We here in New York have the dubious luck of having a local network (channel Thirteen) that understands the appeal and reach of the independent film market here in the boroughs. And so, the great tradition of the Reel New York Film Festival has flavored up this summer and with it comes a great lineup of some great flicks to catch for free (more or less) on the limitless creative landscape that is public access television. Known as PBS in some corners of the nation, Channel Thirteen has become a haven for those of us who wish to have their grainy, meandering political ravings mixed with a dash of independent art (there's more of us than you would think). The selections feature up-and-coming filmmakers throughout the area, and tackle subject matter that is both relevant and meaningful to those of us in the NYC jurisdiction.

From June 27th to this coming August 1st, the good people at Thirteen are supplying us with said goodness and even though the end is near (sorry for the late report), you can still catch some great films before this unique festival goes the way of the Dodo (at least until next year). The routine occurs every Friday at a little passed midnight. This week's edition will feature Sally Gross - The Pleasure of Stillness. I'm willing to bet that most people my age consider themselves masters of gaining pleasure from sitting still on their ass and watching marathons of Lost or playing GTA IV, but there's pleasure in a different kind of stillness for Ms. Gross. She's a dancer/choreographer and Sally Gross... plans to shed some light on her exploits in an "intimate portrait".

Following this week will be the August 1 (and therefore, final) edition, which will include films such as Let's Build a Fire, Miriam, and Barbara Leather. Check the programming schedule for more details.

Also, do yourself a favor and read up on the films that have been shown already (including my personal faves, Wrigley and Broadway Express). Thirteen's site has information on how to find the films and allows you see a preview of each. Expand your horizons my pretties.