|
In today's edition
of Lloyd's Roids, Lloyd (with the generous support of his eunichs Robin
and Devin) speaks of his recent experiences in war-ravaged Kosovo, for
the Italian magainze FMM
Greetings From
Tromaville!
This year, Troma
celebrates it's Thirtieth anniversary of truly independent cinema! Scoff
if you will, but Troma has always been America's uncensored home for artistic
expression, a place where the walls between a creator's vision and reality
are removed to get at the heart of our human condition, or something.
Who else but Troma could tell the tragic story of a nuclear waste infused
wimp overcoming his deformity in "The Toxic Avenger?" Who but
Troma takes the time to teach about the important issue of safe sex gone
awry with our educational films like "Killer Condom?" Yes, Troma
is America's longest running independent film company, and by jiminy,
we think we do a pretty good job! Apparently, so does Venice and Kosovo!
This September, during Venice's
International Film Festival, Troma was warmly received and honored on
"Troma-Day" when the new Troma Rome company was announced. After
the festivities in Venice I was fortunate enough to be selected the president
of the jury at the first ever Kosovo 9/11 Festival. You heard that right:
the first film festival to commemorate 9-11 happens not in America but
in Kosovo.
When you read the New York
Times these days or watch American television you will hear about all
these countries that hate us. The French who hate us, the Germans who
hate us and the evil Muslim nations that want to destroy us are common
themes for American news. What you don't hear about is places like Kosovo,
a Muslim territory that loves the Unites States and is grateful. They
are grateful to Bill Clinton, William Walker, Madeline Albright and Wesley
Clark for getting rid of the Hitler want-to-be Milosevic.
Four years ago the people of Kosovo were facing extinction. You would
think they would have more pressing concerns than remembering 9-11, and
yet they have gone all out, making posters, sculptures and films in remembrance
of the American tragedy of September 11th, 2001. This festival is a far
more fitting tribute to the victims of 9-11 than the anything created
by Rupert Murdoch or the elitist, self-congratulatory American mainstream
arts community and media.
Do you remember the way in
which the major media exploited 9-11? How Rupert Murdoch seems to have
felt that the best way to pay tribute to the victims of 9/11 was to show
them jumping out of 107th story windows of the World Trade Center over
and over again. Mr. Murdoch sure does his best to give back to the victims
of the tragedy by replaying the events time and time again, but they know
how to give back in Kosovo, too.
The humble and poor winners
of the Kosovo 9/11 Festival donated their $1,000 prizes to the American
victims of 9-11. In Kosovo that amount of money has the buying power of
$10,000, and they gave it away to help the American families still hurt
by the tragedy. No, the American media won't tell you that story, and
they also wont tell you about the Candle Light vigils held throughout
Kosovo in remembrance of 9-11. The major media didn't cover any of this,
despite the fact that the president of Kosovo and the US ambassador to
Kosovo were present at the festival.
Venice was uplifting! The enthusiasm
for cinema and the love of film was contagious, omni-present. As gratifying
an experience as that was, all through Italy I felt an underlying sentiment
of mistrust and a hostility towards Americans and the USA. Who can blame
you when the American Mainstream Media is our chief ambassador? Venice
was alive with the spirit of film, but Kosovo was charged with the spirit
of Idealism!
Kosovo could have asked anybody
to sit as the President of their Jury, but they chose me, they chose Troma.
Troma is one of the last American bastions of film freedom, a celluloid
cause the Mainstream Media and Mr. Murdoch would love to see splattered
under a car tire like a melon with a wig. We have built our movies around
our own ideas and ideals. Thinking for ourselves, making the movies we
want to see and fighting against the one-sided perspective is what the
independent spirit of art is about! That spirit is alive in Kosovo and
that spirit is alive in Italy. That Spirit is alive at Troma! Thank you
FMM and Thank you to our fans for 30 Troma-tic years!
Tell us
what you think:
People from all over the world have been writing to us to give The Troma
Team words of support. If you want to have your voice be heard we encourage
you to WRITE
TO US HERE. Even if you can not be with us on the front lines,
knowing you are with us in spirit is just as important!
|
Webisodes | Lloyd's MySpace Profile |