Too Much Information
But okay...these are slightly different issues. What does one do when someone they respect and admire has committed a serious crime? If this animator has committed a violent crime, how do I deal with that, not just as a friend, but as a programmer? It's one thing to program the films of an alcoholic or a downright prick, but do you programme the films of someone who might be a murderer, rapist or wife-beater?

Certainly I will look at their films differently, with their act in the back of my mind. But then again, in this case, it was likely a rare moment where the person lost control of themselves. Do we punish a person for life because of a single moment?

If I refuse to show this person’s films again am I not saying not only that the person is bad, but that they are pure unadulterated bad, that there is no in-between, that they were good solely because they made films but now that doesn’t matter because they committed a crime? Does committing a crime mean you’re a bad person? What if tomorrow that person commits a good deed? Is it a moot point? What about all the unknown crimes? Those that were never discovered or only thought? Should this even be a consideration for a programmer? When I choose retrospectives or films I sure as hell don’t analyse the character of the filmmaker. So why should I now reject films because of character? And what about my character? I’ve certainly had my share of violent, drunken, misanthropic moments. Who am I to judge the morality of another? Hell…there are people in animation who don’t like me yet still attend the Ottawa festival so who am I to refuse people because of their character or their supposed immorality?

We never really know anyone. That's obvious. We always think we do. We think we know some people inside and out, only to discover that we know very little. I guess most of what we project to people is an illusion or a dreamworld to begin with. We all wear masks, even those who think they are open and honest. We, generally, choose what we want others to see. Conversely, we also define those around us. The person we see is in a lot of ways a projection of ourselves. We create the other person.

As for my friend, the artist remains, but the friend, or at least the image of the friend, is gone. And that really sucks.

Chris Robinson is but a man. His hobbies include squirrel taunting, goat thumping, meat dancing and elderly peeping. You can find the results at http://asifa.net/robinson