The living legacy of Barbara Hammer

Melissa Starker, Creative Content & PR Manager

Mar 26, 2021

Still from the film A Month of Single Frames, a collaboration between filmmakers Barbara Hammer and Lynn Sachs

March 16 marked two years since the passing of legendary LBGTQ filmmaker Barbara Hammer. One of her final acts as an artist was to pass along to a few fellow filmmakers some of her raw, unused footage from over the years and some of the funds she was awarded through a multi-year Wexner Center Artist Residency Award. The filmmakers were each asked to create a "collaborative" short with the assets, and three beautiful films have resulted: A Month of Single Frames, completed by Lynne Sachs; So Many Ideas Impossible to Do All, completed by Mark Street; and Vever (For Barbara), completed by Deborah Stratman.

The films were presented at the Wex in 2019 as part of the Picture Lock festival, but for those who missed that opportunity to watch (or would like to revisit the works), we're happy to share the news that two of the films are streaming over the next couple of weeks. We're also excited to pass along an announcement from Sachs about how she's using Hammer's gift to pay forward, as well as news of the films making their debut on the other side of the world.

MUBI spotlight

Still from Vever (For Barbara) by filmmakers Barbara Hammer and Deborah Stratman

Vever (For Barbara), image courtesy of the filmmakers

Through April 6, MUBI is offering a chance to watch Sachs's and Stratman's films in the program "Ways of Seeing with Barbara Hammer," presented as part of a series the indie streaming site created for Women's History Month. Here's a thoughtful critique of the program from Tone Madison.

Watch now on MUBI. (subscription required; free trial available)

 

Barbara Hammer Feminist Film Award

Filmmaker Barbara Hammer standing in profile against a solid yellow background, turned toward the camera and smiling

Barbara Hammer, photo: Hannah Ensor

Last spring, A Month of Single Frames screened virtually as part of Germany's Oberhausen Film Festival—and was awarded the fest's Grand Prize. After Lynn Sachs received an accompanying cash award, she chose to fund a new award for one of the filmmakers in competition at this year's Ann Arbor Film Festival, which wraps this weekend. The cash prize will be given to "a work that best conveys Hammer’s passion for celebrating and examining the experiences of women." 

Learn more from the Ann Arbor Film Festival.

 

Remembering Barbara Hammer in Japan

Promotional image for a 2021 screening of films by Barbara Hammer and collaborators at Japan's Image Forum

Promotional image courtesy of Subversive Records

We're thrilled to share that all three of the films completed from Hammer's footage will have their Japanese premiere next Wednesday, March 31, through a program presented by the feminist and queer art research collective Subversive Records and Theater Image Forum in Tokyo's Shibuya ward. Unfortunately, the filmmakers can't be there in person, but Sachs will be streamed in for a post-screening Q&A.

Hear more from Sachs, Street, and Stratman about collaborating with Hammer.

Top of page: From A Month of Single Frames, image courtesy of the filmmakers

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