Press/Journalists

National Archives Salutes Documentary Filmmakers Robert and Anne Drew April 27-28
Press Release · Thursday, March 1, 2007

Washington, DC…On Friday, April 27 and Saturday, April 28 the National Archives will pay tribute to the remarkable career and achievements of documentary filmmakers Robert and Anne Drew by screening four of their films followed by moderated discussions. The programs are presented by The Charles Guggenheim Center for the Documentary Film at the National Archives and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.

In the late 1950s, Robert Drew pioneered the cinema verité or direct cinema documentary form, which utilized innovative, lightweight cameras and sound equipment to allow filmmakers to record the experiences of people as they live them. He formed Drew Associates, a collection of talented filmmakers with which he created the founding films of American cinema verité.

The films, each preserved by the Academy Film Archive, will be accompanied by a 45- to 60-minute discussion moderated by Ron Sutton, professor emeritus in the visual media department of the School of Communication at the American University in Washington, DC.

The programs are free and open to the public. For information on National Archives Public Programs, call 202-357-5000, or view the Calendar of Events online. The William G. McGowan Theater is located in the National Archives Building on Constitution Avenue between 7th and 9th Streets, NW, Washington, DC. Use the National Archives Building Special Events entrance on the corner of 7th Street and Constitution Avenue.

Friday, April 27, at 6:30 pm
Crisis: Behind a Presidential Commitment (1963)
Featuring remarkable candid footage of President John Kennedy and Attorney General Robert Kennedy, this film chronicles the confrontation between the Kennedy administration and Governor George C. Wallace over the integration of the University of Alabama. (52 minutes.)

Saturday, April 28, at 3 p.m.
On The Road with Duke Ellington (1967)
Filmed just six years before jazz legend Duke Ellington’s death, this extensive, intimate, and rare documentary features behind-the-scenes footage of Ellington at home, on the road, and playing at rehearsals and performances. (55 minutes.)

Kathy’s Dance (1977)
Anne Drew produced this look at modern dancer Kathy Posin as she choreographs performances with her troupe in New York and takes them on tour across the United States. (29 minutes.)

Saturday, April 28, at 6:30 p.m.
The Chair (aka Paul, 1963)
This film documents the fight by attorney Louis Nizer to save a man from the electric chair. (54 minutes.)

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For Press information, please call the National Archives Public Affairs staff at 202-357-5300.

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