Three'S A Charm

When the Taos Film Festival of the Arts debuts this Friday, May 7, in northern New Mexico, it will be the third film festival in the last two months to try and fill the gap left by the late, lamented Taos Talking Picture Film Festival. Following the Taos Picture Show and the Taos Vision Quest International Film Festival, both of which debuted last month, the Taos Film Festival of the Arts will host an ambitious 10-day, multi-venue screening of some 40 films. The films will all be screened digitally, and the screenings will take place at a mix of traditional and unusual venues—from auditoriums to theaters to galleries to public parks.

The festival, founded my musician Marc Campbell, seeks to distinguish itself by “promoting cinema as a means of connection to the human soul through the art and culture of New Mexico and the world.” In layman's terms, the festival will spotlight shorts and features that concentrate on painting, music, theater, dance, photography and literature. Assorted live events and gallery exhibits will be tied into many of the film festival screenings.

Feature films will run the gamut from rocker Neil Young's recent musical drama Greendale to Thomas Riedelschiemer's excellent documentary on Andy Goldsworthy, Rivers and Tides. Documentaries cover everyone from gin-soaked poet Charles Bukowski to singer/songwriter Leonard Coen to canoodling painters Frida Kahlo and Diego Rivera

For a complete schedule of events taking place May 7-16, log on to www.taosfilmfestival.com or phone (505) 751-1654.