Festival della Cinema Italiana– Are you in the mood for some Italian? This Thursday, New Mexico’s very first Italian Film Festival will debut. From Feb. 8 through Feb. 11, a dozen classic Italian-themed films will be screened around Albuquerque. The Godfather, Life is Beautiful, Big Night, La Strada, Moonstuck and Il Postino are among the flavorful offerings. Venues range from the KiMo theater to the Guild Cinema to the old Lobo Theatre to the Rio Rancho HS Performing Arts Center. Festival passes ($50) and individual tickets ($7) are available in advance at Borders, Saggio’s, the Guild Cinema and the Lobo Theatre. All proceeds will go to benefit UNM Children’s Hospital. For a complete schedule of films and times, log on to www.italianfilmfest.org.
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Into the Vortex– On Friday, Feb. 9, beginning at 8 p.m., the KiMo Theatre in downtown Albuquerque will host the premiere of the freshly finished local film The Vortex . The film was shot at Albuquerque’s own Vortex Theater and is about a bunch of actors who discover a mysterious vorex in the basement The Vortex. (You gotta give the filmmakers credit for sticking with a theme.) Zane Barker & Chad Morgan directed a cast of hometown actors including Mark Yonally, Justin Tade, Wendy Leverenz and Michael Dolce. Tickets to this event are free, and are available first-come, first-served at the KiMo box office the night of the event. Doors open at 7:30 p.m.
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Blood and Fundraising– On Saturday night, Feb. 10, the Guild Cinema will be hosting a special fundraiser for this fall’s TromaDance New Mexico Film Festival. In a nod to the holiday at hand, there will be a top-secret screening beginning at 10:30 p.m. of an infamous early ’80s horror film from Canada with a Valentine’s Day theme. I can’t reveal the title, but I’m sure you slasher fans know what I’m talking about. A mere $5 donation gets you in the door.
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Extra Special Extras– The feature film Sunshine Cleaning, currently shooting in Albuquerque, is looking for a couple very special people for non-speaking roles including a male amputee missing one of his arms and a bald woman, cancer victim, with cats. (The press release doesn’t specify whether or not you have to provide your own cats.) These parts will be shooting in the month of May. Sunshine Cleaning is a new comedy from the producers of Little Miss Sunshine and stars Amy Adams ( Talledega Nights ), Emily Blunt ( The Devil Wears Prada ) and Alan Arkin ( Little Miss Sunshine ). If you fit one of the above descriptions, contact Elizabeth Babel, extras casting director, at 306-8540.
