Martin Rumsby

About

Filmmaker, writer, curator and exhibitor, Martin Rumsby, began working out of Alternative Cinema, the Auckland Filmmakers' Co-operative in 1980. Rumsby set up independent screenings in a local cafe which soon led to art gallery screenings throughout New Zealand's North Island, followed by his establishment of an independent film distribution service and annual national touring film programs.

In 1985 Rumsby was the recipient of an Air New Zealand/Arts Council Travel Award to North America. Rumsby purchased 35 New Zealand films and for the next ten years toured his film programs through North American media arts centres, universities and art galleries. The further he traveled the more films he bought, returning to New Zealand every three years to screen North American avant-garde films.

Reviews of Rumsby's INVISIBLE CINEMA film shows have been published in The New Zealand Listener, The Melbourne Age, Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Weekly, Chicago Reader and Now, Toronto.

In 1995, Rumsby became interested in African Americans and began research for a film, FOR DOTS, which was completed in 2003.

During his time in North America Rumsby was employed by various artist-run centres, including Niagara Artists' Centre, Canadian Filmmakers' Distribution Centre, Calgary Society of Independent Filmmakers and Neutral Ground.

Rumsby has written and published articles on film for ALTERNATIVE CINEMA Magazine, Auckland; THE BIG PICTURE, Auckland; ILLUSIONS, Wellington; THE INDEPENDENT EYE, Toronto; and MILLENNIUM FILM JOURNAL, New York. His films include VISTAS, 1985; AMERICAN SKETCHBOOK, 2000 and FOR DOTS, 2003.

Articles about Martin Rumsby include:

Chicago Reader articles can be sourced from the Chicago Reader Archive at http://www.chireader.com/archive for about $US1.95 each - search "Martin Rumsby"