Mark Finch
Encyclopedia
Mark Finch was an English
promoter of LGBT
cinema. Having founded and expanded several international film festivals he created the first LGBT film market for distributors, sales agents, and independent film producers.
in 1961 Finch never identified with the city, having moved to Cambridge
with his mother and siblings after the divorce of his parents. For the rest of his life he was afflicted with severe bouts of depression and it was in his attempts to escape from these that he developed a passionate interest in film and, to a lesser extent, comics. In 1975 he began to publish a photocopied film fanzine entitled Worlds, which also included reviews of comics and science fiction. The magazine was not the success that he hoped and by 1976, after five issues, he owed £80 to the printer: a substantial sum at the time to a 15-year-old schoolboy. He had already attempted suicide once by paracetemol overdose and although he considered another attempt in the face of such debt, he was cheered by a friend's gift of the requisite sum.
Even with income from a part time job at the Arts Picture House in Cambridge, Finch realised that he could not afford to publish magazines so he joined CAPA, a recently-formed amateur press association
, which soon merged with the larger BAPA. With typical panache Finch introduced himself to his fellow apans with a zine
entitled There are fairies at the bottom of my garden. He later published a single issue of a magazine entitled Equality addressing gender issues in popular culture.
In 1981, Finch left Cambridge to attend the London Polytechnic
but he abandoned his studies after another suicide attempt that led to his compulsory attendance at a psychiatric hospital in Barnet
. Upon his recovery he attended the University of Warwick
where he read for a bachelor's honours degree in film and literature. He chose the university because he wanted to study under Richard Dyer
, professor of film there, who had organised the first gay cinema event at the National Film Theatre in 1977. While in Coventry
he wrote for a variety of journals, contributing articles about gay themes and camp in Hollywood cinema. Upon graduation he returned to London to work as a programmer for the British Film Institute
(BFI). After living a short while in a friend's flat on Long Acre, Finch moved in with his established partner, an Anglican clergyman, in Walworth
.
, and Peter Pelz, director of the Piccadilly Arts Festival, to join the team working on the festival. In the following years, Finch continued and greatly improved the festival, which ran for a total of 11 years. Finch worked from offices at St James's Church, Piccadilly, from which he developed a huge network of contacts far greater than had been the case at BFI. With his strong interest in gay culture in general and gay cinema in particular, it was inevitable that Finch would make great efforts to develop that aspect of the film festival. In 1986 he established the format that subsequent LGBT film festivals would follow. He then decided that it would be more appropriate to launch a specialist festival rather than overwhelm the more general Piccadilly festival with LGBT movies. In 1987 he led the launch of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in London.
Finch brought the his mainstream festival skills to bear upon niche festivals. He arranged pre-festival press conferences and successfully exhorted mainstream media sources to take the events seriously. He also understood what journalists needed and was happy to provide insightful, witty comments for publication.
Working extensively with LGBT filmmakers and distributors worldwide, Finch was particularly drawn to San Francisco. He moved there in 1991 as Exhibitions and Festival Director for Frameline, running the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival from 1992 to 1994. He continued to write about film for a mainstream and LGBT publications. With his extensive contacts and honed promotional skills he was able to effect huge increases to the number of films screened by the Festival and broaden the range of places that showed the subsequent touring programme each year. In the years of Finch's direction, festival attendances almost quadrupled to 55,000. The extended reach made the event a key international showcase for LGBT filmmakers and producers.
Recognising the difficulties in bringing LGBT films to market, Finch created the first market for distributors, sales agents, and independent LBGT film producers. Although the plans were disrupted by his death, the market first appeared at the festival in 1995 through the efforts of his co-director Jenni Olson
, who had joined him to help manage the increased workload in 1993. The growth demanded an organizational step change but this increased expenses out of proportion with revenue: the festival and Frameline were soon in financial difficulties. Tess Martin was brought in as Executive Director in October 1994 and promptly reduced the payroll and the size of the forthcoming festival. Finch had found the financial strictures in the face of continuing growth both frustrating and depressing. This external confirmation of his concerns exacerbated his mood.
