AN INCONSOLABLE MEMORYSouth Africa, 2013AK80The story of the Eoan Group who were the first company to stage full scale Italian operas in South Africa and how politics destroyed the group in the 1970s.

DIE ANDER REBELLIESouth Africa, 2013

AK21“As South Africans, we would be foolish to try and ignore this new

rebellion. And as for me, I simply won’t be able to forget all that wonderful music, those harmonies, all the new lyrics and incredible

talent. This is a movement that can, ultimately, destabilise a large part of our economy, true enough, but it is also a phenomenon that,

if understood correctly and handled well, could result in massive cultural growth and a return to self-respect of a section of our na-tion who have been marginalised and victimised for far too long.”

Koos Kombuis

VENOM AND ETERNITY FOR DUMMIESNetherlands-South Africa, 2012AK104A tribute to letterist poet Isidore Isou.

SWEETNESSNetherlands, 2012

AK103“Sweetness exploits the mosaic form in order to present the

discontinuous variety and incongruity of ordinary life. The monotonous demands of the film community – that cinema be used

to present a fixed point of view from a single plane of perspective (the protagonist’s) – represents a failure to see the real form

of film at all. It is as if the public were suddenly to demand that department stores have only one department.” Eugenie Brinkema

INTERACTIONS: A STRATEGY OF DIFFERENCE AND REPETITIONSouth Africa, 2012AK51“Kaganof exposes the dynamics between funders and artists and the apparent chasm of understanding and compromises that are made because of it. But this film is more than a piece of self-reflexive film-making; if you strip it down, Kaganof is at heart interested in human interaction (as the title suggests) and how we negotiate public relationships.” Mary Corrigall

THE LEGACYSouth Africa, 2012AK88“An edited (and by edited, I mean very artistic, improvisational editing at work here by Aryan Kaganof) interview with three South African jazz legends – Tete Mbambisa (piano), Louis Moholo (drums), and Zim Ngqawana )sax). Simply put, the film is enlightening. One quote from the late Zim Ngqawana: ‘I’m not so interested in my traditions or traditional music, I’m interested in the conscience.’ Zim is truly a South African musician. His words cut deep. Conscience is the core of music, not the instruments, the style, the rhythm, the feel, the tradition... it’s the conscience. All else is secondary.” Eustis Jazz

THE EXHIBITION OF VANDALIZIMSouth African, 2011

AK46“Moving shaman-like around the dancing flames of a ceremonial

bonfire, Zim Ngqawana wards off the flames with the power of his horn. This introduction to Vandalizm is a powerful analogy for how the teacher has channelled his rage at the actions of those

who broke in to his beloved Institute. What follows is a healing ceremony of improvisation. A grand piano lies on its side, its keys played furiously by Shepherd while in another room Zim picks up

a broken water pump and blows - creating a deep resonating tone. Into another part of the house and a toilet cistern is transferred

into a horn. The images are both sombre and inspiring. It’s a while before the master speaks. “Improvisation is a willingness to move

into the unknown,” he whispers thoughtfully. As the film progresses we hear more from the man who put so much into this community

resource, addressing the post-apartheid issues that resulted in such actions, and in particular the chains of poverty that continue

to hold the people back.” AndyThomas

BLUE NOTES FOR BRA’ GEOFFSouth Africa, 2011AK44“In 2004 one of the fathers of the Pretoria jazz scene, Geoff Matlherane Mphakati, died. To commemorate his life, Aryan Kaganof’s African Noise Foundation released Blue Notes For Bra’ Geoff. The film is edited from the music and poetry at his memorial, together with interviews he gave at the time of his death. For anyone interested in South African cultural history or jazz, the film is essential. There are performances from Lesego Rampolokeng, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Zim Ngqawana, Lulu Gontsana, Thabo Mashishi and Ernest Mothle’s Blue Note Orchestra among others.” Gwen Ansell

A LEISURE SOCIETY OF SEVERE PREPONDERENCENetherlands, 2011AK75The legendary Crossing Border Festival featuring Henry Rollins, Blixa Bargeld, Peter Hammill, Tricia Warden, Herman Brusselmans, Hubert Selby and many more.

THE UPRISING OF HANGBERGSouth Africa. 2010

AK36“Through stark, often shocking footage and interviews, Aryan Kaganof and Dylan Valley explore the aftermath of the recent

police brutality on the Hout Bay community. Moving from character to character, perspective to perspective, the film is a

complex and moving portrait of parallel lives thrust into violence. At once a disturbing document and a powerful rallying call for citizen

activism, it is the story of a people on a pivot point between existence and on-existence. Marginalised by society, attacked by

the very system they voted into power, maligned in the media, there is only one thing for them to control: the telling of their own story.”

