Craig Baldwin is a California filmmaker, curator, and publisher whose interests lie in archival retrieval and recombinatory forms of cinema, performance, and installation. He currently serves on the faculty of UC Davis's Program in Technocultural Studies.

“Smith's films are enthralling in a cerebral way, much like good conceptual art.”-Dan Goddard

British filmmaker John Smith's meticulously composed witty cinema delights in image/sound relationships and often employs puns and puzzles. Fascinated by narrative, Smith also ventures into documentary: a filmmaker directs the actions on a busy street, a flower blooms in slow motion, and a tower follows a man around London. But Smith's explorations are subversive. They invite us to examine our expectations and assumptions, and rethink what we are seeing and hearing, all while playing with film language. San Francisco Cinematheque presents a second program of Smith's films on Friday, November 9, sfcinematheque.org.

Om John Smith, U.K., 1986, 4 mins, Color, 16mm, From Canyon Cinema
The Girl Chewing Gum John Smith, U.K., 1976, 12 mins, B&W, 16mm, From Canyon Cinema
The Black Tower  John Smith, U.K., 1985–87, 23 mins, Color, 16mm, From Canyon Cinema
Blight John Smith, U.K., 1996, 14 mins, Color, Digital Video, From the artist
The Kiss John Smith, with Ian Bourn, U.K., 1999, Color, 5 mins, Digital Video, From the artist
Worst Case Scenario John Smith, U.K., 2001–03, B&W/Color, 18 mins, Digital Video, From the artist
unusual Red cardigan John Smith, U.K., 2011, Color, 13 mins, Digital Video, From the artist

Total running time: 89 mins

Learn more at johnsmithfilms.com