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The Movie Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea is a documentary about the life and work of artist and Marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann. It explores how his experiences in World War II and the Korean War influenced his surreal artworks. Narrated by Ed Harris and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, the film Features interviews with prominent figures like Ed Ruscha and Frank Gehry.

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The annual Oregon Independent Film Festival© returns for our 14th festival season, showcasing the best independent cinema of past year in historic venues across the magnificent state of Oregon.

Dedicated to discovering the greatest new filmmakers, the Oregon Independent Film Festival searches the globe to find the most innovative and engaging movies of the year, to screen the best new work, alongside hollywood premieres, together in the legendary cinema houses of the pacific northwest, as part of our mission to promote the majestic state of Oregon as a global film tourism destination.

A documentary about the life and work of artist H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voiceacted by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris, conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and featuring interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others.

As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks.

The film is executive produced by KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, whose projects include "Won’t You Be My Neighbor," and "Best of Enemies.". Featuring music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by Tomeka Reid.

WINNER: Best Director - Leslie Buchbinder

WINNER: Best Documentary

Eugene Art House Cinemas
492 E 13th Ave. Eugene, OR 97401

In collaboration with Rhodes College, Crosstown Arts presents a special screening of Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea in Crosstown Theater.

Crosstown Theater
Thursday, September 26, 2024
Tickets: $5 at the door
Doors at 6:30 pm | Film begins at 7:00 pm (sharp!)

Leslie Buchbinder / 2023 / 86 minutes / Not Rated

A 3-D documentary film about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris, conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and featuring interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks. The film is executive produced by the international art icon KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, whose prior projects include “Little Richard: I Am Everything” and “The Thief Collector.” Westermann features music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Tomeka Reid.

The Crosstown Arts Film Series showcases a diverse collection of independent, international, historically significant, artistic, experimental, cult, underground, and documentary features.

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1ST SCREENING: 5:30 PM
2ND SCREENING: 7:30 PM

A 3D documentary film that chronicles the story of a marine veteran who navigated the profound traumas of war by making art, becoming a hero to generations of artists, including his friends Ed Ruscha and Frank Gehry, among others interviewed in this immersive film.

Runtime: 1h26

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Director: Leslie Buchbinder

Documentary Feature, United States, 2023, 91 min, Color

This film is a documentary about the life and work of artist and U.S. Marine H.C. Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris, conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and featuring interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others.

As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann's dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks.

The film is executive-produced by the international art icon KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, whose prior projects include Won't You Be My Neighbor, Best of Enemies, and more. The film features music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by MacArthur Genius Grant winner Tomeka Reid.

FREE ADMISSION

St. Louis Art Museum
Friday, September 6, 2024 | 6–8 pm CDT | Free

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea is a documentary film about the life and work of artist, marine, and acrobat H. C. (Cliff) Westermann. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through beguiling, surreal artworks he made to process the horrors he witnessed on the front lines. In so doing, he became an inspiration for many young artists. The film was conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder. It features interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, William T. Wiley, Billy Al Bengston, and other artists, along with Westermann’s beloved sister, Martha Westermann Renner. 86 minutes.

FREE ADMISSION

NEW ENGLAND PREMIERE

As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks. Processing years of horror, Westermann turned to art for control and protection – all while “walking the tightrope” of life, death, hope, and creation.

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On July 25th, the National Stereoscopic Association will host a screening of Westermann as part of its annual 3D Convention in Wichita, KS. With 1,000+ members, the National Stereoscopic Association is a non-profit organization founded in 1974, whose goals are to promote the study, collection and use of stereo photography. 3D-Con is an annual gathering of stereoscopic photographers, filmmakers, artists, historians and collectors. Westermann producer and co-writer Harrison Sherrod is one of four guest speakers at the conference.

Followed by a post-screening panel discussion moderated by the Music Box’s Steve Prokopy featuring writer and director, Leslie Buchbinder, editor and producer, Brian Ashby, and co-writer and producer Harrison Sherrod

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea is a 3-D documentary film about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris, conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and featuring interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks. The film reveals how Westermann protected his empathic spirit – and sanity – by ‘sculpting’ his body, artworks, friendships, his hand-hewn house, and his art-filled letters to his dearest friends and family. Executive produced by the international art icon KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, Westermann features music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by MacArthur "Genius Grant" winner Tomeka Reid.

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea

Director: Leslie Buchbinder

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Best Score - Tomeka Reid

Best Song - "We Head Out" by Laurie Anderson & Kronos Quartet

The first 3-D Film Screening in our festival's history!

This documentary about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. “Cliff” Westermann (voice-acted by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris), was conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and features interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others.

As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks.

The film is executive produced by the international art icon KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, whose prior projects include "Won’t You Be My Neighbor," "Best of Enemies," and more. Westermann features music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by MacArthur Genius Grant winner Tomeka Reid.

