What do Brothers Drake Mead, organic food certification, crows, Afghanistan and the city of Tokyo have in common? They are all featured in films or events at the 61st Columbus International Film + Video Festival. Shorts, features, narratives, documentaries and even a poem-as-film are featured in the longest running film festival in the US. The Festival, which started November 3rd and runs through Sunday, November 17.
Thursday, November 14th at 8pm in the Canzani Center on the Columbus College Of Art & Design campus the CIF+VF will be screening an evening of award-winning student films. Documentary, experimental, narrative, local and international student works will be shown. Admission is just $5 (free for students and CIF+VF members) and parking is free in CCAD lots.
Friday night the festival continues at the Canzani Center with Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth. The ancient Maya believed this present world would end and a new cycle would arise after 5125 years. How does the story end? Does the water change color? Do the oceans collapse? Does the sky fall as the last tree is cut?
Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth allows the Maya of today to answer, following six young Mayans in Guatemala and Chiapas through their daily and ceremonial life, revealing their determination to resist the destruction of their culture and environment. As corporations go to the ends of the earth to extract all value, all resources, they put forth a wholly indigenous perspective in their own words. Film starts at 8pm, admission is $5, free for students and CIF+VF member, parking is free in CCAD lots.
Saturday Morning Cartoons for Kids starts at 10am at the Canzani. The screening is free for children, students and CIF+VF members. All others $5 and parking is free in CCAD lots.
Saturday evening at the Canzani Center is the big Movies + Mead Celebration with a screening of the Best of Festival winner, Tokyo Waka, a film about city, its people and 20,000 crows. Directors Kristine Samuelson and John Haptas will present their film. “Fascinating. An edifying whole, a film of beauty and revelation.” -Alan Scherstuhl, Village Voice. After the film is an Awards Ceremony for the winning filmmakers followed by one of Columbus’ best parties. The night features the Beat Of Festival film, local food, mead, Stella Artois and live music, all for just $15 at the door. CIF+VF members get in free and again parking is free.
Sunday afternoon closes the Festival at Studio 35 Cinema and Drafthouse with a screening of “In Organic We Trust”, an eye-opening food documentary that follows Director/Producer Kip Pastor on a personal journey to answer commonly asked questions about organic food: What exactly is organic? Is it really better, or just a marketing scam? The screening is sponsored by Chipotle Mexican Grill. The screening is free and open to the public.
For additional information, go to Columbusfilmcouncil.org.
GCAC Presents is a bi-weekly column brought to you by the Greater Columbus Arts Council – supporting art and advancing culture in Columbus – in partnership with the Columbus Arts Marketing Association, a professional development and networking association of arts marketers. Each column will be written by a different local arts organization to give you an insiders look at the arts in Columbus.
