Downtown’s historic KiMo Theatre has done a fantastic job of keeping patrons rolling in cinema. In addition to the Hi-Def Hitchcock and the 6 By Tarantino series (both of which continue this Friday and Saturday, respectively), the venerable venue is launching a new Golden Age of Mexican Cinema series. This multi-film collection is presented in conjunction with the Consulate of Mexico. The first film to be screened is 1946’s Enamorada. In this Mexican Revolution-set melodrama, a guerilla general (Pedro Armendáriz) occupies a conservative town and ends up falling for a rich man’s daughter (María Félix). Doors open at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, March 28. Screening starts at 7 p.m. All films in the Golden Age of Mexican Cinema are free and open to the public (and presented with English subtitles to boot). Future installments include 1953’s Dos Tipos de Ciudado (April 4) and 1957’s Teatro del Crimen (April 11).
Reel World: Found: Missing Found: Missing
It’s rare for an independent, local filmmaker to tackle a romantic comedy. But that’s exactly what Albuquerque-based actor Phil Duran did, choosing the genre for his first writing-directing effort. Missing You looks into the lives of two would-be lovers Laura (Lauren Myers) and Rick (Spencer Wright), who just can’t seem to cross paths. After a series of regional screenings, the completed feature is now available on DVD. It’s being sold on Amazon’s self-distribution site, CreateSpace. You can purchase it online for a mere $9.99. It’s a great way to support hometown filmmakers, who—with a little encouragement and a couple of bucks in their pockets—could eventually make our state’s film industry self-supporting.
Reel World: Scaring Up Content Scaring Up Content
Last year, the newly minted Dark Matters Film Festival tested the waters with an all-day selection of scary shorts from around the world called “Horror Bites.” That screening at Guild Cinema in Nob Hill proved successful, and now organizers are moving ahead with the first full-fledged, genre-specific film festival in New Mexico. Dark Matters concentrates entirely on horror, science fiction, dark fantasy and black comedy. Though 2013 marks the first year for the festival, organizers have had a hand in New Mexico’s film scene for a long time, having founded The Southwest Gay & Lesbian Film Festival, Cine Magnifico!, the Alibi Short Film Fiesta and Guild’s Midnight Movie Madness screenings. (Yup, your friendly neighborhood Alibi film editor is one of the folks behind this blood-soaked effort.) Programmers are currently beating the bushes for New Mexico made/shot features and shorts to showcase. So if you’re a filmmaker with a dark and twisted vision eager to assault the eyeballs of local audiences, please contact info@darkmattersfilmfest.com. You can keep up with the festival (scheduled to take place May 17-19) on Facebook.
