Best-selling author will be appearing at this year’s Texas Book Festival in November. Photo: Texas Book Festival
Texas Book Festival is proud to host author Janet Evanovich, “the most popular mystery writer alive” (NYT) and author of 42 New York Times bestsellers, as she presents her new novel, “Going Rogue,” on Sunday,November 6 at 2:30p.m., at the 2022 Texas Book Festival. With “Going Rogue,” the mega-bestselling author returns with the latest book in her massively popular Stephanie Plum series. (Texas Book Festival, 2022)
Book tickets to see this beloved author are now available. Each book ticket includes one copy of “Going Rogue” and admits one person to the conversation and the book signing session. Proceeds from book ticket sales support the annual Festival and our year-round literacy programs, as well as keep the Festival free. A book signing session will immediately follow the event.
Texas Book Festival First Baptist Church 901 Trinity St. Austin, TX 78701
BOOK TICKET: $37 | Includes one copy of Going Rogue and admission to the session and the signing line. SEATING: Seating for book ticket holders will open at 1:45p.m on Sunday, November 6. Book tickets are required to attend this session. SIGNING: A book signing session will follow the event on-site.
Over the last twenty-six years, Janet Evanovich has written a staggering forty-two New York Times bestsellers. In addition to her #1 bestselling Stephanie Plum novels and many other popular books, Janet is the author of “The Recovery Agent,” the start of a blockbuster new series.
Texas Book Festival reveals fifteen authors for 2022 festival. The 2022 Festival will feature Omar Epps, Angie Cruz, Sandra Brown, David George Haskell, and Michaela Goade, among others. Photo: Texas Book Festival, used with permission.
Texas Book Festival is thrilled to announce fifteen authors joining a full return to the in-person Festival Weekend this fall. The Festival will feature Screen Actors Guild Award recipient and nine-time NAACP Image Award winner Omar Epps, Good Morning America Book Club Pick author and Women’s Prize finalist Angie Cruz, Texas literary legend and author of seventy-three New York Times bestsellers Sandra Brown, Pulitzer Prize finalist and Guggenheim Fellow biologist David George Haskell, NYT bestselling children’s author-illustrator and Caldecott medalist Michaela Goade, and many more. (Texas Book Festival, 2022)
The Festival, returning in person November 5–6 in downtown Austin after two years of virtual and hybrid programming, will include a sizable list of impressive literary talent for readers of all ages. The full lineup will be completed and revealed in September.
“This announcement marks the beginning of our Festival season, and we are very excited to bring talented authors and thousands of readers together again at our beloved annual event, ” says Lois Kim, TBF’s Executive Director. “We hope all Texans, young and old, newly Texan or 7th generation, are marking their calendars to join us for an epic literary weekend.”
The sneak peek lineup includes: Omar Epps, the actor-producer known for his roles in House, Shooter, This Is Us, and many more television shows and feature films, will present his debut young-adult novel “Nubia: The Awakening,” an epic Afrofurturist saga billed as perfect for fans of Black Panther. Angie Cruz, the award-winning author who debuted her first novel “Soledad” at Texas Book Festival 2001, will return to present new work “How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water,” about a woman who, faced with an unexpected job loss amid the Great Recession, evaluates her life.
Mega bestselling author, onetime TBF First Edition Literary Gala emcee (2003), and Texas native SandraBrown will present latest novel “Overkill,” in which a former NFL superstar struggles with a crisis of conscience and juggles a life-or-death decision. Acclaimed professor of biology and environmental scientist David George Haskell brings to the Festival his Kirkus-starred book “Sounds Wild and Broken,” in which he explores the auditory wonders of the animal kingdom, and how endangered they are. Michaela Goade—illustrator for 2021 Caldecott winning and bestselling “We Are Water Protectors”—presents “Berry Song,” a Kirkus- and Publishers Weekly–starred picture book in which granddaughter and grandmother deepen their connection with the earth.
“There’s something special about seeing authors in-person again,” says TBF literary director Matthew Patin. “Virtual programming provided us, and continues to provide, creative opportunities, yet nothing quite matches an author visiting Austin once more. In pre-COVID times we took a physical appearance for a given, but now it feels that much more valuable and important. And the fifteen names here are only a fraction of what’s to come.”
