NEWS ROUNDUP, Aug. 5, 2022
Festivals, festivals, everywhere!
Right now, the San Antonio Film Festival is in full swing at the Radius Center, downtown. And it’s a pretty big thing! Its mission statement says, in part, that the fest’s goal is “to serve as an accessible and inclusive platform for artists in the category of cinema and provide cinematic culture to a diverse audience. The San Antonio Film Festival showcases films from around the world while nurturing, fostering and developing filmmakers of all ages.”
There are film screening of feature films and documentaries from artists/directors from France, Thailand, Mexico, Israel and Germany, but the majority of filmmakers are, naturally, from the U.S., including quite a few Texans and 28 San Antonians. In fact, there’s a block of short films devoted entirely to San Antonio directors. It’s too much to describe here but the fest’s website is fairly user-friendly, so check it out and choose what you want to see. All screenings take place at the Radius Center downtown, across the street from the Tobin Center. 2022 marks the 28th anniversary of the fest.
“We are celebrating 28 years of cinema in San Antonio. I feel we are the leader in South Texas of the movie movement of independent filmmakers, discovering the new Kurosava, the new wave of Latino filmmakers, you name it! said founder Adam Rocha. “How does it feel? It’s wonderful.”
He noted that one of his favorites will be screened Friday night, the world premiere of a film from Mexico called “The Pink Lagoon.” It’s about a special-needs child and her family. “The main actress will be here, the director and producers will be here. I am super excited about that. They chose us (SAFILM) to launch their movie, and it’s a breath-taking movie. It’s definitely a not-to-be-missed,” said Rocha.
Another must-see feature film to be screened this weekend is “The Assassination of Mrs. Paine” by California director Max Good, dealing with an elderly lady who has a connection to the JFK assassination. And there’s also a movie by San Antonian, Stephen Snavely, titled “Think Lovely Thoughts.”
In addition to screenings, there are panel discussions on various topics of interest to filmmakers, such as film editing, animation, show business, and others.
The fest concludes Sunday with the Awards Ceremony. (Aug. 7 at 5 p.m., Radius Center, 106 Auditorium Circle # 210; to see the full schedule and get tickets, go to www.safilm.com)
The Mozart Festival is concluding this weekend with a program of Mozart and his contemporary, Joseph Haydn. Brilliant pianist, Daniel Anastasio will be the soloist in Mozart’s Piano Concerto in E-Flat, K.271, and violinist Patrice Calixte will dazzle the audience as the soloist in the master’s Violin Concerto No. 4. Haydn’ Symphony No. 100 in G (The Military) will be in the hands of the festival orchestra. (Aug. 7 at 3 p.m.; Bennack Concert Hall on the campus of the Incarnate Word University; tickets $45 for adults, $15 for students and $35 for seniors and military. For tickets and details go to www.mozartfestivaltx.org)
The Blues Brothers, Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi, will be in town Friday at the Freeman Coliseum, to perform all the famous hits: “Sweet Home Chicago,” “Messin’ with the Kid,” “Soul Man” and more. They will be backed by the Sacred Hearts Band. The duo will be part of the Super Hero Car Show & Comic Con but concert tickets are separate and do not provide access to the car show and the comic con except just before the concert on Aug. 5, from 4-8 p.m. (Aug. 5 at 8:15 p.m., doors open at 6:30 p.m.; Freeman Coliseum; $69-$149, to purchase tickets go to www.pmxevents.com/bluesbrothers)
The musical “Mean Girls” will be at the Majestic Theater, starting Aug. 9. The musical revolves around teen girls’ scheming and hi-jinks in a suburban Illinois school, just as the original movie did, but Tina Fey’s book makes the story “funny and warm,” according to one critic. Lots of song and dance! (Opens Aug. 9 at 7:30 p.m., runs through Aug. 14.; Majestic Theater, 224 E. Houston; $45-$150, Majestic box office 210-226-3333 or through Ticketmaster.com.) (Comedy Bang! Bang! that we told you about last week, is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 5, at the Empire Theater)
We are also reminding you that Robert Earl Keen will stop at the Tobin Center for a single night tonight, Friday, part of his farewell tour. The beloved veteran performer is, apparently, getting serious about retirement. (Aug. 5 at 8 p.m.; Tobin Center, 100 Auditorium Circle; $49.50-$95 at tickets@tobincenter.org or by calling 210-223-8624)
Susan Werner’s “Flyover Country,” show at the Tobin, scheduled for Aug. 6, has been cancelled. But the arts center has a special event for you on Saturday- its Annual Open House that promises free fun for the whole family. You’ll encounter “pop-up” performances, learn what the resident companies have planned for their upcoming seasons; and “discover” special discounts on ticket prices. You can also take a “Behind the Curtain” tour, take pictures of kids on stage, etc. It’s free and it comes with free parking in the center’s garage.
