By Jason Apuzzo. Today, May 19th, is the one year anniversary of our re-launch of Libertas as Libertas Film Magazine (LFM). Govindini and I want to thank all of our writers – including (in alphabetical order) Jennifer Baldwin, Joe Bendel, Patricia Ducey, Max Garuda, Steve Greaves, David Ross and The Joker – for their wonderful contributions of this past year. It’s a great pleasure putting this site together with you all each day, and we sincerely thank you for the insight, dedication and good humor you’ve brought to this new version of Libertas. We could not do LFM without you. Our thanks also go out to Lars Larson for featuring Govindini regularly on his national radio show and for publicizing our efforts, and also to Michael Apuzzo, and to special friends of Libertas Gretchen Brooks and Rebecca Julian for their kindness and enthusiasm.
And on behalf of all of our writers, we also want to thank our readers. If there’s any group of people who make this site go, who make Libertas an exercise in communication, it’s our readers – who contribute so much in the comments section each week, and always turn what we do here into a productive and colorful conversation. We thank you humbly for your attentiveness.
When we launched this new version of Libertas last year, we described the site in our inaugural post as having “a different emphasis from that of its predecessor … Whereas the prior Libertas spent most of its time critiquing the ideological content of Hollywood entertainment – much of which is still inimical to freedom – the new Libertas Film Magazine is focused on positively promoting films that celebrate freedom, democracy, and the dignity of the individual.”
Having launched the site with that new mission, I had one major concern: whether there would be enough films to even talk about! Little did I know what a task we were actually setting ourselves – because easily the most pleasant surprise we’ve had over the past year is how many new films we’ve been able to discuss that are infused with these basic values. This has easily been the most encouraging aspect of doing this site – what filmmakers all around the world have contributed to it, by way of their creativity. And in a sense, it’s really to them that Libertas is dedicated. Their courage, devotion and vision demand a voice – and that’s what Libertas endeavors to provide.
So again, let me thank everyone, and encourage our writers to keep writing, and our readers to keep reading and commenting … but most importantly, I encourage filmmakers out there, many of whom read this site, to keep making films. You and your inspirational efforts, ultimately, are why we’re all here.
Posted on May 19th, 2011 at 9:48pm.