This Thursday, March 30, will kick off the 10th (and sadly final) Taos Shortz Film Festival. For the past decade, the town of Taos has hosted this international showcase of bite-sized films. This ultimate event will take place at the Taos Center for the Arts, March 30 through April 2, and will feature more than 100 short films from some 22 countries. Included in this year’s screenings will be retrospectives and highlights from the last 10 years’ worth of programming. You’ll get to sample all sorts of genres, from animation to comedy to documentary to drama. There will even be a special block of Native American films. Scores of filmmakers will be in attendance, and organizers have made sure to include plenty of filmmaker mixers and networking parties in the schedule. All-inclusive passes can be purchased for $97, while individual screening blocks run $8 to $12. Tickets can be purchased now at taosshortz.com.
Reel World: Friday Is Hump! Day Friday Is Hump! Day
Dan Savage—LGBTQ advocate and writer behind the long-running “Savage Love” advice column—came up with an “unconventional” idea back in 2005. He asked readers of his column to send in homemade dirty movies. Inspired by the hot, hilarious and diverse offerings he got, Savage decided to found the HUMP! Film Festival, an outlet for homegrown, amateur erotica celebrating all body sizes, shapes, ages, colors, sexualities, genders, kinks and fetishes. For the first time, the Pacific Northwest-based film festival is heading to Albuquerque and exposing itself at the Guild Cinema (3405 Central NE). This international “best of” tour will feature 22 new short films guaranteed to make viewers sweat. Screenings are 7:30pm on Friday, March 31, and 7:30 and 9:30pm on Saturday, April 1. For an overview on what there is to ogle, go to humpfilmfest.com.
Reel World: Break The Ice Break The Ice
Entertainment and technology professionals in the film, television and new media fields are invited to mix and mingle with designers, architects, fine artists and musicians at a unique event in Nob Hill this weekend. Vanessa Valore, muralist and creator of the social networking environment SandboxLife, is hosting The Icebreaker, a Networking Event on Friday, March 31, from 6 to 8:30pm at Motique (4716 Central SE). There will be a raffle and refreshments. The general public is invited, but an RSVP is greatly appreciated. You can do so by calling 266-0462 or by emailing valorventures@gmail.com.
Reel World: Submit To The Aliens Submit To The Aliens
The Roswell Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Festival is now accepting independent short and feature-length films for possible inclusion in their upcoming event. The festival will take place June 30 through July 1 (very nearly the 70th anniversary of the alleged Roswell UFO crash) and aims to shine the spotlight on genre-based films (sci-fi, fantasy, supernatural, etc.). April 1 is the earlybird deadline. You have until then to submit your short films for $40 ($35 for students) or your feature films for $50 ($45 students). May 1 is the late deadline and submission prices rise accordingly then. For submission forms and instructions, go to filmfreeway.com/festival/RoswellScififilmfestival.