The full list of sneak peek authors includes: ● Vishwesh Bhatt, “I Am From Here: Stories and Recipes from a Southern Chef” ● Sandra Brown, “Overkill” ● Sandra Cisneros, “Woman Without Shame: Poems” ● Angie Cruz, “How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water” ● Erin Entrada Kelly, “Those Kids from Fawn Creek” ● James Kirchick, “Secret City: The Hidden History of Gay Washington” ● Omar Epps, “Nubia: The Awakening” ● Sidik Fofana, “Stories from the Tenants Downstairs” ● Michaela Goade, “Berry Song” ● Xochitl Gonzalez, “Olga Dies Dreaming” ● David George Haskell, “Sounds Wild and Broken: Sonic Marvels, Evolution’s Creativity, and the Crisis of Sensory Extinction” ● Elizabeth McCracken, “The Hero of This Book” ● Matt de la Peña, “Patchwork” ● Mary Laura Philpott, “Bomb Shelter: Love, Time, and Other Explosives” ● Roger Reeves, “Best Barbarian: Poems”
The 2022 Texas Book Festival is co-presented by H-E-B and AT&T. Other major sponsors include Brigid Cockrum and Family, Tocker Foundation, Still Water Foundation, Amplify Credit Union, Buena Vista Foundation, Tapestry Foundation, Kirkus Reviews, Central Market, Texas Monthly, Austin Chronicle, and Jordan Foster. BookPeople is the official Festival bookseller.
With a vision to inspire Texans of all ages to love reading, the Texas Book Festival connects authors and readers through experiences that celebrate the culture of literacy, ideas, and imagination. Founded in 1995 by former First Lady Laura Bush, Mary Margaret Farabee, and a group of volunteers, the nonprofit Texas Book Festival promotes the joys of reading and writing through its annual Festival Weekend, the Reading Rock Stars Title I elementary school program, the Real Reads Title I middle and high school program, grants to Texas libraries, and year-round literary programming. This year’s Texas Book Festival will take place from November 5 to November 6, with events taking place in downtown Austin and at the Texas Capitol, featuring renowned authors, panels, book signings, and activities. Thanks to generous donors, sponsors, and volunteers, the Festival remains free and open to the public.
The much anticipated multi-day culinary festival will take place October 27-30, 2022. Photo: Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival, used with permission.
Tickets are now on sale for the Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival hosted by Culinaria and Visit San Antonio, in partnership with the James Beard Foundation. On October 27-30, San Antonio will host top culinary leaders from across the U.S. and Mexico showcasing their talents in events ranging from walk-around tastings, intimate dinners, outdoor lunches, hands-on workshops, educational panels, and more. Visit Culinaria SA to buy tickets, learn more about Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival, access the full schedule, chef and beverage lineup, hotel partners, travel hosts, and more. (Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival, 2022)
Festival attendees will be able to customize their gastronomic experience by choosing between all-inclusive festival packages or a-la-carte event options starting at $100. Each will grant guests access to James Beard Award Winners, nominees, and other titans of the food and beverage industry including:
TASTING TEXAS EVENT HIGHLIGHTS
The Collective: Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, noon to 6p.m., Travis Park
The festival’s flagship event located at Travis Park featuring over 100 chefs and restaurants, and hundreds of beverage brands, Texas Wine Garden, live fire activations, cooking demonstrations, educational seminars, and mercantile market.
Southern Hospitality: Friday, 7p.m. to 9p.m., Pearl Brewery
Mashup of food and beverage celebrating the “Y’all Means All” culture of Texas. From biscuits and gravy to hearty enchiladas and, of course, top-shelf cocktails, in a walk-around tasting event granting guest all-access to a front row seat of hospitality the Texas way.
Celebrate Agave: Saturday, 7p.m. to 9p.m., Travis Park
Aged, sipped, neat, or mixed, this walk-around tasting event celebrates all things agave and the cuisines that embrace it.
Lunches and Dinners: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday
Festivalgoers will have exclusive access to unique chef collaborations at dinner and lunch events held at varying locations across the city.
Seminars and Workshops: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, times and locations vary
With a theme to satisfy every interest, attendees will be able to sign up for seminars and workshops across a range of topics, including hands-on, small-group activities—from crafting cocktails and smoking meat—to panel discussions on women in the beverage industry, and concise eating and drinking.
