The New Mexico Filmmakers Showcase returns to the Guild Cinema this weekend. Thursday night is the opening gala. It’ll take place from 6 to 7 p.m. at Laru Ni Hati/Café Cubano (3413 Central NE) with screenings following promptly at 7 p.m. at Guild Cinema. Dozens of features and shorts from amateur, aspiring and professional filmmakers right here in New Mexico will be shown at the four-day, open-sheet screening. Documentaries, comedies, musicals, dramas, horror, sci fi and more are represented, with more than 30 hours’ worth of films screened though Sunday night: You’ve got plenty of time to get over there and check out all the offerings. Admission for any and all screening blocks is free to the public, courtesy of the New Mexico Film Office. For a complete listing of the films and times, log on to nmfilm.com.
Reel World Wif Award
The First Annual Athena Awards for Excellence in Screenwriting, sponsored by New Mexico Women in Film and the NMWIF Writers’ Group, will be presented on Sunday, May 17, at 6 p.m. at the James A. Little Theatre at the New Mexico School for the Deaf in Santa Fe (1060 Cerrillos). The finalists in the short screenwriting competition will be judged by a panel of top industry professionals, including Emmy Award-winning writer Kirk Ellis, writer/producer for “John Adams,” and writing team Noni White and Robert Tzudiker, who have been judges for the Emmys and the Oscars. The top three winning pieces will be read by professional actors at the ceremony. This event is free and open to the public. There will be a reception following the ceremony. For more info, log on to nmwif.com.
Reel World Everything’s Up
To celebrate the release of Disney/Pixar’s new animated film Up , Radio Disney and the Albuquerque International Balloon Museum are hosting a free special event on Sunday, May 17, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Hot air balloon inflations, balloon sculptures, movie prize pack giveaways and a Junior Flight School are among the activities scheduled. Visit cabq.gov/balloon for more info.
Reel World Raise Your Hand
The seventh annual Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (taking place this fall) is on the hunt for volunteers. If you’re interested in grant writing, screening committees, marketing and outreach, planning, or graphic and website design, SWGLFF needs your man (or woman) power. Volunteer staff should demonstrate excellent organizational and communication skills, computer experience, and an interest in gay and lesbian film and video. Internships are available for college credit as well. For more information, please send an e-mail to volunteer@closetcinema.org.
