Limbo. 1996. USA. Written and directed by Tina Krause. With Barron, Suze Daufler. DCP courtesy American Genre Film Archive. 55 min.
The only film written and directed by Tina Krause, Limbo is what might happen if “David Lynch and Nine Inch Nails collaborated on a shot-on-video horror movie.” It’s an invigorating, unique chronicle of several bizarre days in the life of a woman named Elizabeth as she experiences identity issues, misogyny from strange men in bars, supernatural manifestations, and maybe even a trip to hell. Krause, who has also appeared in 100 DIY movies, combines video collage experiments and a dreamy horror mood to create an otherworldly atmosphere as seductive as it is terrifying. Until recently, Limbo was only available on VHS; a new transfer from the original S-VHS master tape was created by AFGA and Bleeding Skull.
Alma Punk. 1991. Mexico. Directed by Sarah Minter. Screenplay by Minter, Ana Hernandez. With Ciro Basilio, Ana Hernandez, Marco Pavon. In Spanish; English subtitles. 67 min.
Sarah Minter’s seminal Mexican punk movie Alma Punk (alma means “soul”) traces the treacherous journey of Alma, played by real-life punk (and co-screenwriter) Ana Hernandez, who traverses up through Tijuana and eventually crosses illegally into the US to get to her mother. Along the way, she does sketchy odd jobs to earn money, spends time with her boyfriend, and goes to punk shows. Shot on video, partly improvised, and featuring nonactors, Alma Punk is as anarchic as its characters in its depiction of youth rebelliousness, economic instability, and political resistance. It's a thrilling collision of politics, the urban environment, and an intimate portrait of a young woman in search of something.