Anthony Stern (1938 – 1995) was a British experimental filmmaker, poet, and photographer associated with the avant‑garde cinema movement of the 1960s and 1970s.
Early life and education
Born in England in 1938, Stern became involved in the emerging independent film scene during his university years. Specific details of his formal education are not widely documented.
Film career
Stern was a member of the London Film‑Makers’ Co‑op, a collective that supported non‑commercial filmmaking in the United Kingdom. He is best known for his 16 mm film San Francisco (also released under the title San Francisco: Documentary/Poem) made in 1968. The work combined handheld camera techniques, rapid editing, and a jazz‑driven soundtrack, creating a poetic portrait of the American city. The film was screened at the Institute of Contemporary Arts (ICA) in London and has been preserved by the British Film Institute (BFI) National Archive.
Other notable films by Stern include:
- The Jolly Joker (1974) – an abstract exploration of performance and audience interaction.
- The Garden (1976) – a visual meditation on natural and cultivated spaces, employing slow‑motion and time‑lapse photography.
Stern’s oeuvre is characterized by its emphasis on visual rhythm, improvisational editing, and a blending of documentary and lyrical modes.
Literary and photographic work
Beyond filmmaking, Stern published poetry collections, such as Love in the Time of the Opium War (1972). His photographic series, often focused on urban environments, were exhibited in galleries across the UK during the 1970s and 1980s.
Legacy and influence
Stern’s experimental techniques have been cited by later British video artists and filmmakers as an influence on the development of the UK’s independent and avant‑garde film practices. Retrospectives of his work have been presented by the BFI and other cultural institutions, highlighting his contributions to experimental cinema and visual poetry.
References
- British Film Institute (BFI) National Archive holdings – Anthony Stern collection.
- ICA exhibition programme, 1968 – screening of San Francisco.
- Published poetry anthologies featuring Stern’s work (e.g., Love in the Time of the Opium War, 1972).