Stacy Hardy

THE LEGENDARY SYD KITCHEN IN “G-STRING BLUES”South Africa, 2010AK46“G-String Blues is wonderful. A mature, tender, sexy portrayal of a tragicomical genius. All the old seduction of existential dilemmas, creativity, obsession and self-destruction reinvigorated with a heartbreaking tenderness and a deep concern for the inexpressible immediacy and sensuality of human experience.” Stacy Hardy

CIVILIZATION AND OTHER CHIMERAS OBSERVED DURING THE MAKING OF AN EXCEPTIONALLY

ARTISTIC FEATURE FILM Netherlands, 2009

AK40“The way that Civilization and Other Chimeras

continues to make me question my own notions of reality is the reason I’ve chosen it as my Movie Of The Year for 2009” Mike Everleth in Bad Lit: The Journal of

Underground Film

GUERILLA BLUES AND HOLY GHOSTSUSA, Netherlands, 2009

AK77The story of Kain, the founder of the legendary hip hop outfit The

Last Poets. Featuring poetry by Keorapetse Kgositsile.

KERSTIN ERGENZINGER: DIE SEHNSUCHTSMASCHINESweden, 2009AK 95A portrait of the German artist whose work attempts to understand what is Deleuzian and what is not Deleuzian about movement.

TAYLOR RAIN IS DIRTY GIRL IN “VELVET”USA-South Africa, 2008

AK 62Based on a poem: April in the Moon-sun by Gary Cummiskey.

SMS SUGAR MANSouth Africa, 2008AK99“Directing a feature film on a cell phone proved to be more than just a gimmick for Kaganof. The film looks spectacularly beautiful, much more so than one might assume and the smallness of the camera lends an intimate air to what’s already a very intimate plot: A pimp trying to keep his girls in check on Christmas Eve.” Mike Everleth in Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film.

SALLY IN WINTERLAND: THE MAKING OF DICK TUINDERNetherlands,2009AK01A virtual road movie starring Tara Elders.

UNYAZI OF THE BUSHVELDSouth Africa, 2007AK43“A kind of ontological montage in which a world – “our” world, the world captured by the camera and governed by common sense – is endlessly ruptured or interrupted by what does not belong to it: by chance and indeterminacy, by that which is always “out of space”, and/or “out of time”. It’s this that makes Kaganof’s work incandesce and burn like alcohol, searing our minds, while simultaneously provoking a small but important eruption of spontaneous laughter.” Stacy HardyFeaturing ZIM NGQAWANA, PAULINE OLIVEROS etc.

JAAP HOOGSTRA: GEBOORTE WERD HEM ZIJN DOODNetherlands, 2007

AK61A portrait of the Dutch theatre actor famous for Bringing

Beckett to the Lowlands. The portrait centres on Jaap rehearsing A Piece of Monologue.

GIANT STEPSSouth Africa, 2005AK42GIANT STEPS is an Afrocentric approach to Blackness Now! Dashiki poet Lefifi Tladi guides us on a journey of consciousness, analysing and interpreting the meaning of independence as opposed to freedom. He is accompanied on this radical exploration by the cream of South African poets, musicians, dancers and visual artists, including Zim Ngqawana, Don Laka, Kgafela oa Magogodi, Lesego Rampolokeng, Afurakan, Mac Manaka, Thabo Mashishi, Moshe Maboe, Moeketsi Koena and Motlhabane Mashiangwako. GIANT STEPS is a moving tribute to its co-director, Bra’ Geoff Mphakati, who passed away tragically during the filming of this, his first documentary.

BANTU CONTINUA UHURU NIHILISMUSSouth Africa, 2003

AK11Don’t Tell Mama, a Dutch dance company visited Soweto and

got the Kaganof treatment.

WESTERN 4.33Namibia, 2002

AK33WESTERN 4.33 is a meditation on the impossible colonial

dream; the attempt to “civilize” Africa. The ghost town of Kolmanskop symbolizes the failure of the Lutheran pietists

to gain a foothold in the desely sensual textures of the world’s oldest desert. The few colour scenes in the film are

metaphors for the rich menstrual blood of the African woman who is truly “Mother Africa” to the human race.

STONED (IMMACULATE)Netherlands-South Africa, 2002AK68An homage to Kenneth Anger and all the dionysian poets of the counter-culture film underground.

A FUNERALNetherlands-France, 2002

AK69Philosophical road-movie about the deranged paedophile

Friedrich Nietzsche and his murder obsessed self-mutilating sister Elisabeth.

STELARC’S TOKYO PERFORMANCE 1997Japan-South Africa, 2002AK51Bionic robo performance art from the Greek-Australian performance artist who became famous in the 1970s for his suspensions.

