Calendar: Film festival to honor Foote, Kristofferson, Schrimpf
The Lone Star Film Society (LSFS), has announced the honorees for the 2009 Lone Star International Film Festival Fort Worth in Sundance Square, Nov. 11-15. The festival’s Life Achievement award will be given posthumously to screenwriting legend Horton Foote. His son Horton Foote, Jr. will accept on his father’s behalf. Music and film icon Kris Kristofferson will receive the inaugural Stephen Bruton Award, acknowledging multi-talented artists in music and film. For his unyielding support of the Texas film industry, Jon Schrimpf will be presented with the Commitment to Texas Award. The festival Honorary Chair for 2009 is Tina Gorski, who has been instrumental in providing the diverse film programming at The Modern Art Museum in Fort Worth. Films selected for the festival include:
· The Scenesters, a film by Todd Berger that looks at life in East L.A.
· Touching Home, the Texas premier of a story about two identical twins coming to grips with their fading dreams of baseball stardom. Ed Harris and Brad Dourif and Robert Forster are part of the cast.
· Tenure, a North Texas premiere of a film with Luke Wilson, Gretchen Mol, David Koechner, Sasha Alexander and Bob Gunton about a professor’s attempts to gain tenure.
· The Messenger, another North Texas premiere about a soldier assigned to the Casualty Notification Office. The film stars Woody Harrelson, Ben Foster and Samantha Morton.
· The Eclipse is the southwest premiere of a film written and directed by Irish playwright Conor McPherson. The cast includes Ciaran Hinds, Iben Hjejle and Aidan Quinn.
· Serious Moonlight is the North Texas premiere of a film directed by Curb Your Enthusiasm’s Cheryl Hines and staring Kristen Bell, Justin Long, Meg Ryan, Timothy Hutton and Kimberlee Peterson.
Other films include a showing of the director’s cut of the Cohen Brothers’ Blood Simple, several documentaries and a showcase of modern German cinema.
“Our films represent an eclectic cross-section of genres and artistic movements, with an emphasis on the future of the art of filmmaking,” said Alec Jhangiani, LSFS artistic director. “There are films that pursue revolutionary new directions promising to impact our craft for years to come. Several of the works are from playwrights who are forging completely new territory. When you consider our international spotlight, with powerful films from the German Berlin School, which, has been likened to the French New Wave, and our documentaries, among other things, you are seeing major paradigm shifts. This year’s festival promises to represent a defining time in our history.”
www.lsiff.com
Vocal Majority take voices to Weatherford
The Doss Heritage and Culture Center in Weatherford is hosting the eleven-time gold medal winning men’s chorus The Vocal Majority, on Nov. 21 beginning at 7 p.m. at the Jerry Durant Auditorium at Weatherford High School. Begun in 1972, The Vocal Majority is an all-volunteer, 100-plus voice male a cappella chorus known for its mastery of technically demanding close harmony. Its repertoire encompasses music from the classics to jazz, patriotic to sacred, rounded out with standards and Broadway pops.
The event is sponsored by the Texas Commission on the Arts and the Weatherford New Car Dealer’s Association. Tickets range from $15 to $35.
www.dosscenter.org
Texas Dance Theatre opens at Scott
The Texas Dance Theatre’s production opening Nov. 13 at 8 p.m. at the W.E. Scott Theatre will feature four world premieres. A Notte features music by Franz Shubert and choreography by Mel Tomlinson. Guest choreographer Tomlinson has danced with New York City Ballet, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the Boston Ballet. Dreamers has music by Ryuichi Sakamoto and choreography by Emily Hunter; New World has music by Philip Glass, Yo Yo Ma and choreography by Wil McKnight; and Lift Your Spirits, with choreography by Krista Jennings Langford, has music by Esquivel, Joe Bucci Trio, Nat King Cole, and Ray Charles.
www.texasdancetheatre.com