. His office desk contained several suicide notes but his death was not confirmed until his body was found nearly six weeks later, seven miles out to sea, near Pillar Point Harbor
, about 25 miles south of the bridge from which he jumped. The coroner described his body as "intact but unrecognisable". Many of his friends and colleagues were deeply shocked by his death but his close friends were not surprised by his cinematic ending. His eulogist, Jenni Olson, summed it up: "Of course, given his personality, I just thought, 'Oh, how Mark' that it would be so spectacular. He doesn't do anything in a small way." A memorial service was held at the Castro Theatre
on February 26, 1995, and the 19th San Francisco Festival was dedicated to Finch's memory. A special fund was established in his name "to help support the work of emerging queer filmmakers". Ten years after his death Olson made a film, The Joy of Life
, of which the second half addresses his suicide and the part played in it by the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although the loss of his unstinting support of new work was a huge blow to many LGBT filmmakers, the festivals and the market that he developed have provided an enduring structure for the promotion of such films. His body of writing continues to be cited widely and he appeared as an actor in two films: Gregg Araki
's gay road romance The Living End
(1992) and (posthumously) in Todd Verow
's dramatization of the controversial Dennis Cooper
novel Frisk (1995).
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
promoter of LGBT
LGBT
LGBT is an initialism that collectively refers to "lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender" people. In use since the 1990s, the term "LGBT" is an adaptation of the initialism "LGB", which itself started replacing the phrase "gay community" beginning in the mid-to-late 1980s, which many within the...
cinema. Having founded and expanded several international film festivals he created the first LGBT film market for distributors, sales agents, and independent film producers.
Early life
Born in ManchesterManchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
in 1961 Finch never identified with the city, having moved to Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
with his mother and siblings after the divorce of his parents. For the rest of his life he was afflicted with severe bouts of depression and it was in his attempts to escape from these that he developed a passionate interest in film and, to a lesser extent, comics. In 1975 he began to publish a photocopied film fanzine entitled Worlds, which also included reviews of comics and science fiction. The magazine was not the success that he hoped and by 1976, after five issues, he owed £80 to the printer: a substantial sum at the time to a 15-year-old schoolboy. He had already attempted suicide once by paracetemol overdose and although he considered another attempt in the face of such debt, he was cheered by a friend's gift of the requisite sum.
Even with income from a part time job at the Arts Picture House in Cambridge, Finch realised that he could not afford to publish magazines so he joined CAPA, a recently-formed amateur press association
Amateur press association
An amateur press association is a group of people who produce individual pages or magazines that are sent to a Central Mailer for collation and distribution to all members of the group.-Organisation:...
, which soon merged with the larger BAPA. With typical panache Finch introduced himself to his fellow apans with a zine
Zine
A zine is most commonly a small circulation publication of original or appropriated texts and images. More broadly, the term encompasses any self-published work of minority interest usually reproduced via photocopier....
entitled There are fairies at the bottom of my garden. He later published a single issue of a magazine entitled Equality addressing gender issues in popular culture.
In 1981, Finch left Cambridge to attend the London Polytechnic
University of Westminster
The University of Westminster is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom. Its origins go back to the foundation of the Royal Polytechnic Institution in 1838, and it was awarded university status in 1992.The university's headquarters and original campus are based on Regent...
but he abandoned his studies after another suicide attempt that led to his compulsory attendance at a psychiatric hospital in Barnet
Barnet
High Barnet or Chipping Barnet is a place in the London Borough of Barnet, North London, England. It is a suburban development built around a twelfth-century settlement and is located north north-west of Charing Cross. Its name is often abbreviated to Barnet, which is also the name of the London...
. Upon his recovery he attended the University of Warwick
University of Warwick
The University of Warwick is a public research university located in Coventry, United Kingdom...
where he read for a bachelor's honours degree in film and literature. He chose the university because he wanted to study under Richard Dyer
Richard Dyer
Richard W. Dyer is an English academic specialising in cinema. As of 2006 he is Professor of Film Studies at King's College London. Previously he was at the University of Warwick...
, professor of film there, who had organised the first gay cinema event at the National Film Theatre in 1977. While in Coventry
Coventry
Coventry is a city and metropolitan borough in the county of West Midlands in England. Coventry is the 9th largest city in England and the 11th largest in the United Kingdom. It is also the second largest city in the English Midlands, after Birmingham, with a population of 300,848, although...
he wrote for a variety of journals, contributing articles about gay themes and camp in Hollywood cinema. Upon graduation he returned to London to work as a programmer for the British Film Institute
British Film Institute
The British Film Institute is a charitable organisation established by Royal Charter to:-Cinemas:The BFI runs the BFI Southbank and IMAX theatre, both located on the south bank of the River Thames in London...