SHARP SHARP!South Africa, 2003AK10“The word kwai is a mixture of Afrikaans and Zulu, meaning that something is cool. Kwaito was born in the townships and speaks mainly about everyday things that happen there, it is a celebration of our freedom since Mandela was released from prison,” says Arthur Mafokate, singer of (Don’t call me) Kaffir, a huge successin South Africa and also one of the protagonists in Sharp Sharp!, a 26 minute documentary directed by Aryan Kaganof.” Flaviano de Luca

ALLES GOED?Netherlands, 2001

AK58A zany report into the new police state of Europe as

frontlined by the Fascist Dutch police apparatus.

SYLVIA KRISTEL, JAREN LATERNetherlands-Belgium, 2000AK72A bittersweet evocative portrait of the Emmanuelle actress in later life a she opens her first exhibition of her oil paintings.

TOKYO ELEGYJapan, 1999

AK37“Tokyo Elegy is a work that totally transcends formulas. It is not a film one watches to see the unfolding of a typical linear story, but

a pseudo-Cinema Verité work of random flashbacks that act as an unpredictable sensory overload for the unsuspecting viewer.”

Soiled Sinema

RON ATHEY TROJAN WHORE: IT’S SCRIPTEDFrance, 1998-1999AK85Two portraits of the San Francisco performance artist at work. Copious quantities of blood. Not for the squeamish.

ACEPHALE’S FIRST RECORDING/ THE RESERECTIONNetherlands, 1998

AK67The Georges Bataille inspred performance art collective make

some horrible noise and display gigantic members.For avant-garde completists only.

MONDO ROXY: NO OTHER DRUGS REQUIREDNetherlands, 1998AK21An extraordinary portrait of the home of European house music made on the occasion of its tenth anniversary. The club burned down soon after the documentary was completed.

BEYOND ULTRAVIOLENCE: UNEASY LISTENING BY MERZBOWJapan, 1997

AK02A portrait of the god of Japanese noise music, Masami Akita.

WASTED!Netherlands, 1996AK102A controversial but commercially successful Dutch movie about a DJ and his girlfriend in the drug-laden underground club scene of Amsterdam. Kaganof, who was inspired by the club visuals of the then-booming Amsterdam VJ scene, created a unique visual vocabulary for his movie intended to fully immerse the audience in the ecstacy-infused trance of the main characters.

TECHNO: SPACE AND FLOW IN THE RADICAL FRAMENetherlands-Japan-Germany, 1995

AK O4“What makes Techno: Space And Flow in the Radical Frame such an exceptional documentary is the manner in which the interviews are woven into a 50 minute long techno video clip. The film maker

has fully exploited all the existing digital video techniques in order to showcase the dizzying possibilities of the medium.” Gert Van Veen

Featuring Oval, Pete Namlook, Scanner, Ken Ishii, Thomas Fehlman, David Toop and more.

NICE TO MEET YOU, PLEASE DON’T RAPE ME!South Africa, 1994AK17A biting satire made during the first democratic elections held in South Africa. Starring Eric Miyeni as Rapist #2.

MATTHEW BARNEY: CREATING STORIESNetherlands, 1995AK79On the occasion of his first ever retrospective held at the Booijmans van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam, Matthew Barney slowly comes clean about what makes him tick. Feturing the delectable Helena Christensen.

THE DEAD MAN 2: RETURN OF THE DEAD MANNetherlands, 1994

AK99“This is a difficult film to watch and review. On the one hand, it’s a beautiful

artistic exercise from the always inventive and brilliant Aryan Kaganof. On the other, it’s a catalog of overly offensive debasement by bodily fluids. The opening scene is one so revolting I’ve tried my best to block it out of my mind and would

really not like to recall it for you, the reader of this review. Maybe that’s a bit unfair of me, but it’s clear Kaganof meant it as an opening punch right to the

solar plexus that will divide an audience: Those who will stay and those who will run out in horror. I did stay and, remember, I did say that the film is a beautiful artistic exercise. The film is gorgeously shot in an old bar full of degenerates.

Into this place, which I took to be the afterlife, an elderly man, presumably the eponymous title character, enters to witness as much ennui as there is

obscenity. Lots of films tackle the issue of life after death, but this is one of the most wondrous, complicated visions of it. And lots of filmmakers try to take on

the title of “provocateur”, but few take it to the level that Kaganof brings it in Dead Man 2. Mike Everleth in Bad Lit: The Journal of Underground Film

TEN MONOLOGUES FROM THE LIVES OF THE SERIAL KILLERSNetherlands, 1994AK24“Not so long ago there would have been picket lines of feminists pro-testing Kaganof’s graphic depiction of violence and rape in the ninth episode.” Hans Beerekamp

KYODAI MAKES THE BIG TIMENetherlands, 1992

AK98“The Golden Calf for best film and best actress this year went to

Kyodai Makes The Big Time, a film by Aryan Kaganof, a young South African who has lived in Holland for the last ten years. The film industry was not at all amused about the decision of the jury.

The fact that a second year student of the Film Academy should get the Dutch Oscar equivalent for a very unconventional low budget

film shocked the film industry that sponsored the event.”