The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has awarded True/False $10,000 for the continuation of its Neither/Nor Series. Neither/Nor is repertory film series in which True/False turns over the programming reins to a visiting critic. Now entering its fifth year, Neither/Nor spotlights film movements that challenge traditional documentary form. In keeping with its name, Neither/Nor draws attention to film movements that have traditionally been neglected by the documentary world (for not being ‘documentary enough’) and the fiction world (for being ‘too-documentary’).

For each edition of Neither/Nor, True/False selects a film critic, who researches that year’s focus and selects a handful of works to present during True/False (March 1-4, 2018). Over the weekend, guests will participate in at least six free Fest screenings, alongside classroom visits and a public discussion. The series also creates a monograph, a collection of essays and interviews with the filmmakers, which helps contextualize the film selections. This monograph is available for free in various venues throughout downtown Columbia and is also posted as a free download on the True/False website.

Past subjects of Neither/Nor include a selection of Polish filmmakers who used documentary in subversive ways during the Communist era and ‘shockumentary’ filmmakers who relied on the exploitation home video market to fund provocative, political cinema about gun control and colonialism.

This series’ support from the Academy comes as a FilmWatch Grant, which also supports the Big Sky Film Institute, the Chicago International Film Festival, the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival, and many others. “This year, the grants will support non–profit organizations in 24 communities across the country, reach underserved high school students, support emerging and mid–career filmmakers of all ages, and will provide unique opportunities for enrichment and engagement with the cinematic community and its artists,” said Buffy Shutt, chair of the Academy’s grants committee.

Since our start in 2004, True/False has increasingly investigated the vast, vital slash between True and False by spotlighting documentaries that transcend mere reportage and incorporate the cinematic qualities of fiction filmmaking.  True/False brings the Neither/Nor series back full-swing in 2018 with an announcement of the selected guest critic in late 2017. Stay tuned!