(BFI). After living a short while in a friend's flat on Long Acre, Finch moved in with his established partner, an Anglican clergyman, in Walworth
Walworth, London
Walworth is an inner-city district in the London Borough of Southwark. Walworth probably derives its name from the Old English "Wealhworth" which meant Welsh farm. It is located south east of Charing Cross and near to Camberwell and Elephant and Castle.The major streets in Walworth are the Old...
.
Character
Throughout his life Mark Finch was boyishly charming and often masked his private depression with public bonhomie. His gently camp affectation would occasionally dissolve into tantrum socially but such outbursts were not part of his professional life, which was characterised by lively industry, incisive wit and a passionate affability. He delighted in wordplay and inventive imagery; he never stopped writing absurd narratives, and sharp observations of his surroundings. Such commentaries were sent to friends in small packages with brief covering notes or topped and tailed with the greetings and codas of more formal letters. Soon after his birthday each year after his first arrival in London he would often create an inventive calendar collage for the coming year. Similar publications became commercial products in the mid-1990s but Finch's creations were obviously amateur and intensely personal. They were photocopied, spiral-bound and mailed to friends as pre-Christmas gifts.Film Festivals
In 1984, Elizabeth Hutar founded the Piccadilly Film Festival as an added component to the Piccadilly Arts Festival, which had been in existence for a few years previous. Mark Finch was invited to come to London by Donald Reeves, Rector at St James's Church, PiccadillySt James's Church, Piccadilly
St James’s Church, Piccadilly is an Anglican church on Piccadilly in the centre of London, UK. It was designed and built by Sir Christopher Wren....
, and Peter Pelz, director of the Piccadilly Arts Festival, to join the team working on the festival. In the following years, Finch continued and greatly improved the festival, which ran for a total of 11 years. Finch worked from offices at St James's Church, Piccadilly, from which he developed a huge network of contacts far greater than had been the case at BFI. With his strong interest in gay culture in general and gay cinema in particular, it was inevitable that Finch would make great efforts to develop that aspect of the film festival. In 1986 he established the format that subsequent LGBT film festivals would follow. He then decided that it would be more appropriate to launch a specialist festival rather than overwhelm the more general Piccadilly festival with LGBT movies. In 1987 he led the launch of the Gay and Lesbian Film Festival in London.
Finch brought the his mainstream festival skills to bear upon niche festivals. He arranged pre-festival press conferences and successfully exhorted mainstream media sources to take the events seriously. He also understood what journalists needed and was happy to provide insightful, witty comments for publication.
Working extensively with LGBT filmmakers and distributors worldwide, Finch was particularly drawn to San Francisco. He moved there in 1991 as Exhibitions and Festival Director for Frameline, running the San Francisco International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival from 1992 to 1994. He continued to write about film for a mainstream and LGBT publications. With his extensive contacts and honed promotional skills he was able to effect huge increases to the number of films screened by the Festival and broaden the range of places that showed the subsequent touring programme each year. In the years of Finch's direction, festival attendances almost quadrupled to 55,000. The extended reach made the event a key international showcase for LGBT filmmakers and producers.
Recognising the difficulties in bringing LGBT films to market, Finch created the first market for distributors, sales agents, and independent LBGT film producers. Although the plans were disrupted by his death, the market first appeared at the festival in 1995 through the efforts of his co-director Jenni Olson
Jenni Olson
Jenni Olson was born and raised in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Olson is a film exhibition curator, director, award winning documentary filmmaker, and author. Olson co-founded and still writes for PlanetOut.com, and campaigned to have a barrier erected on the Golden Gate Bridge.-Biography:Olson was...
, who had joined him to help manage the increased workload in 1993. The growth demanded an organizational step change but this increased expenses out of proportion with revenue: the festival and Frameline were soon in financial difficulties. Tess Martin was brought in as Executive Director in October 1994 and promptly reduced the payroll and the size of the forthcoming festival. Finch had found the financial strictures in the face of continuing growth both frustrating and depressing. This external confirmation of his concerns exacerbated his mood.
Legacy
Finch was coming to the end of a course of the antidepressant drug Effexor on a reduced dose when he ended his own life unseen on a rainy Saturday afternoon. He left his leather briefcase against the pedestrian walkway railing mid-span of the Golden Gate BridgeGolden Gate Bridge
The Golden Gate Bridge is a suspension bridge spanning the Golden Gate, the opening of the San Francisco Bay into the Pacific Ocean. As part of both U.S. Route 101 and California State Route 1, the structure links the city of San Francisco, on the northern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, to...
