NOTFILM is an 2015 American experimental documentary essay film that is an engrossing and illuminating meditation on one of the most intriguing yet least discussed collaborations in the history of cinema. The film was written, directed, edited and photographed by Ross Lipman, an acclaimed independent filmmaker and former senior film restorationist at the UCLA Film and Television Archive. It features interviews and voice-overs from Lipman himself, as well as British film historian Kevin Brownlow, and Samuel Beckett’s Alphabet Book’s author Judith Douw.

NOTFILM takes as its subject the curious and eventful making-of history of Samuel Beckett’s only work for the projected image, “Film.” A short film that was released in 1965 starring the famed silent film comedian Buster Keaton, its peculiar narrative revolves around a lone character that goes to great lengths to avoid any perception of the world around him. Beckett's work, notorious for its abstraction and austerity, continues to confound audiences to this day and the attempt to understand it forms the foundation of Lipman's intriguing documentary.

In NOTFILM, Lipman painstakingly investigates the contexts, mysteries, and reverberations around Beckett’s piece. Using a combination of original interviews, outtakes and behind-the-scenes footage, stills, and audio recordings, the director creates an atmospheric, evocative reflection on the form and function of film itself. Throughout the 130-minute runtime, he explores the philosophical, artistic, and emotional underpinnings of this important but seldom-seen short film, aiming to elucidate both its creation and its impact.

Lipman’s shared narration and curated visuals weave a tapestry that tells a story beyond the making of Beckett’s "Film". He draws out themes of the fear of death, the passage of time, and the inexplicability of human existence. Moreover, it delves into the film's struggle during production and reception, marked by difficulty in financing and its underperformance upon release. As much as a historical recounting, the documentary also serves as a treatise on existentialism, as depicted through cinema, unpacking the philosophies of Bishop Berkeley and others that influenced Beckett's work.

Kevin Brownlow's input as the co-founder of Photoplay Productions and a widely respected historian brings valuable insights on silent film era, which Beckett admired and sought to implement in his "Film". Brownlow offers a broader view of the context in which "Film" was conceived and highlights its place within the transitional period of the mid-'60s, when many classical forms of filmmaking gave way to the New Wave.

Judith Douw, who authored a book on Beckett’s work, lends another layer of interpretative framework to understanding the writer's film. Her contributions help synthesize a broader view of Beckett’s creative landscape, tracing his intellectual and creative journey from his novels and plays through to his ventures into television and cinema.

The documentary’s deconstructed narrative complexly intertwines different facets of the artistic endeavor, ranging from artistic inspiration and the politics of filmmakers, to the granular details of the filmmaking process. Despite its focus on a single short film, NOTFILM reflects on a larger spectrum of cinematic and philosophical explorations.

Interestingly, although Beckett deemed the project an interesting failure, Lipman's NOTFILM suggests that it has had a lasting impact on cinematic technique and narrative – a veritable treasure trove for deconstructing the cinematic medium, the use of the camera as a narrative device, and the psychological underpinnings of perception and experience.

In a nutshell, NOTFILM is an investigation, a visual and audio collage, a philosophical dialogue, and a tribute to the collaborative process of filmmaking. It unravels the processes and myriad claims of cinema’s truth and illusion, while simultaneously delving deep into Beckett’s creative world. For those interested in experimental cinema, Beckett's works, or film history more generally, NOTFILM is an invaluable examination of all three.