The story of an unsung hero of world cinema, Film as a Subversive Art is an affectionate profile of film curator and historian Amos Vogel and the influential film society he co-founded, Cinema 16.

Austrian-born Vogel moved to New York in 1938, stimulated by the vibrant visual arts community. Nine years later, together with his wife, Marcia, he founded Cinema 16, a pioneering film club aimed at audiences thirsty for work 'That cannot be seen elsewhere'. Equally passionate for Hollywood classics as for experimental works, the club's busy screening schedule included films from such directors as Chaplin, Kurosawa, Brackhage, Anger and Polanski.

At times screening to over 3,000 eager cinephiles a week, Vogel's legacy has left an indelible mark on cinema's landscape. As Jonas Mekas, one of underground cinema's godfathers remarks, 'Cinema 16 affected my whole life; I consider it one of my universities'.

Amassing a compilation of archival footage, new interviews with the now 82-year-old Vogel as well as historian Scott MacDonald, and excerpts from a number of films championed by Cinema 16, Film as a Subversive Art is a treat for lovers of cinema.

D/S Paul Cronin WS Sticking Place Films TD Video/Col/2003/56mins

Paul Cronin was born in London, UK in 1972. Films include: Look Out Haskell, It's Real: The Making of Medium Cool (2001).