TICKET PACKAGES
Super VIP – $1,025
Choice of one dinner on Thursday night plus Southern Hospitality, VIP Access to all three days of The Collective, Celebrate Agave, VIP Parties and VIP Only Seminars.
The Weekender – $600
General Admission to The Collective (all three days), Celebrate Agave and Southern Hospitality/
Just the Collective – $300
All three days of The Collective. Enjoy this all-inclusive and immersive experience. All food and beverage are included. You only need one ticket to enjoy it all.
“Culinaria is a lover of all things wine and food. We curate experiences for those who love to enjoy amazing pairings, in all forms. We can’t wait to welcome locals and visitors to the great city of San Antonio to experience the confluence of culture found across the culinary landscape.” – Suzanne Taranto-Etheredge, President and CEO, Culinaria
“The unique culinary magic that will be available at Tasting Texas is going to charm festivalgoers and chefs alike. San Antonio’s real stories and true experiences will carry through The Collective at historic Travis Park as well as the intimate experiences throughout the weekend. Foodies will not want to miss this festival.” – Marc Anderson, President and CEO, Visit San Antonio
“The schedule of Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival is full of fantastic opportunities for culinary fans to explore the growing Texas food scene. We appreciate all of the work Culinaria, Visit San Antonio, and the participating chefs are doing for Tasting Texas, which benefits the Foundation’s scholarship programs and aligns with our mission of Good Food for Good.” – Clare Reichenbach, CEO of the James Beard Foundation
Photo: Tasting Texas Wine + Food Festival, used with permission.
Fiesta’s VIP culinary kickoff party is moving to the Alamo for 2023. Photo: Taste of the Republic
Texas is home to one of the most diverse food cultures in America. Since 2017, Taste of the Republic has celebrated that culture as the VIP culinary kickoff party of Fiesta Fiesta, the official opening event of FiestaSan Antonio. Raising the standard even higher for Fiesta 2023, they are proud to announce that Taste of the Republic has a new home: The Alamo. (Taste of the Republic, 2022)
Join them at the Gardens of the Alamo from 6p.m. to 10p.m. Thursday, April 20, 2023. Guests will sample gourmet bites from 12 local chefs, with food representing each culinary region of Texas, accompanied by a wide selection of wine, beer, spirits and cocktail pairings as they mingle with Fiesta Royalty. A portion of each ticket will help support the Fiesta Commission and the Remember the Alamo Foundation.
“I am beyond thrilled that we’re bringing the premier celebration of Texas food to the ultimate symbol of Texas: The Alamo” said Chef Brian West, whose Texas Culinary Manifesto laid the foundation for Taste of the Republic and its Six Food Republics of Texas.
“San Antonio is recognized by UNESCO as a Creative City of Gastronomy, and it represents the confluence of cultures that makes Texas so unique,” Chef West said. “By being at the Alamo, we feel we’ve raised this event to the level it’s always deserved.”
Taste of the Republic is supported by Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Patron Tequila, Dos XX Beer, Republic National Distributing Company, Sysco, Telemundo 60 and the Texas Culinary Alliance.
The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center announces the 43rd annual CineFestival at the historic Guadalupe Theater. Photo: google
San Antonio’s original Latinx film festival returns on July 6 through July 10 at the historic Guadalupe Theater with a large Texas filmmaker presence. Featuring 85 films, including 22 films from San Antonio and 24 films in the Lone Star State, CineFestival San Antonio continues to support local and regional filmmakers while offering a well-rounded program to local audiences that also includes national and international films that highlight artistic excellence and diversity. (Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, 2022)
“The amazing response that CineFestival San Antonio got this year to our call for entries, receiving a record number of submissions from filmmakers from across the State and the US, local and international, is a testament to the privileged position San Antonio has as a cultural hub, bridging the cultures of South Texas and the state’s borderlands with the rest of Texas and beyond. This response means focusing the film festival in local and regional works while reflecting artistic excellence in Latinx and indigenous filmmaking is the right path for a festival with such an amazing history to continue in a relevant trajectory that is meaningful to both audiences and participating artists.” – CineFestival Programmer Eugenio del Bosque.
