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tion for Independent and student filmmakers. The fall season begins with the Sept. 18 premiere of "To a Random," part two of an expressionistic character study trilogy by local filmmaker Michael Burlingame (at Jason's, 131 Clarendon p.m.). The screening Is part of "Music in Film and Video," an opening event of the Boston Film and Video Festival. On Sept.

24, BFVF brings Boston the New England premiere of "Tough Guys," starring Burt Lancaster and Kirk Douglas (8 p.m., USA Cinemas at Copley Place). This foray Into mainstream film is a fundraiser for the foundation's 10th anniversary. Past BFVF premiere benefits have included the Academy Award-winning "The Life and Times of Harvey Milk" and Jean Renoir's "French Cancan." "You have to have a balance. You try to draw in mainstream filmgoers and hope they come back for something else," says Roberts. Seven visiting artists, with funding from the National Endowment for the Arts, will host educational workshops and present their work at the BFVF this fall.

They include cinematographer and filmmaker Babette Mangolte (Oct. 17-19); composer and performer Pauline Oliveros (Oct. 24-26); performance artist Linda Monatano (Oct. 24-25); performance and video artist Michael Smith (Oct. 31-Nov.

1); local performance artist Ellen Rothenberg (Nov. 8); video artist John Manning (Nov. 14-16); and screenwriter, director and producer Frank Pierson, screenwriter of "Cool Hand Luke," (Nov. 21-23). Like other film curators and arts administrators bringing Boston off-beat cinema, Roberts says the size of the audience is not the bottom-line; rather it is the chance for both artist and audience to explore new realms in media art.

"We take some risks In programming to narrow audiences at times and that's hard for anyone to do," she says.D Instead of naming the ticket price. Rev. Mark says, "We ask for a two dollar donation." He describes his audience like this: "It's generally people who find their taste in film Is something like mine." If you want to strike up a conversation with this particular curator. Just go to the movies. He is usually there.

After all, says Rev. Mark, "These are films I want to see or I want to see again. I'll stand around and talk to anyone who's interested." The Boston FilmVideo Foundation's Boylston Street headquarters Is a maze of recording and Image processing studios, film editing rooms and audio production set-ups. This year the nonprofit media arts center marks 10 years of work in film, video, performance art and the Interface of computer technology. "This is not the place to come for mainstream populist'film.

You're going to find something' unusual that you haven't seen or heard of or a revival of something that has faded into the past. You see things here that you really can't see anywhere else," says BFVF executive director Carla Roberts. The BFVF Exhibition Program combines live performances, new film and video screenings, retrospectives and visiting artists' lectures and workshops. The artists are often present to answer questions about their work. "It creates a forum for interaction between artists of varying accomplishments and between artists and audiences," says Roberts.

Performances are at the BFVF's 100-seat theater and in other locations. At the BFA'F, local artists are exposed to nationally-acclaimed artists; regional artists find a forum for their work; and audiences see the very newest, and oldest, in media art. Among last spring's offerings were an archival IB technicolor print of Elvis Presley in "Loving You," a series of Jean-Luc Godard's work co-presented by the ICA, and an evening of "subterranean video." Each year the New England Film Festival, co-presented by the BFVF, screens winners of the competi it's nothing short of delightful to be challenged by independent films," says Ross. "It's a struggle. That's the nature of contemporary art in general and the fight the ICA's been waging for 50 years." When The Rev.

Edward Mark arrived at the Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church in the mid-'60s, he was asked by his congregation if he'd like to do a special project in addition to preaching and the other things ministers do. A film buff from childhood, Mark saw an opportunity to incorporate his two greatest Interests. "I've shown all kinds of films over the years, but mostly those by directors Interested in exploring religion through commercial cinema," Mark says. That Just about runs the gamut, from the Italian director Roberto Rossellini to the French Robert Bresson, the Japanese Yasujiro Ozu and Hollywood's John Ford who often wove Catholicism into his storylines. "I just like movies.

I like musicals, westerns. Even in westerns, one sees a lot of reflection," he adds. For 22 years, the stone church north of Harvard Square has posted Its film program In a glass box out front next to the Sunday sermon notice. Come Thursday and Sunday nights, a film screen is raised between the pulpit and the lectern in the sanctuary and audiences file in to fill the long wooden pews. While Rev.

Mark once showed foreign film premieres, he says the Boston area now has commercial venues for those screenings. He sticks with directors' retrospectives and various films he likes or films he has wanted to see. This fall. Rev. Mark launches a Thursday series of the 22 American films of Fritz Lang who fled Germany after he was offered the leadership of the Nazi film Industry.

Lang took on Hollywood with titles like "You Only Live Once" (Sept. 18), and "Fury" (Sept. 25). The Sunday night programs will vary. This Sunday, it's "The Gang's All Here," starring Alice Faye and Carmen Miranda.

Films start at 7:30 p.m. pure art," says ICA director David Ross. Until last fall, the ICA borrowed a screen at USA Cinemas Copley Place theater to show premiere runs of independent feature films. That changed when the Boylston Street museum refurbished its theater space to accommodate a 16mm camera and 22-foot screen. (A 35mm camera will be installed shortly.) The ICA even sells popcorn and candy in1 its 140-seat theater.

"After all, challenging films and licorice dots go hand in hand," laughs Ross. The ICA has a dual mission when it comes to film programming. It wants to provide a showcase for new independent feature films and to encourage viewers to partake of the museum's other offerings in visual and performing arts, video and lectures. Films are shown for two-week runs every six weeks and Include independent features, directors' retrospectives and curated series. A retrospective of films by West German director Rosa von Praumheim, co-sponsored by the Goethe Institute, will run Oct.

29-Nov. 9 (Wednesday through Sunday, 7:30 p.m.). Von Praumheim will introduce the first film "Horror Vacui: The Fear of Emptiness" at the Oct. 29 opening. Two series pTanned for 1987 are new French Independent films and French post new wave films in January and next spring's British exhibition, combining film, video, painting and sculpture.

The ICA prides itself on its premieres like last November's "Sherman's March," directed by Cambridge-based filmmaker Ross McElwee. In December 1985, the ICA aired two Latin American political documentaries "Witness to War" and "Living at Risk." Last January, it aired the Boston premiere of "A Man Like Eva," Hungarian filmmaker Radu Gabrea's controversial biography of the late Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Ross says Boston has one of the most dense communities of sophisticated movie-goers in the country, yet it is Hollywood films like "Rambo" which are drawing the crowds. "It's our responsibility to find a way to show them Ann Malasptna is a free-lance writer. fit.

TheSe nes A Boston FilmVideo Foundation, 1126 Boylston St. Telephone 536-1540. Admission varies. Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Boston. Telephone Admission elders, students $3.

Boston Public Library, Rabb Lecture Hall, Copley Square. Telephone 536-5400. Free admission. Harvard-Epworth United Methodist Church, 1555 Mass. Cambridge.

Telephone 354-0837. Admission $2. Harvard Film Archive, at the Carpenter Center for the Visual Arts, 24 Quincy Cambridge. Telephone 495-4700. Admission $3.

Institute of Contemporary Art, 955 Boylston Boston. Telephone 266-5152. Admission $4, students $3. Rear Window Film Society, at the Boston Architectural Center, 320 Newbury also at Brookline Arts Center. 86 Monmouth St.

Telephone 277-4618. Admission is usually $3. (3 I CD LU I IU Globe staff photoDavid L. Ryan.