"Howl" - a live theater adaptation of a poem- at the Hip Pocket Theater in FW

Allen Ginsberg's book-length seminal poem "Howl" has been adapted by Johnny Simon of the Hip Pocket Theater in Fort Worth. I'm going to see and hear it tonight. I've been told the performance runs a brief 45 minutes. "Howl" was written 50 years ago, and apparently still speaks volumes about the state of our society--I'll let you know my first impressions later this week.

I've also been reading that producer Christine Vachon (one of my living cinematic heroes) has been working on a narrative film which focuses on the drama and controversy that surrounded Ginsberg (and a few other Beat poets) in NYC. Titled "Kill Your Darlings", this film has been generating alot of buzz, though it's not slated to be released later this summer or in the fall. A biopic, also based on Ginsberg's "Howl" is forthcoming in 2010.

Check out some related images here, here, here, and here.

One online pundit suggested that Jemaine, of hot indie band-of-the-moment Flight of the Conchords, woulda made a great onscreen "Ginzy"--as many of us affectionately called Ginsberg over the years.

3 recommended events for this weekend in Fort Worth

Humanization 4tet--featuring Aaron and Stefan Gonzalez, Metroplex musicians who are also brothers--begins its U.S. tour this weekend here in the FW. Humanization 4tet's first release (on Clean Feed Records) won best Portuguese CD honors as selected by the biggest Portuguese jazz magazine, Jazz.PT, in 2008.

The Humanization 4tet is led by Lisbon guitarist Luis Lopes & features tenor saxophonist Rodrigo Amado. Lopes and Amado selected the Gonzalez brothers--sons of Dallas-based jazz virtuoso Dennis Gonzalez--to join them as the rhythm section to fill out this "freebop" quartet.

TONIGHT!
Friday, May 22 - Firehouse Gallery - Ft. Worth
4147 Meadowbrook Dr. - 76103 - 8 pm - $5

For more info, check out this compendium of reviews of the 4tet.

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Saturday, May 23rd: Check out Jesse Sierra Hernandez' solo art exhibit opening at the Rose Marine Theater Gallery (Galeria de la Rosa), 1440 N. Main St., 5 minutes north of downtown FW. Jesse's exhibit, entitled En Una Manera Silenciosa, will surely draw a crowd of dedicated fans and friends.

I'll have to miss the opening, cuz I'm going to be in Tulsa, OK, for the premiere weekend screening of "Barking Water".

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Lindsey D sent word about a free film screening, sponsored by the local chapter of the IWW (Industrial Workers of the World).
Never had heard of this doc before. Check it out.

Sunday, May 24th
1919 Hemphill, 5 minutes south of downtown FW.

"Barking Water" premiere in Tulsa, Oklahoma--where it was filmed

"Self Portrait: Homeland Series" by Richard Ray Whitman, 1986, photo collage, mixed media
Richard Ray Whitman (the guy in the middle in the image above) is a friend who I met, quite serendipitously at a New Year's Eve party in OKC (Oklahoma City), back in 1999 when the last place I wanted to bring in the new year was in Austin. I called up fellow poet and wondering wanderer Kathianne O and told her to pick me up from the OKC airport around 10pm that night. She, not expecting this call, tried to beg off, saying that she was boring, had no friends and no food in the fridge. I told her that I didn't care, and that I was on my way nonetheless. When she picked me up from the airport, her entire mood had transformed: "there's a party happening at my house--i bought a buncha food and beer--and my Indian friends are coming over!" You never know when a random call to a distant friend can stir up a nice hot diggity. At Kathianne's later that night--and into the next morning--I got to meet and hang out with Richard Ray and his brother Joe Dale. We shared fresh poems, lotsa drink, and kindled a wonderful new friendship. I celebrate Richard Ray Whitman with this post, cuz he's the sort of quiet smoldering presence who defies description. He is a visual artist, poet, committed Yuchi Indian activist, and now--an actor. He is a caring, compassionate person whose gentle spirit can truly transform any room you find yourself sharing with him. I'll never forget the day last May (2008) when he led me to his special altar and lit some sweetgrass and gave me a special blessing mere weeks after I'd survived my closet ordeal. It was a highlight of my visit to Oklahoma City last year. Vicki, Richard Ray, me, Kathianne in OKC, May 2008 - photo credit: Bryan Parras

I cannot wait to see him on the big screen in his first starring role.