The 43rd annual CineFestival San Antonio will feature 24 screenings showcasing 12 feature films and 73 short films. The festival will open on July 6 with the San Antonio premiere of PEPE SERNA, LIFE IS ART (Dir. Luis Reyes, 2022), a joyous look at the life and work of groundbreaking Mexican-American character actor Pepe Serna, a native of Corpus Christi, Texas whose hundred-plus charismatic scene-stealing roles paved the way for generations of Chicanx actors in Hollywood and beyond.
The closing night film will be the world premiere of ‘Cuerpo,” directed by San Antonio’s own Mark Zuñiga, an ambitious horror film set in 18th century San Antonio exploring the culture and clashes between the Spanish colonists and the indigenous people they are trying to convert; a recipient of the San Antonio Film Commission’s local filmmaker grant, “Cuerpo” is a passion project produced and shot in the San Antonio area with local cast, crew, and an original score.
Other feature films include:
World premiere of the comedy “An Awesome Action Movie,” directed by Luis Antonio Rodriguez and shot in McAllen, Texas, and starring veteran Mexican actor Hector Soberón;
Sundance acclaimed documentary “Mija” by Isabel Castro;
Mexico’s powerful documentary “Comala” by Gian Cassini, which has strong ties to San Antonio;
“A Run for More” by Ray Whitehouse, which follows Frankie Gonzales-Wolfe as the first trans woman to run for city council in her hometown of San Antonio, Texas;
SXSW laureate Iliana Sosa’s “What We Leave Behind,” a love letter to the El Paso native director’s grandfather and an intimate and insightful exploration of her own relationship with him and his homeland;
The social justice horror film “Madres” by Ryan Zaragoza, co-written by San Antonio native Marcella Ochoa who will be in attendance and will also offer a master class for registered filmmakers.
“Jockey” by Clint Bentley, featuring an award-winning performance by Mexican-American thespian Clifton Collin’s Jr., grandson of Aguilares, Texas native character actor Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, most famous for his humorous sidekick roles in 1950s and 1960s John Wayne westerns.
“Earth Mother,” directed by Austin’s Brandon Polanco and starring San Antonio’s Annette Mia Flores.
“Capitol Barbie” by New Mexico native Riley Del Rey is a TV pilot, and a new programming line for CineFestival. A political show about a translatina on Capitol Hill, “Capitol Barbie” deals with delicate and socially pertinent themes, raising questions and opening conversations around racism, homophobia, and transphobia in the work place. The screenplay is written by trans and indigenous filmmakers Riley Del Rey and Violet Martinez.
The Mezquite Awards will be bestowed in two main categories: Audience Awards for the public’s favorite feature film and Jury Awards for Best Texas Short Film. A panel of industry professionals will be part of this year’s festival jury, who will choose the jury award-winning documentary and narrative films from a collection of 14 short films made in Texas, including works from Austin, Buda, Denton, El Paso, Houston, Laredo, and San Antonio.
The ever-popular San Antonio showcase will featuring eight short films made by local artists, including works made by Nathaniel Avila, Guillermina Zabala, Esmeralda Hernandez, Ái Vuong, Samuel Díaz Fernández, Lisa Salinas Sosa, Miguel Contreras IV, Raymond Ramos, and Violeta de León Dávila.
43 CineFestival San Antonio will offer ten free screenings, including Family Day with the Texas premiere of “Ainbo, Spirit of the Amazon” by Richard Claus and Jose Zelada, a US-Peruvian animated feature in the spirit of “Moana” and “Frozen;” and Senior Cinema, featuring an exclusive reprise screening of the documentary “Pepe Serna: Life is Art” dedicated to San Antonio’s elderly film lovers.
Free screenings will also include short film showcases including the Texas short film showcase featuring works from Austin, Brownsville, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Greenville, El Paso; a selection of international short films from Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, Peru, Spain, and Venezuela; a collection of short films showcasing Latinx and indigenous talent from around the US; and the always eye-opening Youth Day screenings, featuring films made by artists 18 years old or younger which includes works made in San Antonio, the Rio Grande Valley, Dallas, Arizona, Connecticut, Peru, and Spain.
