Letter from Sally Dixon to James Broughton
(9/3/1971)
September 3, 1971
James Broughton P.0. Box 183
Mill Valley, California 94941 Dear Mr. Broughton:
I can’t believe that I didn’t write you a letter of confirmation before I left for my vacation in July - I’m so very sorry, please forgive me!
We are looking forward very much to having you here in Pittsburgh on October 20 as part of our Independent Film-Makers Series. Our budget for each guest is $500.00 out of which must come travel money and hotel room - the remainder going to the film maker.
We will be happy to send you an open airline ticket if this is agreeable, then you can make reservations to suit yourself and let us know when to meet you.
We usually have a press conference at 1:30 pm the day of the lecture, so that the interview can be in the morning paper. We have one especially interested critic, who takes great care to see as many of the films as possible before writing about them. So, it would be great if you could come in a day early sfnpossible, since west coast time is already 3 hr3. behind us - if not, we’ll just work it in later. We have a quiet dinner at my house before the screening, at 8:30. Usually a group of the more enthusiastic of the audience return with us to my house for deeper talk and/or more screening if you feel like it. But this is not necessary, I’m just outlining the possibilities for you.
Also if there is anything in particular that you would like to film while here, let me know and I will try to arrange it. Brakhage, for instance, filmed the city from a police car for two days last September and returned in February to do one of our hospitals. Hollis Frampton shot sequences of a blast furnace at U.S. Steel, Ren Jacobs did the streets and hills to work on for his 3D effect. Then Stan returns on September 10 to film the city again, through the eyes of a newspaperman, and possibly an autopsy at the County Morgue.
I spent my vacation with Jane and Stan (glorious it was!) and we looked at as many of your films as he had and listened to the papes of your poetry - ALL were sheer delight, very rich, very simple seeming in form, deep in content.
I could return again and again to many levels and just want to say how much I am looking forward to meeting you, seeing more of your films and perhaps hearing some new/more poetry!
Have a good September Mr. Broughton!