THE EVENT: Oklahoma Premiere of "Barking Water", Native Indian indie filmmaker Sterlin Harjo’s new film featuring Casey Camp-Horinek and Richard Ray Whitman.

The film got great reviews at the Sundance Film Festival and was screened at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in New York City on the opening night of the Native American Film and Video Festival in March. That was followed by screenings at the Lincoln Center and the Museum of Modern Art.

Now, it’s opening in Oklahoma. Circle Cinema in Tulsa will host the
Oklahoma premiere, from Friday, May 22nd through Thursday, May 28th.

Circle Cinema is located at 12 S. Lewis, Tulsa, OK
Phone at 918-585-3456 for more info.

Tickets will go on sale Thursday, May 21 by phone or online.

Additional links:
http://www.barkingwaterfilm.com/

http://filmlinc.org/ndnf/program/barkingwater.html

http://filmlinc.wordpress.com/2009/03/26/ndnf-winding-roads-and-lifes-complications-in-sterlin-harjos-barking-water/

http://www.nativenetworks.si.edu/eng/orange/barking_water.html

http://festival.sundance.org/2009/film_events/films/barking_water

"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Nuclear Power" -- free screening today!

[Thanks to Lon Burnam's office folks for sending the following anuncio. Sorry for the last-minute post to share this with y'all...]

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Three Mile Island disaster:

Everything you always wanted to know about Nuclear Power*

*But were afraid to ask

Join Ft. Worth Rep. Lon Burnam in previewing a new film:

Sunday, March 29th - TODAY!

2:30 PM Refreshments,
3:00 PM Film

FREE and open to all!

Location: Fort Worth Botanic Garden
3220 Botanic Garden Blvd.

Sponsored by: True Cost of Nukes & SEED Coalition

"Everything you always wanted to know about Nuclear Power* but were afraid to ask" is a lively new 42-minute video that mixes historic news clips and ironic, vintage propaganda films along with contemporary experts and analysis to remind us of nuclear power’s troubled history.

At a time when nuclear power is being touted as a cure for global warming—and is asking for billions in taxpayer subsidies—it’s time to explore cleaner, safer and cheaper solutions!

For more information – NukeFreeTexas.org and EverythingNuclear.org.

Free screening of "817 Flavors", new local show at Embargo tonight! Followed by live music by touring band FUGA.

Come celebrate the launch of a rad new 1/2 hour monthly
show for TV (and soon, on the interweb) about folks,
subcultures, art, grassroots organizing and other things
important to you in the 817!

The first episode of EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS
features:

Don Young - of FWCANDO and the annual PrairieFest;

Tony Ferraro - of Eaton Lake Tonics;

Crystal Casey - in a videotaped performance of her song
"Flame Out";

Mark Lowry - theater critic (formerly with FW Star-Telegram);

and co-anchors

Tony Diaz - of "The Good Show" (KTCU-FM) and singer
for Goodwin

and

Tammy Gomez - of Sound Culture and Palabrazos and...

AND much much more.
We pack alot into a fascinating
30 minutes, y'all!
__________________________________________



See you Sunday, vatos y chulas! Embargo Bar downtown!

love,
Tammy

_____________________________

From: dEsErTeD pOeTiC

The flyer pretty much says it all so come on out...

Meet & greet the producers,cast, & crew of the community created TV show being called the best thing to hit cable access in days...or decades...or all time. We should be out there @ 8:30 & will air the show @ 9 PM followed by the badass fuguistas desde El Chuco...bring your revolutionary dancing shoes...el fandango se hace este domingo...no dejen de faltar!!!