All 43 CineFesitval San Antonio screenings will take place at the historic Guadalupe Theater, located at 1301 Guadalupe Street, San Antonio, TX 78207. Full festival schedule and tickets are available online. Individual tickets are $8 and festival passes are $40. The 43 CineFestival San Antonio is made possible thanks to the continuing support of the National Endowment for the Arts, the San Antonio Film Commission, the City of San Antonio Department of Arts and Culture, and the Ford Foundation.
Photo: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center, used with permission.
Master Musicians Festival will be held in Somerset, Kentucky in July. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
When festival organizers dreamed up the Master Musicians Festivalnearly three decades ago, their idea was simple: to honor those whose contributions have had a significant effect on their respective genres and to highlight the up-and-coming acts who are carrying the torch of their forebears. For every Guy Clark they booked, a Jason Isbell shared the bill, for every Doc Watson, a Nickel Creek, and for every Willie Nelson, a Tyler Childers, highlighting a thread that runs through all generations of world-class musicians; a bonafide mastery of their craft. Tickets as well as more information about the festival is available online. (Master Musicians Festival, 2022)
This year, over the weekend of July 15-16 in Somerset, Kentucky, Master Musicians Festival, presented by the City of Somerset, will welcome GRAMMY-nominated roots-rock mainstay Grace Potter, the eclectic influences of super-trio The Wood Brothers, a long-time favorite of music fans and fellow musicians-alike, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, and the easy-going swagger of Rayland Baxter to the Horse Soldier Bourbon main stage. This same stage has seen the likes of the aforementioned Doc Watson, Guy Clark, and Willie Nelson, plus many more—the festival’s last few years alone saw Steve Earle, The Counting Crows, and the late, great John Prine take the stage. Additionally, acts like Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, and Leah Blevins will give Master Musicians Festival a taste of what the well-equipped future of this music holds.
“The MMF family is not only a collection of artists who have performed on our stages, it is a family in the most literal sense. Many of our board members over the years have been sons and daughters of founding members; many families and friend groups in our community have made attending MMF an annual tradition. Festivals like ours cement a generational love of and appreciation for music and community. And that is the reason we devote ourselves as volunteers to the cause—to ensure that love lives on.” – Master Musicians Festival President and Media Director, Julie Harris.
The full lineup of July 15-16’s Master Musicians Festival includes Grace Potter, The Wood Brothers, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Rayland Baxter, Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, Bendigo Fletcher, Leah Blevins, SG Goodman, Justin Wells, Cole Chaney, Tee Dee Young, Multi Ultra, Short & Company, Eric Bolander, The Minks, The Jessie Lees, Ciggy Tuna, Don Rogers, If Birds Could Fly, Daniel Stroud and the Sleeping Dogs, Dark Moon Hollow, Tommy Cate’s Kids Jam, and Sydney Adams.
On that list is a multitude of Kentucky’s finest musicians—pickers and singers who have been steeped in some of America’s finest musical traditions since birth—further cementing the Bluegrass State’s legacy in history, written and yet-to-be. Beyond tradition, the land that straddles the Mason-Dixon line and the folks who inhabit it have long been influential on the music being written in Kentucky. Like the state itself, Master Musicians Festival has spent the last 28 years reaching into what it means to be from Kentucky—what makes the artist’s soil so fertile—and translating the feeling into a shared musical experience for the world to see.
Passing the torch along to the next generation is a cornerstone of the Master Musicians Festival ideology, so it only makes sense that the festival is exciting for fans of all ages. Kids 12 and under receive free admission with a ticket-holding adult and there are a plethora of activities for youngsters to enjoy. MMF partners with The Shine House Art Studio to offer a free kids camp throughout the weekend. Kids can participate in instrument making, water balloon fights, bubbles, making glow jewelry, and participating in a special music set curated just for them. This year, local Master Musician and harmonica player Tommy Cate will host the kids’ jam at 3:50p.m. Saturday in the Somersession Tent. More details will be available on MMF’s website as the event approaches.
