Hubley Studio Retrospective

The Hubleys have been pioneers of independent animation for over half a century. Their films transcend traditional animation narratives and techniques and delve into free-form color, motion, and emotion. As stated by John Hubley, “If you believe in this media as an art, and you believe yourself to be an artist, and you want to make films as an artist, you have to go ahead and do it; you have to make what you want to make, have control over it, and make it on your terms.”

Q&A with Emily Hubley following all screenings.

Suggested Donation: $10
RSVP: filmmakerscoop@gmail.com

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The first screening consists of Faith and John Hubley’s films, with an emphasis on soundtrack. Numerous jazz artists contributed and maintained collaborative relationships with the Hubleys, most notably Dizzy Gillespie, Benny Carter, Ella Fitzgerald, and Quincy Jones. In addition to famous jazz figures, many of the soundtracks contain the voices of the Hubley children. Faith and John’s choice to use their children’s voices rather than hire actors underlines the very personal and truthful nature of their films. Critic Matthew Dessem observes: “The difference between an adult’s idea of how a child talks and the way children actually talk is immediately apparent; all of the films feature the strange leaps in logic and imagination that are difficult to simulate, but that children have easy access to.” Faith and John Hubley’s careful selection of their sound collaborators give their films a poetry and intimacy rarely encountered in American animation. 

PROGRAM:
The Hat (1964)
Voyage to Next (1974)
Moonbird (1959)
Cockaboody (1973)

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Screening two concentrates specifically on the work of Faith Hubley after the death of her husband. Her unique aesthetic grew more pronounced as she strove to separate her solo work from her career with John as a couple. Joe Morgenstern of the Wall Street Journal wrote: “Her animation teems with images so zestful, so restless and, for the most part, so joyous that they seem to be celebrating their release from the tubes of paint and bottles of ink.” 

PROGRAM:
Time of the Angels (1987)
Amazonia (1990)
Cloudland (1993)
Rainbows of Hawai’i (1995)
Sky Dance (1979)

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PART 3: Following the legacy of her parents, Emily Hubley has made animated shorts for over thirty years. Like Faith and John, Emily’s films are intensely personal, and often autobiographical. Animator John Canemaker observes: "The pictures are shot through with wry, pun-ny humor and take place in a dreamy, constantly metamorphosing world of overlapping shapes, textured cut-outs and glowing colors, where Picasso-esque characters search for identity and meaning in their lives.”

PROGRAM:
Delivery Man (1982)
Deliberating Man (1985) 
The Tower (1984)
Enough (1993) 
Blake Ball (1988)