Native Cinema in Santa Fe—For the fifth year in a row Santa Fe's Center for Contemporary Arts will be presenting its Native Cinema Showcase. Taking place Thursday, Aug. 18, through Sunday, Aug. 21, the Showcase celebrates the best in new and classic films and videos by and about Native Americans. This year's Showcase will also incorporate visual arts and performances, including an opening night concert with Gary Farmer and the Troublemakers. Among the films to be screened are Kate Montgomery's Christmas in the Clouds (a screwball comedy set in a struggling, Native-owned ski resort), Chris Eyre's Edge of the World (based on the true story of a girls' basketball team in small-town New Mexico) and Roberta Grossman's Homeland (a documentary profile of five Native American activists fighting to protect their lands from environmental hazards). The Showcase is produced by the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian and the CCA. For a complete schedule of events, log on to ccasantafe.org. The CCA is located at 1050 Old Pecos Trail.
Reel World
Coming Out Party—Closet Cinema is promoting its 2005 Southwest Gay and Lesbian Film Festival (scheduled Sept. 16-22) with a Kick-Off Party. The party will take place Wednesday, Aug. 24, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Seasons Rotisserie and Grill (2031 Mountain Road NW). Sample some of the restaurant's tasty food, hobnob with other local film fanatics and maybe win some raffle prizes donated by local merchants. Closet Cinema will be on hand to distribute hot-off-the-press copies of the 2005 Program Guide, detailing the titles, times and locations of all of this year's films. Tickets will be sold at the door for $20. If you are a Closet Cinema member, show your membership card for a $5 discount. Sign up to become a member at the party and your admission is free! For more info, log on to closetcinema.org.
Reel World
Circular Logic—Star Dreams, an award-winning documentary exploring the phenomenon of crop circles, will screen at the Guild Cinema on Saturday, Aug. 20, at 11:30 a.m. Writer/producer/director Robert Nichol will be on hand for a Q&A. According to Nichol, “Crop circles are the realization of a higher consciousness presented to humanity at this time to aid in a universal awakening to higher dimensions of being.” Nichol's New Age sensation is coming off a seven-week run in Santa Fe and was apparently a big hit at the 2005 UFO Congress, the American Society of Dowsers Conference and the 2004 Canadian Society of Questers gathering. I think it's safe to say that this film does not take a very skeptical look at the phenomenon. Tickets are $11 ($8 students and seniors).