Texas artists and groups representing over 200 individual artists will showcase live music, large-scale art installations, film, dance, fine art, theatre, poetry, and fashion at San Antonio’s iconic nighttime celebration of the arts. Photo: Luminaria
On Saturday November 13, the opening ceremonies at 5:30p.m. will kick off the official 2021 Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival, the most prominent arts festival in South Texas. The ceremony will begin with a blessing from the elders of Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, followed by remarks from Yadhira Lozano, Luminaria Executive Director, and Jesse Borrego, 2021 Honorary Curatorial Committee Chair. City of San Antonio Mayor Ron Nirenberg and Mayor Phil Hardberger, founder of Luminaria, will be onsite as honorary guests. (Luminaria, 2021)
The Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival, a nighttime celebration of the arts, will be held from 6pm to midnight featuring more than 200 individual artists from across Texas, highlighting live music, fine arts, film, digital art, dance, theatre, fashion, poetry, and large-scale art installations.
Casa De Ojos founder and award-winning artist, Fabian Alejandro Diaz, will present a fashion show, “Metamorphosis.” Deanna Arriaga will offer “An Immersive Experience” light show. Justin Parr and Adam Smolensky will present a large, neon sculpture honoring San Antonio’s famed Rose Window. URBAN-15’s performance will feature lasers and a drumming show. Breathe Collective, a BIPOC San-Antonio-based artist collective, will offer creative experiences of reflection and healing through breathing. Austin-based dadaLab will install four lit towers to offer an immersive art, technology and science designing experience.
This festival is free and open to the public and it will be held at Hemisfair, Henry B. Gonzalez Convention Center, and the San Antonio Riverwalk with plenty of outdoor space to socially distance and enjoy the art. Full festival lineup is available online.
Hemisfair, Luminaria Main Stage 434 S Alamo St. San Antonio, TX 78205 (between Yanaguana Garden and the Mexican Cultural Institute)
Main Stage at Hemisfair 6p.m. IlaIla Minori 7p.m. Jeremy Kingg/Satara 8p.m. Heartless The Monster 9p.m. Bombasta 10p.m. Los Texmaniacs feat. Flaco Jimenez 11p.m. Pop Pistol
Film Stage at River Walk 6p.m. Film Loop 7p.m. Anna De Luna 7p.m. Film Loop 8:30p.m. URBAN-15 9p.m. Film Loop 9:30p.m. Casa De Ojos 10:30p.m. URBAN-15 11p.m. Film Loop 11:45p.m. End
Market Stage at Convention Center (Merida Plaza) 6p.m. Eddie Vega 6:45p.m. Paula Cortez 7:45p.m. DeAnna Brown 8:45p.m. Ballet Folklórico Sol de San Antonio 9:45p.m. Patricia Vonne
Young Plato will premiere at this year’s DOC NYC. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
An inspiring documentary from the filmmakers of School Life, Young Plato charts the dream of Elvis-loving school headmaster Kevin McArevey – a maverick who is determined to change the fortunes of an inner-city community plagued by urban decay, sectarian aggression, poverty, and drugs. The all-boys primary school in post-conflict Belfast, Northern Ireland, becomes a hot house for questioning violence, as the headmaster sends his young wards home each day armed with the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosophers. The boys challenge their parents and neighbors to forsake the prejudice that has kept this low-level civil war on the boil for decades. Young Plato hums with the confidence of youth, a tribute to the power of the possible. (Young Plato, 2021)
Young Plato (Section: International Competition) World Premiere Directors: Neasa Ní Chianáín and Declan McGrath Producer: David Rane Running time: 102 Minutes Language: English Country: Ireland (Feature Documentary)
Public screenings of Young Plato at DOC NYC 2021 Sunday, November 14 at 4:05p.m. Location: Cinepolis Chelsea
Monday, November 15 at 1:15p.m. Location: Cinepolis Chelsea
Neasa Ní Chianáín (Director) is one of Ireland’s most established documentary talents. She has directed nine documentaries (four feature length) and one TV series. Recent films include the award-winning Frank Ned & Busy Lizzie, Fairytale of Kathmandu, and The Stranger, which screened at the 67th Locarno Film Festival. Neasa is currently in post-production on a new feature documentary, ‘The Alexander Complex’ and has recently completed ‘Young Plato’ which will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2021.
Her last film, ‘In Loco Parentis’ (aka ‘School Life’), has been a world-wide success, premiering in competition at both IDFA 2016 and Sundance 2017. ‘School Life’ won the Special Jury Prize in the Golden Gate Awards at the San Francisco Film Festival, and an Audience Award (Prix du Public) at Visions du Réel in Nyon. Neasa was also chosen to take part in the Sydney Film Festival’s ‘Europe! Voices of Women in Film,’ which selected 10 of Europe’s most promising women directors.