. His office desk contained several suicide notes but his death was not confirmed until his body was found nearly six weeks later, seven miles out to sea, near Pillar Point Harbor
Pillar Point Harbor
Pillar Point Harbor is a boat harbor created by a riprap jetty in San Mateo County, California immediately north of Half Moon Bay. The site was originally inhabited by the Ohlone people in prehistoric times, and a number of recorded shipwrecks occurred in the immediate area. The harbor facilities...
, about 25 miles south of the bridge from which he jumped. The coroner described his body as "intact but unrecognisable". Many of his friends and colleagues were deeply shocked by his death but his close friends were not surprised by his cinematic ending. His eulogist, Jenni Olson, summed it up: "Of course, given his personality, I just thought, 'Oh, how Mark' that it would be so spectacular. He doesn't do anything in a small way." A memorial service was held at the Castro Theatre
Castro Theatre
The Castro Theatre is a popular San Francisco movie palace which became San Francisco Historic Landmark #100 in September 1976. Located at 429 Castro Street, in the Castro district, it was built in 1922 with a Spanish Colonial Baroque façade that pays homage—in its great arched central window...
on February 26, 1995, and the 19th San Francisco Festival was dedicated to Finch's memory. A special fund was established in his name "to help support the work of emerging queer filmmakers". Ten years after his death Olson made a film, The Joy of Life
The Joy of Life
The Joy of Life is an experimental landscape documentary film about the history of suicide and the Golden Gate Bridge, and the adventures of a butch lesbian in San Francisco, California. This feature-length film world premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2005.-External links:* *...
, of which the second half addresses his suicide and the part played in it by the Golden Gate Bridge.
Although the loss of his unstinting support of new work was a huge blow to many LGBT filmmakers, the festivals and the market that he developed have provided an enduring structure for the promotion of such films. His body of writing continues to be cited widely and he appeared as an actor in two films: Gregg Araki
Gregg Araki
Gregg Araki is an American independent filmmaker. He is involved in New Queer Cinema.-Early life:Araki was born in Los Angeles but grew up in Santa Barbara, California...
's gay road romance The Living End
The Living End (film)
The Living End is a 1992 film by Gregg Araki. Described by some critics as a "gay Thelma and Louise," the film is an early entry in the New Queer Cinema genre. The Living End was nominated for a Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in 1992....
(1992) and (posthumously) in Todd Verow
Todd Verow
Todd Verow is an American film director who now resides in New York City, New York. He attended the Rhode Island School of Design and the AFI Conservatory. Together with his creative partner, James Derek Dwyer, he formed Bangor Films in 1995. He was also the cinematographer for Jon Moritsugu's...
's dramatization of the controversial Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper
Dennis Cooper is an American novelist, poet, critic, editor and performance artist.-Career:Cooper grew up the son of a wealthy businessman in Arcadia, California. His first forays into literature came early, focusing on imitations of Rimbaud, Verlaine, de Sade, and Baudelaire...
novel Frisk (1995).
Selected works
- Mark Finch, 'Sex and Address in Dynasty', Screen 27(6) (Glasgow: 1986), 24-43 (Reprinted in Fabio Cleto (ed.), Camp (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1999) ISBN 0-472-09722-9)
- Mark Finch and Richard Kwietniowski, 'Melodrama and Maurice: Homo is Where the Heart is', Screen, 29(3) (Glasgow, 1988)
- Mark Finch, 'George Kuchar: Half the Story' in Martha Gever, Pratibha Parmar, and John Greyson (eds.), Queer looks : perspectives on lesbian and gay film and video (New York: Routledge, 1993)
- Mark Finch, 'Gays and Lesbians in Cinema.' in Gary Crowdus (ed.), Cineaste's Political Companion To American Film (Chicago: Lake View, 1994).
External links
- Mark Finch Memorial (Video Montage) directed by Jenni OlsonJenni OlsonJenni Olson was born and raised in Falcon Heights, Minnesota. Olson is a film exhibition curator, director, award winning documentary filmmaker, and author. Olson co-founded and still writes for PlanetOut.com, and campaigned to have a barrier erected on the Golden Gate Bridge.-Biography:Olson was...
and Laura Mac (1995) in QuickTime format.