Hooray, hooray, the first of May! Outdoor linking begins today! (My old, dear poetry professor Sam Abrams taught me that one, except he didn’t use the word “linking. He used one that began with the letter “f.” But, enough of that silliness. Onto the good stuff!)

1. This week’s Absolute Must Read is an extremely passionate commentary by donna k. on the need for art to speak out on injustice, something she finds lacking today — a subject on which I wholeheartedly concur. It’s an exceptionally well-written, moving piece that I hope inspires a filmmaker or two or more.
2. Tromadance has come and gone and completely terrorized the community of Asbury Park, NJ. Metromix has the wrap up, saying that The Taint drove the audience wild, as it well should have.
3. The website Pyramid Beach posted up Part 3 of their series on avant-garde pioneer Oskar Fischinger. You can go there and click through to Parts 1 and 2, as well.
4. Electric Sheep has been running some very interesting essays lately, such as ones on sci-fi films that are parables about racism and the Freemasons in Jack the Ripper movies.
5. In anticipation for Plastic Paper this week, Cineflyer rounds up some good local press, all from Uptown Magazine.
6. Jonas Mekas has an excerpt from his upcoming published diaries that features a brief chat with René Clair. Plus, a scan of an old Vanity Fair article about the then-new Anthology Film Archives.
7. Nelson Carvajal makes some interesting points regarding the value of free online content. (He also throws out a plug for the Underground Film Journal, so thank you Nelson for that.)
8. Jesse McLean is pleased as punch that her film Magic for Beginners will be screening at Rooftop Films this summer, at which she’ll be in attendance.
9. Chopping Mall is planning a blog series on post-2000 European horror.
10. For Friday the 13th fans only. Should put a smile on your face if you fit the bill.
11. Filmmaker Mike Rollo is impressed by the outdoor art of Vhils — and it’s easy to see why.
12. Congrats to Mike White for his Projection Booth podcast is nominated for a Golden Cob award. Go vote for him.
13. Jessica Oreck shares her good times spent in Lapland filming last month in words in pictures.
14. Andrea Grover passionately recommends arts professionals apply to NAMAC’s Visual Arts Organization Leadership Institute’s upcoming retreat.
15. Making Light of It continues to look at the use of text in cinema.