3-D FESTIVAL PREMIERE

12:00pm

June 14th Regal Cinemas / L.A. LIVE 14

Pentimenti is honored to screen Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea at the Woodward Theater, one of Cincinnati's most renowned music and arts venues. More info below!

June 10th, 2024 | 7:30 show

Woodward Theater | 1404 Main St, (Cincinnati, OH)

BUY TICKETS

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea is a documentary film about the life and work of artist, marine, and acrobat H.C. (Cliff) Westermann. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through beguiling, surreal artworks he made to process the horrors he witnessed on the front lines. In so doing, he became an inspiration for many young artists. The film reveals how Westermann protected his empathic spirit – and sanity – by ‘sculpting’ his body, artworks, friendships, his hand-hewn house, and his art-filled letters to his dearest friends and family.

On Friday, May 31st, from 6:00 – 8:30 PM the Ohr-O’Keefe Museum will screen Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea, a film about the life and work of artist, marine, and acrobat H.C. (Cliff) Westermann. This movie is voice acted by Ed Harris and features interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, William T. Wiley, Billy Al Bengston, and other artist-pals, along with his beloved sister, Martha Westermann Renner. This screening will also feature a special introductory video by Director Leslie Buchbinder.

Next month, on Thursday, June 27th, from 6:00 – 8:30 PM we are screening Hairy Who and the Chicago Imagists. It brings to life the milieu of Chicago in the 1960s, and also showcases the legacy of the Imagists’ work in contemporary art production today, from Jeff Koons to Chris Ware. Themes in the narrative include the Imagists’ emergence within the national context of Abstract Expressionism and Pop Art, the rise and fall of taste within art history, and the uncharacteristic equality afforded to women artists among this Chicago group.

Both films are free for members.

$10 for guests and non-members.

For more info, and to RSVP, please visit the Ohr-O’Keefe’s event page here.

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Join us for a special one-time screening of the documentary that chronicles the story of H.C. Westermann - a marine veteran who navigated the profound traumas of war by making art, becoming a hero to generations of artists, including his friends Ed Ruscha and Frank Gehry, among others interviewed in this immersive film. Sunday, May 26 at 5:00. Tickets are $12.50 each and available now.

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Nomination: Best Documentary Feature

Nomination: Founders’ Choice Award

“Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea” is a 3D documentary film about the life and work of artist, Marine, and acrobat H.C. (Cliff) Westermann. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through the beguiling, surreal artworks he made to process the horrors he witnessed on the front lines. In doing so, he became an inspiration for many young artists. The film reveals ways in which Westermann protected his empathic spirit – and sanity – by ‘sculpting’ his body, artworks, friendships, his hand-hewn house, and his art-filled letters to his dearest friends and family. The documentary explores themes of resiliency, hope, and humor with a script culled from over a thousand of Westermann’s letters and one audio-interview – voiced by four-time Academy-Award nominee Ed Harris.

PURCHASE TICKETS

DIRECTOR:

Leslie Buchbinder

CAST:

Ed Harris, Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry

SYNOPSIS:

This is a wildly imaginative documentary film about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy Award nominee Ed Harris. The film was conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and features interviews with artists Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks.

PURCHASE TICKETS

DIRECTOR:

Leslie Buchbinder

CAST:

Ed Harris, Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry

SYNOPSIS:

This is a wildly imaginative documentary film about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy Award nominee Ed Harris. The film was conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and features interviews with artists Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others. As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks.

Doors at 6:30 p.m.; Film at 7 p.m. Tickets $5.

Click here to buy tickets. 
Click here to learn more about accessibility at the Tomorrow Theater. 

ON SCREEN: Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea

2023. Directed by Leslie Buchbinder. Runtime: 86 minutes. Not Rated. 

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea is a documentary film about the life and work of artist and marine H.C. (“Cliff”) Westermann, voice-acted by four-time Academy Award nominee Ed Harris, conceived and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, and featuring interviews with Ed Ruscha, Frank Gehry, and many others. The film is executive produced by the international art icon KAWS, and award-winning documentary producer Caryn Capotosto, whose current projects include 2023 Sundance opening film, Little Richard: I Am Everything, and prior projects include Won’t You Be My Neighbor, Best of Enemies, and more. Westermann features music by legendary artists Laurie Anderson, the Kronos Quartet, and Terry Allen, with an original score by MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner Tomeka Reid.

As a veteran of World War II and the Korean War who struggled with the ramifications of modern warfare, Westermann’s dramatic personal history can be traced through his beguiling, surreal artworks. The documentary explores the themes of Westermann’s life and work, including resiliency, hope, and humor. Westermann used art as a means of processing the trauma of war and, in spite of these horrors, he adopted an empathic and hopeful spirit that courses through his artwork and relationships, becoming an inspiration to many young artists. These themes are woven into a visceral essay-film format (as opposed to a biopic or didactic art history lecture), which invites the audience to interact with Westermann’s story in a visually lush and meditative way. Westermann was enamored of the creative potential of tools, and their ability to transform raw materials into objects of totemic power. 

