The Original Santa Fe Film Festival gets going but good this week with five days’ worth of screenings, panels, workshops and parties. Peter Bogdanovich is this year’s big guest, and the famed director will be on hand for a special screening of his 1971 Oscar winner The Last Picture Show (Sunday, 3:30pm). Other Bogdanovich films on display include Paper Moon (Sunday, 1:15), What’s Up, Doc? (Friday, 3:30pm), They All Laughed (Saturday, 11am) and the director’s cut of Mask (Friday, 12:30pm.) Other highlights include Raiders of the Lost Ark—the Adaptation (a shot-by-shot basement rec room recreation of the Spielberg classic by two 11 year olds in Mississippi), Awakening in Taos (a documentary about Mabel Dodge Luhan), Men & Chickens (Anders Thomas Jensen’s twisted comedy starring Mads Mikkelsen) and the world premiere of indie icon Henry Jaglom’s 20th film Ovation (with Jaglom himself in attendance). The 15th annual festival runs Dec. 2 though 6 at various locations throughout Santa Fe. For a complete schedule of events, go to santafefilmfestival.com
Reel World: New Mexico On Screen New Mexico On Screen
Local author and film historian Jeff Berg will be visiting Page One Books (5850 Eubank NE) on Sunday, Dec. 6, starting at 3pm to talk about his new book, New Mexico Filmmaking. Berg explores the history and impact of the film and television industry on our state—from the 1897 silent film Thomas A. Edison’s crew shot at Isleta Pueblo to the hits of today like “Breaking Bad.” Berg has spent the last several years exploring our state’s cinematic history though a series of film clip-filled lectures. New Mexico Filmmaking compiles his lengthy research on the subject. Copies of the book will be on sale at Page One, perfect for holiday gift giving.
Reel World: Ho, Ho, Huh? Ho, Ho, Huh?
The boys of RiffTrax are back with another mad take on a Z-grade classic. Kevin, Mike and Bill (formerly of “Mystery Science Theater 3000”) will be riffing on the inexplicable holiday film Santa and the Ice Cream Bunny. This bizarro 1972 holiday non-favorite will screen as part of a live riff this Thursday, Dec. 3. The film can be seen locally at the Cottonwood 16 (10000 Coors NW), Century Downtown 14 (100 Central SW) and Century Rio 24 (4901 Pan American Fwy. NE) starting at 7pm. Tickets are $10.50 for children, $11.50 for seniors and students and $12.50 for adults, and they are available now through fathomevents.com. The film will be rebroadcast in theaters on Dec. 15.
Reel World: Santa Fe (Space) Opera Santa Fe (Space) Opera
Local authors done good Ty Franck and Daniel Abraham (who write under the pen name James S.A. Corey) are about to hit the big time with the premiere of Syfy’s new TV series “The Expanse” (based on their Hugo Award-nominated book series of the same name). Franck and Abraham will be at Santa Fe’s Jean Cocteau Cinema on Thursday, Dec. 3, at 8:30pm for a special “sneak preview” screening of the first two episodes of “The Expanse,” starring Thomas Jane, Shohreh Aghdashloo and Steven Strait. Before the screening, starting at 4pm, the authors will participate in a Q&A session and will be autographing copies of their newest Expanse novel, Nemesis Games (on sale in the theater lobby). Tickets to the booksigning/Q&A are $10. Admission to the screening is free, but seating is extremely limited. Audience members must reserve tickets at the Jean Cocteau box office (418 Montezuma) or call the cinema (at 505-466-5528) to get their name on the list.
