ANGER ME

Biography: Elio Gelmini

Elio Gelmini was born in 1959 in Casagiove, Caserta, Italy.  As a filmmaker, he has written, produced and directed documentaries and experimental films. After studying Acting and Documentary Film Studies and working as an actor in theatre in Italy, he immigrated to Canada in 1989.  His work covers a wide range of social and artistic issues and has been screened at various local and international film festivals.    

'Anger Me’ is his first theatrical feature film. 


Director's statement
Kenneth Anger is one of the major personalities of the 1960's and 1970's underground art scene. In 1947, Anger shot a short, expressive, imagistic, sexually charged dramatic film entitled "Fireworks”.  This work establishedhim not only as a pioneer of experimental film, but also as a pioneer in the visualization of homo-erotic imagery. In fact, throughout his life, Kenneth Anger defined himself as a "cinematographic magician" and declared that his intention was that of projecting his films directly into the minds of the audience.   He credited the use of esoteric symbolism, prevalent in his films, to Aleister Crowley (1875-1947), the great magician, advocate of Gnosticism and of neo-paganism, a highly controversial, complex and fascinating figure of the 20th century.

In the past five decades, Anger's films have been the subject of many books, film panels and film theory courses.

Exactly who is Kenneth Anger?  Why and how did he make these films?Considering the moral and sexual constraints of the era in which he grew up, who were his influences?  What does the man who influenced several generations of visual artists and filmmakers have to say about contemporary cinema and his role in its evolution?

These are some of the issues and questions I’m exploring in ‘Anger Me’