Africa on Screen—The Center for Contemporary Art in Santa Fe kicks off its Fourth Annual African Effect Film Festival this Thursday, March 24. This must-not-miss festival showcases vibrant, emerging cinema from Africa and the African Diaspora and continues through Sunday. Samba Gidjigo, the official biographer of Ousame Sembene (director of Moolaade and universally recognized father of African cinema), will present a special program “Sembene and Africa.” Sembene's 1965 drama Black Girl will also be screened as part of the program. Other festival highlights include the winner of the Nigerian Film Festival, Agogo Eewa (a funny and scathing example of African political cinema), and Cosmic Africa (a scientific and spiritual meditation on the cosmos itself). Short films, features and documentaries will all be spotlighted in the four-day festival. African Effect is rapidly becoming one of New Mexico's best film festivals, and tickets will go fast. Individual tickets are $8. Passes are available. Log on to www.cca.org for complete schedule/film descriptions/ticket info.
Reel World
Drive In—On Saturday, March 26, Basement Films presents Parking Lot Projection, a one-night return of the drive-in theater featuring local and national video art, strange educational films and other filmic tidbits of drive-in nostalgia. The event hopes to draw awareness of public parking issues in the newly redeveloped Brick Light District. Two separate programs will take place at 7 and 9 p.m. in the parking lot south of Irysh Mac's on Yale. Audio for the event will be broadcast on low frequency FM signal, so bring your radio. Cost is $5 a carload or $2 per pedestrian.
Reel World
Do You Like to Play With Dead Things?—Necroville, a low-budget indie horror comedy directed by local filmmaker Billy Garberina (Collecting Rooftops), is in need of a good special effects makeup person. The movie shoots in Albuquerque April 16 through May 1. Most of the film's major prosthetics are being created by an out-of-state makeup artist, and the producers need someone reliable to handle on-set application and other small makeup work. There is no pay, and you'll have to work long hours; but there will be food, actual film experience for your résumé, and the knowledge that you're helping out (along with a lot of other folks who aren't getting paid) on a cool project. For more info, e-mail Scott Phillips (scott@exhilarateddespair.com).
Necroville is also in need of lots of zombie extras. If you'd like to tackle the role of one of the shambling undead, e-mail Mr. Billy Garberina at pinksweatpants@hotmail.com. Tell 'em the Alibi sent you.
