NEW YORK, NY.- MoMA presents a six-film showcase of recent titles from the independent distribution company Strand Releasing in the exhibition Carte Blanche: Marcus Hu and Jon Gerrans, screening from July 1 through 6, 2009, in The Roy and Niuta Titus Theaters. Twenty years ago, the American independent film movement took root in America—propelled by a confluence of art-house and sexual-identity films (particularly the New Queer Cinema)—and its profound influence upon the industry continues to this day. Chief among the movement’s visionary figures are Marcus Hu and Jon Gerrans, who together founded Strand Releasing in 1989, and have since maintained a dedication to risk-taking directors who privilege innovation and authenticity over commerciality.

The films in this series hail from across the globe, highlighting the work of some of contemporary cinema’s most influential new voices and providing a provocative snapshot of the world of cinema from the point of view of Hu and Gerrans.

Tian bian yi duo yun (The Wayward Cloud) (2005), directed by Tsai Ming-Liang, is the account of a jaded adult-movie star in Taipei who daydreams in elaborate, erotic musical fantasies. In François Ozon’s Le temps qui reste (Time to Leave) (2005), a successful fashion photographer is diagnosed with terminal brain cancer and consequently alienates his family and his young boyfriend by keeping his illness a secret. Also included are Auf der anderen Seite (The Edge of Heaven) (2007), by Fatih Akin, winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival, and Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Sud pralad (Tropical Malady) (2004), winner of the Special Jury Prize at the 2004 Cannes Film Festival.