Declan McGrath (Director) is a filmmaker whose recent credits include the award-winning ‘Lomax in Éirinn ‘ (TG4) and ‘Mary McAleese & The Man Who Saved Europe ‘(RTE, BBC). He has written two books on the craft of filmmaking (Screencraft: ‘Editing & Post Productions’ and Screencraft: ‘Scriptwriting’), both translated into five languages. He is also a regular contributor to the New York film journal, Cineaste. Declan also directed the TV series ‘Seinn Liom’ and ‘Cad É An Scéal’ (BBC) and has worked as an editor for over twenty-five years, cutting numerous award-winning dramas and documentaries.
His credits as a director include the acclaimed: ‘Lomax in Éirinn,’ which screened at festivals worldwide, ‘My Struggle For Life,’ ‘Tír Eoghain: The Unbreakable Bond,’ ‘Mary McAleese & The Man Who Saved Europe’ and ‘Women Of The Oireachtas.’ His most recent film ‘Young Plato’ will have its World Premiere at DOC NYC 2021.
His credits as a producer include: ‘The Occupation,’ which was nominated for the New York Festivals Film and TV Awards in 2018.
The annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival spotlights Native American art, traditions, and local tribes. Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
Highlighting the continued vibrancy and artistic traditions of Native American communities – and the local tribes who helped shape San Antonio – the Briscoe Western Art Museum invites everyone to enjoy its annual Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival,Saturday, November 13, from 10a.m. to 5p.m. The event is free and includes admission to the Briscoe, making it a perfect way to celebrate the important role Native Americans played in shaping the West while enjoying art and artifacts that highlight Native American history during Native American Heritage Month. (Briscoe Western Art Museum, 2021)
Offering a view into traditional and contemporary Native American culture, the free community festival features storytelling, artist demonstrations, pottery, weaving and carving, as well as Native American-inspired food. Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival also features workshops and lectures celebrating Native American culture. The event starts with a special blessing, followed by a ceremonial drum circle that invites everyone to join.
The annual event is named in honor of the Payaya people who were indigenous to the San Antonio area. “Yanaguana” was the word they used to describe what is now known as San Antonio River. The festival highlights Native Americans, a core pillar of Western Art and featured in the Briscoe’s permanent collection. Since the museum opened, this festival has taken place annually, with 2020’s event taking place virtually.
Photo: Briscoe Western Art Museum, used with permission.
“Native Americans are a key component of the American West and one of the pillars of Western Art. The Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival offers the opportunity to see, interact and celebrate with Native American artists and performers. The performances and art tell a story that’s compelling for all ages, making the event a true family affair.” – Michael Duchemin, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Briscoe Western Art Museum.
The Yanaguana Indian Arts Festival features:
An opening spiritual blessing by the American Indians in Texas at the Spanish Colonial Missions. Established by the Tap Pilam Coahuiltecan Nation, descendants of the aboriginal people who populated South Texas and Northeast Mexico the organization works for the preservation and protection of the culture and traditions of the Native American tribes and other indigenous people who resided in the Spanish colonial missions.
A Pow Wow-style drum circle kicks off the day, with United San Antonio Pow Wow, Inc. and Enemy Horse Drumming demonstrating and explaining common pow wow dance styles.
Live music by Native American artists including flute players Tim Blueflint Ramel and Ryan Little Eagle. An enrolled member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa, a federally recognized American Indian Tribe, Blueflint has opened for and shared the stage with Grammy Award Winner Mary Youngblood and a wide variety of artists. Hailing from the city of San Antonio, Texas, Ryan Little Eagle is of mixed Lakota/Taino and Latino heritage and is a multi-award winning international performer and musician.
Stories from Amy Bluemel, a Chickasaw storyteller and the great-granddaughter of Eastman Kaney, an original Dawes Commission enrollee. Bluemel shares Chickasaw customs, and those of other southeastern tribes, through elaborate storytelling.
Crafts and lectures that include a community weaving basket, pottery making, loom weaving, wood carving, and leather stamping.