Elevation Worship is a contemporary Christian group that will play to crowds at the AT&T Center Saturday. (Aug. 6 at 7 p.m.; AT&T Center, 1 AT&T Center Partkway; $50-$300; www.attcenter.com)
The AT&T Center will also host the hard-hitting comedian, Kevin Hart. (Aug. 10 at 7 p.m. and Aug. 13; $$40-$365; see above for address and website)
Do you know that San Antonio has a photo center, named, appropriately, The San Antonio Center of Photography? It’s located downtown on S. Alamo St. just before you reach the King William district. This weekend, the center plans to have the 2022 Photo Center Print Fundraiser, which sounds like an opportunity to get acquainted with the work of local photo artists while helping the young center’s progress. Fifty percent of each sale goes to the artist. (Aug. 5, 6-9 p.m.; free) Should you want to improve your cell phone photo skills, the center has just what you need, the IPHONE Photography 101 (Aug. 9, 6-7:30 p.m., $50; 724 S. Alamo, Ste 3, 78206; for question email info@thephotocenter.org)
Centro de Artes Gallery in Market Square is reopened with two new exhibits. The gallery occupies a fairly large building with a lot of wall and floor space. On the first floor, you’ll find the work of artist Leila Hernandez, which is described as “a collection of narratives dealing with time, identity and place via the cultural crossover between South Texas and Northern Mexico.” On the second floor, Elizabeth Jimenez Montelongo’s “The Euphoric Dance of the Unconquered Mind,” features oil paintings of Mexika dancers performing their traditional dances. Both sound promising. (Opens to the public beginning Aug. 10; free admission. Market Square. Closed Monday-Tuesday.)
And there’s always something fun at the San Antonio Museum of Art. Sunday is Family Day, and once again, the event revolves around the “Heroes and Villains” exhibit that has attracted so many visitors. The Family Day heroes and villains are encouraged to wear superhero costumes but “please no swords, scepters, weapons, wands or full-face masks.” Instead of battling, the young heroes will enjoy art activities, music, food, and other peaceful pleasures. (Aug. 7, 11 a.m. -3 p.m.; SAMA, 200 W. Jones Ave., free for members; free for non-members with one adult museum admission.)
On Sunday, there will be a puppet theater performance by the Shan Puppet Theater from Taiwan. Again, free for members, and free for non-members with one adult admission.
”It’s Hard Being a Woman During the Apocalypse” is the title of a group show at Clamp Light Artist Studios & Gallery, featuring artists Sarah Fox, Loot Achris and Ashley Mireles. As the title suggests, the exhibition “explores the human experience of living as an imperfect person in a woman’s body and embracing the divine feminine that accompanies all facets of this experience, even the parts that men and our society fear…” That’s a tall order! (Opens Aug. 12 with an evening reception, 6-9 p.m. Exhibition closes Sept. 3; (Clamp Light, 1704 Blanco Rd., Ste 104, 78212; to see the show call for an appointment 210-987-7276; www.clamplihjystudios.com)
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center’s Latino Bookstore Summer Series is dedicating its August Friday Series to Tony Diaz, writer, activist and professor, El Librotraficante, who will celebrate the publication of his latest book “The Tip of the Pyramid: Cultivating Community Cultural Capital.” He will be joined by some of the other writers & activists, mentioned in his book. (Friday, Aug. 5 at 6 p.m.; The Guadalupe Latino Bookstore, 1300 Guadalupe St., 78207; www.guadalupeculturalarts.org
Another literary event is planned at Ruiz-Healy Art where author Anne Elise Urrutia will read from her recently published book, “Miraflores: San Antonio’s Mexican Garden of Memory.” (Saturday, Aug. 6 at 11 a.m.; book signings and sales included; 201-A Est Olmos Drive, 78212, 210-804-2219.) On view at the gallery are works by Gaby Collins-Fernandez and Carlos Rosales-Silva, grouped under the title “Applied Pressure.”
Saturday is also Local Day at the Briscoe Museum, meaning San Antonians enjoy free admission. The current exhibit at the museum is “The Sons of Charlie Russell: Cowboy Artists of America,” and there are activities and special events associated with it. You can also take a painting class with Chad Poppleton and end up with your own cowboy art. (Briscoe Museum, 210 W. Market St.; 210-299-4499; www.briscoemuseum.orh)
On the performing arts front, there’s news from the Woodlawn Theater and the Karavan Studio. The former will be opening yet another beloved musical, “A Chorus Line,” next week,and the latter is inviting you to come out and watch their Project Band dancers improvise to live music. Karavan Studio specializes in Near Eastern belly dance, and this weekend the dancers will be showcasing their newly found skills in improvising to live music. (Saturday, Aug. 6 at the Embassy Suites Hotel at Brooks, and Sunday, Aug. 7 at Jump-Start Performance Co.’s quarters at 710, Fredericksburg Rd., with a pre-show at 5 and main show with live music at 6 p.m. Sunday show requires reservations because the space is small. )