The Observer’s film journalist Jason Solomons writes in an article published on November 25: “You may measure your year in shopping days until Christmas or weeks until the end of term but in the film industry, it’s all about awards season. And it starts now. … I find the Oscar nominations rarely represent the best film or performances of the year - they reflect, rather, what the studio bosses want us to think are the best films of the year. Personally, I trawl through my diary and mark down anything I’ve enjoyed since January, whether it’s a tiny foreign language release, an ICA documentary or a blockbuster. I have just done an annual stock-take, which offered up: Eastern Promises, My Name is Albert Ayler, Days of Glory (Indigenes), Blades of Glory, This Is England, Zodiac, Hairspray, Breach, The Bourne Ultimatum and Blame it on Fidel. And if that jogs a hovering pen in the direction of any of those films, then wonderful…” Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER LISTED AS ONE OF THE TEN BEST FILMS OF 2007 IN THE OBSERVER (UK)
RECOMMENDED BY VIGGO MORTENSEN
Not everyone knows that the actor Viggo Mortensen also runs a publishing company called Perceval Press. The film is under We Recommend. Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER IN “DOCUMENTARIES OF THE YEAR” AT LONDON’S ICA
The film will be shown as one of eight films in the series “Documentaries of the Year” at Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London. The film screens three times at the ICA Cinema, Dec 22 6:45pm, Dec 27 8:45pm & Dec 29 9:00pm. Read more
SUCCESSFUL THEATRICAL PREMIERE IN NEW YORK
We want to say thanks to all of you who came to see the film during the week at Anthology Film Archives in New York, and you were many. Several of the nights were totally sold out. Filmmaker and producer Kasper Collin stayed in New York for the entire premiere run and besides the announced Q&A at the premiere evening Nov 8 he did unannounced sessions with the audience during the week. Kasper also followed the film to Athens, Georgia for showings at the fine new arthouse cinema Ciné and to Albert’s native town Cleveland, Ohio for screenings at their legendary Cinematheque. Thanks all of you who came to the screenings and who stayed for Q&As. Special thanks to Albert’s father Edward Ayler with company that attended the premiere screening in Cleveland and bass player Bill Folwell who flew in from Florida for the premiere in New York. And to all of you who emails us and asks when the film is coming back to New York we can say that the film hopefully will return to a theatre on Manhattan early next year. More news on this shortly.
Link to an interview with Kasper Collin at WCPN radio made by Bobby Jackson.
FILM REVIEWS IN VILLAGE VOICE & NEW YORK SUN
New York Sun writes: “Mr. Collin’s film skillfully engages the facts, personalities, and sounds of Ayler’s relentlessly visionary life with such an astute combination of ardent affection and sensitive journalistic equipoise that it puts most latter-day documentaries about cult musicians to shame.” And Village Voice says: “Swedish filmmaker Kasper Collin’s melancholy, beautiful feature debut does more than just chronicle this undervalued musician; it brings Ayler and his message of spiritual unity back to life.”
FILM REVIEW IN THE NEW YORKER
“Collin’s documentary portrait of the great saxophonist, who died in 1970, evinces a remarkable sympathy with its subject and his art. … The stirring presence and fascinating anecdotes of such bandmates as the drummer Sunny Murray, the judicious, evocative use of archival footage of New York in the mid-sixties, and a generous helping of the music itself combine to offer magical moments of a madeleine-like power, summoning up a vanished world that the music both thrived on and exemplified.” Read more
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER FILM OF THE DAY IN TIME OUT NEW YORK
The film was selected and listed as Film Of The Day for Friday Nov 9 2007. Published in Time Out New York, ISSUE 632, NOV 8-14, 2007.
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS FOR A NEW YORK CITY PREMIERE RUN ON NOVEMBER 8, 2007
My Name Is Albert Ayler will have its first New York screening when it opens for a New York City theatrical premiere run on November 8 at Anthology Film Archives. Thursday, November 8 through Wednesday, November 14 at 7:00 %26 9:00. Additional screenings on Saturday and Sunday at 5:00. Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Avenue (@ 2nd St.) NYC, (212) 505-5181, www.anthologyfilmarchives.org
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER WINS THE MAIN AWARD AT MUSIXINE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC FILM CONTEST
My Name Is Albert Ayler won the main award at the Musixine International Music Film Contest in Oulu, Finland. Ten new music films were selected for the competition and the Jury was led by Aida LiPera from Edinburgh International Film Festival. Jury’s description of the winner film: “A sensitive approach to the subject-matter and relationships explored in the film, combined with judiciously chosen archive material and a captivating editing style, create an emotionally resonant and fascinating portrait of a gifted and innovative jazz artist. An insightful, mature and moving documentary film with a superb soundtrack which ably demonstrates the affinity between music and film.
5 OUT OF 5 STARS TO MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER
Friday August 10 the film had its Portugese premiere in Lisbon. The film was reviewed in the major daily newspaper Publico. Review will be posted shortly.
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE (2)
Online film clips has been published on the website for the Melbourne International Film Festival with audience reactions after the Australian premiere screening of My Name Is Albert Ayler. See more
AUSTRALIAN PREMIERE
My Name Is Albert Ayler will have its Australian premiere at the 56th Melbourne International Film Festival (July 25 - August 12, 2007). Read more.
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS AT THE NATIONAL MEDIA MUSEUM IN BRADFORD, UK, FRIDAY APRIL 20
The film will be screened daily until Sunday April 22. National Media Museum, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD11NQ. Box Office: 0870 70 10 200.
MY NAME IS ALBERT AYLER OPENS AT THE RITZY PICTUREHOUSE CINEMA IN LONDON, FRIDAY APRIL 13
The film will be screened daily until Thursday April 19. See link below for more info. Ritzy Picturehouse, Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane, London SW2 1JG. Nearest tube: Brixton (Victoria Line). Tickets: 08707 55 00 62, ritzy@picturehouses.co.uk