817 FLAVORS hits the local airwaves via FW Cable Television this week!

Our new community-created half-hour show,
EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS,
will be airing on the
FW Community Television "Open Channel"
(specific channel number depends on your
on-ramp to cable--but for Charter Cable
subscribers, it's 28)

starting yesterday, Monday, February 16th.


The show will be airing repeatedly,
three days a week--at various times of the day--
until we have the subsequent episode prepared
and edited for broadcast.


*****************

EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS BROADCAST TIMES:

Mondays at 10am
Tuesdays 6:30pm
Saturdays at 3:00pm

******************

Check it out, and feel free to offer your feedback, comments, suggestions.


Yay--it's a launch!!


***********
EXTRA EXTRA!

We have scheduled a FREE screening of our
first episode, to happen at the Embargo Bar
(downtown FW) on Sunday, February 22nd, at 8:30pm,

followed by a live performance
by the amazing El Paso (now based in Oakland, CA)
band known as FUGA!!
(more info at: http://www. myspace. com/fuguista)

Yes, I know it's Oscar night, but please come out and
celebrate with us if you can...

Thanks for your interest and support.


big hug,


Tammy Gomez, Co-producer,
EIGHT HUNDRED SEVENTEEN FLAVORS

______________

FOR YOUR INFO:

Where To Watch Community Cable Television

Charter Cable
Open Channel-28

One Source
Open Channel-32

Verizon
Open Channel-37

AT&T Uverse
All three municipal channels and one FWISD
channel are available on Uverse channel 99.

Tune to channel 99 and click on the Fort Worth
Municipal-Educational tab.







Come celebrate the launch of a rad new 1/2 hour monthly
show for TV (and soon, on the interweb) about folks,
subcultures, art, grassroots organizing and other things
important to you in the 817!

See you Sunday, vatos y chulas! Embargo Bar downtown!

love,
Tammy

_____________________________

From: dEsErTeD pOeTiC

The flyer pretty much says it all so come on out...

Meet & greet the producers,cast, & crew of the community created TV show being called the best thing to hit cable access in days...or decades...or all time. We should be out there @ 8:30 & will air the show @ 9 PM followed by the badass fuguistas desde El Chuco...bring your revolutionary dancing shoes...el fandango se hace este domingo...no dejen de faltar!!!

San Anto's CineFestival 2009 - call for entries - deadline Tomorrow!

31st Annual CineFestival Call for Entries
Deadline: Mon., Dec. 8, 2009


CineFestival en San Antonio, the nation’s oldest and longest-running Latino film festival, is seeking films for its 31st annual celebration, which will take place from February 5-8, 2009 at the historic Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center in San Antonio, Texas. The theme for this year's festival is “New World Onda: Building a Dynamic Media Society.”

CineFestival is seeking the best Latino features, shorts, documentaries, animation, experimental films and youth works for its 31th annual festival. The call for entries deadline is Monday, Dec. 8, 2008.

The four-day event, which kicks off on Thursday, Feb. 5, 2009, will feature screenings, workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities, gala celebrations and musical performances. Sunday will be a seniors and family-friendly film day. Innovative uses of new technology will also be highlighted through competitions, demonstrations of new cameras and software, and the involvement of youth filmmakers from video programs throughout San Antonio.

CineFestival will also feature the prestigious Premio Mesquite audience award and juried awards for Best Feature, Best Short, Best Experimental Film, Best South Texas First Film, and Best San Antonio Young Filmmaker.

CineFestival is ACCEPTING SUBMISSIONS postmarked thru December 8th. For information on how to submit a film or to download the Call for Entries, visit the CineFestival Web site at cinefestivalsa.org. A link to the Withoutabox submission form can also be found at cinefestivalsa.org. For more information, contact Sandra Pena Sarmiento or Victor Payan at cine@cinefestivalsa.org.

The Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1980 to preserve, promote and develop the arts and culture of the Chicano/Latino/Native American peoples for all ages and backgrounds through public and educational programming in six disciplines: dance, literature, media arts, theater arts, visual arts and music. For more information, visit www.guadalupeculturalarts.org or call 210-271-3151.


Links:

2009 CineFestival Homepage: http://www.cinefestivalsa.org
Downloadable Submission Form: http://www.cinefestivalsa.org/images/pdf/cf09_entry_form.pdf
Withoutabox.com Submission Page: http://www.withoutabox.com/login/6820

TWU's SAY (Socially Aware Youth) host film & Iraq war veteran on Tuesday, Nov. 11th

Socially Aware Youth (SAY) at TWU present

FILM SCREENING AND GUEST SPEAKER DUSTIN ALAN PARKS, IRAQ WAR VET AND FOUNDER OF DFW FOR PEACE

When: Tuesday, November 11th (Veteran's Day), 2008, 6:00 PM
Where: Texas Womens University, CFO building, room 204
304 Administration Drive, Denton, TX 76204

Join Socially Aware Youth (SAY) at TWU for a free screening of the film "The Ground Truth"

With guest speaker: Dustin Alan Parks, former service member and veteran of the Iraq War, founder of DFW for Peace.

About the film "The Ground Truth":

"Hailed as "powerful" and "quietly unflinching," Patricia Foulkrod's searing documentary feature includes exclusive footage that will stir audiences. The filmmaker's subjects are patriotic young Americans - ordinary men and women who heeded the call for military service in Iraq - as they experience recruitment and training, combat, homecoming, and the struggle to reintegrate with families and communities. The terrible conflict in Iraq, depicted with ferocious honesty in the film, is a prelude for the even more challenging battles fought by the soldiers returning home – with personal demons, an uncomprehending public, and an indifferent government. As these battles take shape, each soldier becomes a new kind of hero, bearing witness and giving support to other veterans, and learning to fearlessly wield the most powerful weapon of all - the truth." -- IMDB


SAY (Socially Aware Youth) is a Texas Woman's University organization meant to raise awareness on current events, present new ideas, and educate each other in a discussion and/or debate.

Biweekly meetings will be held at TWU on the 1st and 3rd Thursdays of every month.
Time: 3:30-5:00 p.m.
Location: ASB 304 (TWU)

Lacey Escalante: Group Coordinator
Sheri Carter: Secretary
Heidi Scalice: Treasurer
Christina Perez: Events Committee Chair
Kami Fletcher: Advisor

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about SAY, please contact Lacey Escalante at lshields@twu.edu

Today is a good day for free film screenings in the 817

Of course, there's the big SPIKE LEE retrospective that's been happening on the campus of UTA (Arlington) all week, which culminates in a keynote lecture which he is due to present this evening (Saturday). Check for ticket availability, film screening times, and more here. Looks like all the film screenings are FREE, but you gotta pay to see & hear the man himself.

Then, there's the REEL Religion film festival "of religious significance" (huh?), here in FW. Apparently, this festival was created as a partnership between a coupla churches (University Christian and Broadway Baptist), as well as two department/offices at TCU. No matter what spin they're putting on this festival, I still think it's pretty cool that these folks are presenting a total of 18 films (some of 'em pretty cool selections) for FREE and open to the public. Screenings at the University Christian Church, a stone's throw from the TCU campus.

Film selections & screening times &dates:

Friday, Feb. 8, 7 p.m.

The History Boys
Amazing Grace
Good Night, and Good Luck
Waitress
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
Charlotte’s Web


Saturday, Feb. 9, 9:30 a.m.

Paper Clips
Bruce Almighty
Street Fight
Husbands and Wives
Being John Malkovich
Pocahontas


Saturday, Feb. 9, 1:30 p.m.

Freedom Writers
Dead Man Walking
The Lives of Others
The Painted Veil
Vanilla Sky
The Prince of Egypt