Festival visitors can also enjoy the museum’s permanent collection of Western art and artifacts, including exhibitions that highlight the stories of the American Indian, cowboys, pioneering women, and others that define the West. The Briscoe’s fall exhibition spotlights vaqueros and the birthplace of the modern cowboy through almost sixty images from celebrated photographer Werner Segarra in Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo: Contemporary Photography of the Northern Mexican Cowboy. Making its United States debut at the Briscoe, the exhibition details the vaqueros’ profound influence on the American West. With almost sixty images that span more than twenty years of the lives of the vaqueros, Vaqueros de la Cruz del Diablo invites audiences to peer into the world of the Norteño Cowboys, not as a casual tourist, but as an intimate observer. The exhibition is open to the public through January 24, 2022.
Preserving and presenting the art, history and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage, the Briscoe Western Art Museum is located on the San Antonio River Walk at 210 W. Market Street in the beautifully restored 1930s former San Antonio Public Library building. Named in honor of the late Texas Gov. Dolph Briscoe Jr. and his wife, Janey Slaughter Briscoe, the museum includes the three-story Jack Guenther Pavilion, used for event rentals and programs, and the outdoor McNutt Sculpture Garden.
Netflix’s The Power of the Dog will screen at the Key West Film Festival. Photo: Netflix, used with permission.
On Friday, the Key West Film Festival announced the recipient of its annual Golden Key Awards, including two new awards honoring Emerging Talent and Breakthrough Florida director. Honoring creativity, diversity, sustainability and beauty, the Key West Film Festival is an annual celebration of film and filmmakers set to take place November 17-21, 2021. A diverse, entertaining, and artistically rigorous selection of films will be represented through a broad array of categories that offer opportunities for filmmakers, both aspiring and established, to commune and exchange ideas while showing their work to audiences in a historic and artistically vibrant tropical paradise. Visit the Key West Film Festival online for complete program information. (Key West Film Festival, 2021)
This year’s Golden Key Award for Excellence in Filmmaking goes to Sean Baker, director of Red Rocket, opening nationwide in December via A24. Baker will attend in person and participate in a discussion with Carlos Aguilar, film critic for the Los Angeles Times, The Wrap and RogerEbert.com, following the film’s screening. Baker’s film Starlet was featured in the first edition of the Key West Film Festival in 2012.
The inaugural Golden Key for Emerging Talent, given to actors who will be destined to grace our screens for years to come, will be presented to Kodi Smit-McPhee for his breakout role in the Netflix release of Jane Campion’s The Power of the Dog, which will screen at the festival just as it begins its national theatrical release. Aguilar will host a pre-recorded discussion with Smit-McPhee following the screening, which will serve as the Closing Night film. Smit-McPhee stars alongside Benedict Cumberbatch, Jesse Plemons, and Kirsten Dunst in the film.
Another inaugural award- the Golden Key for Breakthrough Florida director, recognizing a Florida bred director whose films will be seen widely in the future – will be given to Clint Bentley. A Florida native, Bentley’s Jockey, starring Clifton Collins Jr, will be released by Sony Pictures Classics later this year. Former ESPN anchor Bob Ley will present the award following a screening of the film.
The Key West Film Festival also recently announced the recipient of its sixth annual Golden Key for Excellence in Costume Design, honoring Emmy and Tony Award-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell. Tazewell’s most recent work includes the upcoming Steven Spielberg film West Side Story as well as Hamilton and Harriet. As part of the honor, Tazewell will also participate in a discussion of his work, to be moderated by Dr. Deborah Nadoolman Landis.
Ariana De Bose as Anita and David Alvarez as Bernardo in 20th Century Studio’s WEST SIDE STORY. Photo by Niko Tavernise, used with permission.
“We are elated to present these two new awards to Kodi and Clint, whose work will continue to astound, amaze and inspire audiences for decades to come. Kodi’s performance in “Power” is one that immediately places him among the finest actors of his generation. Clint’s steady and intimate portrait of an aging jockey shows the work of director years beyond his directorial debut. Sean continues his mastery of telling the story of American lives, literally on the other side of the tracks, in Red Rocket as he has been doing since his award-winning “Take Out” first graced the screens.” – Michael Tuckman, Director of Programming for the Key West Film Festival
SA Examiner 