Join ArtYard for a screening of “Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea,” a 3D documentary film that chronicles the story of a marine veteran who navigated the profound traumas of war by making art and becoming a hero to generations of artists, including his friends Ed Ruscha and Frank Gehry, among others interviewed in this immersive film.

A talkback with Director Leslie Buchbinder follows the screening.

We’re honored to screen Westermann as part of the 2024 Golden State Film Festival, hosted at the legendary Chinese Theatre in Hollywood. Tickets are available at the box office or via the festival webpage. To purchase a ticket online, scroll down to 02/27 and select “Block GGG.” The Golden State Film Festival is designed to be a contending platform for independent filmmakers to promote independent films in California The "Golden State". The festival caters to independent filmmakers of shorts and feature projects looking to promote to distributors and film aficionados in the Los Angeles area and California.

Pentimenti is proud to announce two FREE screenings of its feature-length, 3-D H.C. Westermann documentary, written and directed by Leslie Buchbinder, Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea (86min, 3-D DCP) on Saturday, January 27 at the Logan Center for the Arts (915 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637), hosted in association with the Smart Museum and the Film Studies Center.  In between screenings there will be a special collections viewing at the Smart Museum (5550 S. Greenwood Ave, Chicago, IL 60637), also free to the public.

11:30AM SCREENING

1:30PM - 4:30 PM | Post-screening special collections viewing from the Smart Museum’s H.C. Westermann Study Collection, one of the most significant public collections of artwork and archival material related to Westermann’s life and work.

5:00PM SCREENING | Post-screening panel discussion featuring John Corbett (Corbett vs Dempsey), Berit Ness (Smart Museum of Art), Leslie Buchbinder (Pentimenti Productions), and artist Alex Chitty.

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Introduced by AIC President James Rondeau, Director Leslie Buchbinder, and Curator Makayla May.

Westermann: Memorial to the Idea of Man If He Was an Idea" closes the Veterans Film Festival, 10/06 at 5:15pm! The screening will take place at the Veterans War Memorial Building, located at 401 Van Ness Avenue in San Francisco, CA.

Presented by OneVet OneVoice, the Veterans Film Festival is a robust forum for active duty, Veterans, and civilian filmmakers to express their creativity and to share their stories, which in turn helps further healing and brings greater awareness to the public on the challenges our nation’s Veterans face. The festival spotlights active duty, Veterans, and civilian filmmakers addressing issues about Veterans and military-related topics.

Please find more info at: onevetonevoice.org

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Post-screening panel discussion with Director Leslie Buchbinder, Ed Ruscha, and Frank Gehry. 

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Post-screening panel discussion with Director Leslie Buchbinder, Trenton Doyle Hancock, and Aaron Curry. Moderated by John Corbett. This event will also feature an hour of films curated by Miranda July. 

This Wednesday night at NEIU we’re excited to present a very rare 35mm screening of Victor Erice’s THE QUINCE TREE SUN co-presented with Chicago Film Society. Tickets are $10 at the door.

This extraordinarily rare documentary–acclaimed as one of the best films of the 1990s by the cinephiles of TIFF Cinematheque but barely distributed in the US–resurfaces as Victor Erice returns to Cannes with his first new film in three decades. Quince Tree is an exacting portrait of artist Antonio López García and the world contained in his backyard, from his family and nearby Polish laborers to the elusive beauty of the titular quince tree.

To accompany their exhibition, The Making of Husbands: Christina Ramberg in Dialogue, Frac Lorraine will screen our award-winning, critically-acclaimed film, Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists. While Hairy Who has screened in London, Vienna, and other cities around the globe, this screening marks its premiere in France. Frac Lorraine, in collaboration with Triangle - Astérides, Marseille and the Fondation Antoine de Galbert, undertook the translation, which will be made available to other institutions interested in screening the film with French subtitles. For more information about the Christina Ramberg exhibition and the screening, please visit the Frac Lorraine website.

In the mid 1960s, the city of Chicago was an incubator for an iconoclastic group of young artists. Collectively known as the Imagists, they showed in successive waves of exhibitions with monikers that might have been psychedelic rock bands of the era—Hairy Who, Nonplussed Some, False Image, Marriage Chicago Style. Kissing cousins to the contemporaneous international phenomenon of Pop Art, Chicago Imagism took its own weird, wondrous, in-your-face tack. Variously pugnacious, puerile, scatological, graphic, comical, and absurd, it celebrated a very different version of ‘popular’ from the detached cool of New York, London and Los Angeles. Hairy Who & The Chicago Imagists is the first film to tell their wild, woolly, utterly irreverent story.