Arts Alive San Antonio

Yes, San Antonio has a film festival, and it has been taking place at this time of the year since 1994. Founded by film enthusiast Adam Rocha, it has served as a showcase for many emerging filmmakers and exposed audiences to a great variety of movies. Last year’s 25th anniversary was big and flashy, honoring stars like Cybill Shepherd, Cheech Marin and Jackie Earle Haley and showing a range of feature movies, short films and special panels/events.

This year festivities will be online, starting with the main fest on August 4-9, and “celebrating cinema for the rest of 2020 with monthly mini fests.” The virtual festival in August will take place via the online platform EVENTIVE.

More than 150 films will be screened, including selections from Japan, Singapore, Israel, France, Switzerland, Spain, Bulgaria and Holland, plus 21 films created by San Antonio film artists. Among the highlights are “Adult Night” co-directed by San Antonio native, Kevin Alejandro, and his wife Leslie Alejandro. It’s described only as a “hilarious short-film.” Leslie Alejandro also directed “She’s Having my Baby,” a story of a couple and a surrogate they engage to carry their baby.

Also listed as highlights are the following: “The Good Wolf” which is about a fugitive hiding in the woods who forges a bond of friendship with a 12-year-old boy he discovers in a treehouse. Directed by Chris King, “Pipe Dream” focuses on the early Broadway career of Carol Burnett.

The feature film “Seneca” follows a struggling Puerto Rican actor who’s trying to find success in New York City while his homeland is going through some horrible natural and man-made experiences. As a consequence, he’s forced to question his goals.

To see the complete schedule go to www.safilm.com or https://safilm.eventive.org/welcome

The mini weekend showcases are planned for Sept. 16-20, Oct. 14-18, Nov. 11-15 and Dec. 9-13.

An all-access pass costs $69. Individual tickets are $5. To purchase go to https://watch.eventive.org/safilm 

The latest good news on the visual arts front comes from The McNay Art Museum whichhas added three outstanding sculptural works to its already beautiful grounds as it implements its Landscaping Master Plan in phases. “Our new outdoor sculptures and our expanded more accessible campus reflect our commitment to a mission of engaging and uplifting everyone,” said the museum’s director & CEO Richard Aste. Indeed.

The three large works are “The Sole Sitter” by African-American artist, Willie Cole; “Hashtag-Orange, a bright orange-red painted metal piece reminiscent of the hashtag symbol by Mexican artist Alejandro Martin, and a similarly vibrant and bright “Standing Tulip” by pop artist Tom Wesselmann. Apparently, Wesselmann made only one other outdoor sculpture in his career and that’s the 3-ton “Seattle Tulip” which stands outside the Wells Fargo Building in downtown Seattle. The McNay’s “Tulip” stands 13-feet tall, a fitting sentinel that will be greeting visitors as they enter the museum’s main entrance.

“The acquisition of these artworks is a reflection of the McNay’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our collection continues to champion diverse artists of all ages, races, identities and backgrounds,” noted head of curatorial affairs, Rene Barilleaux,” in a statement.

And staying with visual arts, The Gallery at Musical Bridges Around the World has opened a new exhibit featuring two Texas artists, painter Norma Jean Moore and sculptor Brian Wedgworth. Moore seeks her inspiration in nature but not from grand vistas and sweeping panoramas but from what’s going on close to the ground, under our feet, so to speak. She starts from recognizable flowers, rocks, leaves and the like but transforms those images into nearly abstract art that speaks in its own visual language. Wedgworth’s steel sculptures could not be more different. Cool, solid and strong, they convey their own messages. The artist explains that he created them while undergoing chemotherapy. He calls them “The Reflection series” and says building them “was a way to frame moments and thoughts.”

MBAW is located at 23705 (I-10) Frontage Rd., Ste 101, across from the Dominion. Call to announce yourself 210-464-1534. Well worth the drive!

Over at the Blue Star Contemporary, they are getting ready for their annual fundraiser, the Red Dot Sale, which is always chock-full with great art by San Antonio artists. Right now, you can see rotating artwork in the center’s Red Dot Viewing Room onsite, including pieces by Lata Gedala, Gabi Magaly, Gregorio Mannino, Andrei Renteria and Allison Valdivia. All are available for purchase through Red Dot.

This is also the last week to see the exhibits that opened back in March and languished in the dark for several months before Blue Star reopened. You have to let then know you are coming: https://bsc.org/visit. Blue Star, 116 Blue Star, 78204; 210-227-6960

For something completely different you may want to head over to the LOL Comedy Club to see the well-known comic Adam Carolla who will be holding court and making people laugh July 31 and Aug. 1 at 9:45 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. respectively. Tickets are $60-$180 at www.improvtx.com/sanantonio You have to be 18 and older to attend. LOL is at 618 NW Loop 410 in the Park North Plaza center. 210-541-8805. Preceding his solo routine, will be live podcasts of his TV show at 7:30 Friday and 7 p.m. Saturday.

The Public Theater of San Antonio seems to buzz with activities pretty much all the time, pandemic or not. Though live stage shows cannot be produced at this time, small live virtual presentations are on the schedule every weekend. This Friday, July 31, “emerging” singer/songwriter LaToya Chenelle will appear in “Becoming Her,” in the Encore Lounge. From the brief description provided, it looks like she plans to tell about– and sing the songs – of all the female artists that helped shape her life, including her mom, Whitney Houston, Anita Baker and Sam Cooke. To register for the Zoom event, go to https://bit.ly/39yEcoK

Two guys, Emerson Collins and Blake McIver take over the Encore Lounge this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. to present “I Dreamed A Dreamgirl,” also via Zoom. Both have impressive bios but no information about their show was available. To register: https://bit.ly/3eOMnOI    A tax deductible $5 donation is expected.

Gemini Ink is planning “A gathering of Voices: Gemini Ink Open Mic” this Saturday night. Invited guests include Andrea “Vocab” Sanderson, the current San Antonio poet laureate; Octavio Quintanilla, the immediate past poet laureate; Carmen Taffola, the very first San Antonio laureate, Sheila Black who was Gemini Ink’s director, and Natalie Trevino. But don’t be intimidated. If you wish to read your poem at the (Zoom) event, you can sign up at https://bit.ly/agovopen. If you have any questions send to info@geminiInk.org