association with NPS (Public Television) in the Netherlands.

FAY GRIM

Hartley will be attending FAY GRIM at the opening night of the Mafia Festival in Amsterdam on November 9.

Hal will be presenting Fay Grim in Spain at the Festival Internacional de Cine de Gijon in late November. He will also be a member there of the International Jury prize. The film will be released in Spain by Avalon.

Almost everything by Hartley has recently been released on DVD in Portugal by Midas Filmes, Lisbon.