Film Fest is almost here! 171 films in 7 days!

What's the cheapest way to take an extended international vacation, travel the globe and tour exciting places? It's attending the Athens International Film + Video Festival running April 24 through 30.

"We'll take you to the Philippines, South Africa, France, Ireland, China and few dozen other locales," said Ruth Bradley, director of the festival, which is celebrating its 36th year. "We'll introduce you to incredible and interesting people from around the world and show you sights you've never thought possible. And all the while, there'll be fresh popcorn, comfortable seats, great conversation and an easy trip home."

This year's festival will screen 171 feature films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. Highlights of the International Feature Showcase include "Wendy and Lucy," the poignant story of a young woman on the edge of economic catastrophe; "Hunger," the portrait of IRA prisoner Bobby Sand's prison hunger strike and "The Beaches of Agnes," a playful autobiographic film by the legendary French director Agnes Varda. Other feature films to be screened during the festival's seven-day run include: "Examined Life," a surprisingly funny study of contemporary philosophers; "Food, Inc," a documentary about what we eat and "Serbis," a controversial film from the Philippines about a family-run movie theater.

In addition to the Feature Film Showcase, the festival is renowned for its competition for independent film and video artists. One example of this dedication and appreciation of independent artists is the special screening at 7:30 p.m. on April 24, the festival's opening day, at Stuart's Opera House of "Not Your Typical Bigfoot Movie," a documentary about two friends from Portsmouth, Ohio, who hope to convince the world that Bigfoot really exists. The screening will top off the April installment of Nelsonville's "Final Fridays" event.

Screening locations include the Athena Cinema, the Baker University Center Theatre and Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville, Ohio. The majority of the screenings will take place at the Athena Cinema with shows beginning at 11 a.m. and continuing through midnight. The Baker University Center Theatre will host screenings on April 24 through 26.

Read the whole story here: http://www.ohio.edu/outlook/08-09/April/519.cfm

Visit the festival web site here: www.athensfest.org

Don't miss these other arts events:

• The School of Theater will finish its two-week run of "The Trojan Women" this Wednesday through Saturday. Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin, Euripides' play follows the stories of the women of Troy after Greek armies conquered their city and is the third tragedy in a trilogy about the Trojan War. In addition to this weekend "The Trojan Women" will run April 15-18. All performances are at 8 p.m. at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building. Admission is free for OHIO students with a valid ID, $7 for other students and seniors, and $10 for adults.
  
  
• Keep an eye on the art galleries. From now until graduation a variety of student BFA and MFA thesis work will be exhibited in the Ohio University Art Gallery in Seigfred Hall and Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405. Exhibits will change about every two weeks. Visit the galleries page for more information: www.finearts.ohio.edu/art/galleries/upcoming.htm.
  
  
• The School of Music hosts its annual Clarinet Gala on Sunday, April 19. The gala includes Visiting Artist Recital at 3:30 p.m. and a Potpourri Recital at 6 p.m. Both performances will be in the School of Music Recital Hall and admission is free.
  
  
• Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/ to see the complete Arts for Ohio online calendar.

Kennedy Museum puts blues on the walls

'Blues in Black and White'

The Kennedy Museum of Art kicks off spring with its newest photography exhibit, "Blues in Black and White" that will feature 50 to 60 photographs by Stanley Livingston documenting the behind-the-scenes activities and onstage performances of blues legends at the landmark Ann Arbor Blues Festivals of the late 1960s.

"Not only does the exhibit portray some of the most legendary figures every to play blues, but it captures a particular time in America when these two blues festivals occurred in Ann Arbor, Mich.," said Edward Pauley, the John B. and Dareth A. Gerlach Director of the Kennedy Museum of Art. "It's the first time we could document in photographs these mainly black artists playing in front of a mainly white crowd and reflects that pivotal time in America when these two groups who were traditionally segregated started to come together and create dynamic changes in our society."

Including artists such as B.B. King, Howlin' Wolf, Buddy Guy and Johnny Winter, Livingston's photographs document these events and how a form of American music brought together blacks and whites and also influenced popular music.

"Many of today's artist have been influenced by these artists and students will probably be surprised to discover that the music they listen to, whether it's hip hop and contemporary rock, there is a connection," Pauley said.

The exhibit will open April 17 and run through June 14. An opening reception will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. on April 17. Admission is free to the museum and reception. Museum hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday 12 to 5 p.m., Thursday 12 to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m.

Don't miss the opera!

'Gianni Schicchi'

The School of Music's Opera Theater has been rehearsing since last quarter for its upcoming performance of the comedy "Gianni Schicchi" and hopes audiences will take advantage of this rare opportunity to experience opera in the Athens area.

"Opera is a great experience for the student performers," said Richard Crist, director of Opera Theater. "It gives them an opportunity to not only sing on stage but to bring a character of life, be part of the production aspect and create something with 18 other people. It's a real challenge and more than just being part of an ensemble."

Because the production is sharing the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium with many other events, the cast will have little time to set the stage before their performances at 7:30 p.m. April 24 and 25.

"This opera is kind of like watching an episode of 'The Sopranos' but with a comedy twist," Crist said.

"Gianni Schicchi" by Giacomo Puccini is a one-act opera set in Florence and based on a story that is referred to in Dante's "The Divine Comedy." After relatives of the deceased Buoso Donati learn that he left all of his money to a local monastery, they concoct a scheme to rewrite the will. The family teams with Schicchi, who is known for his clever schemes and who crosses the family to will everything to himself. "You need to come to the opera to see how Gianni turns the tables and steals the money from them," Crist said.

Don't worry if you don't speak Italian -- the opera will be performed in English.

Admission is $10. Ohio University students with a valid ID receive free admission through Arts for Ohio.

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Send your submission (up to 300 words) to fineartsnews@ohio.edu. We welcome respectful submissions that provide a personal preview or reaction to upcoming or recent events.

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B.E.A.T.S. Hiphop Expo Saturday!

The Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society (B.E.A.T.S) will host a Hiphop Expo April 11 at Baker University Center. The expo, titled "Bridging the Rural and Urban Experience through Sustainability," is an interactive event that merges the elements of Hiphop and discussions of social, economic and environmental justice toward solutions of how art transforms rural and urban communities. Visit www.ohio.edu/aas/hiphop/ for more information.

Visit Ohio University's Outlook to view an interview with Akil Houston, assistant professor of African American studies and hip-hop expo co-organizer, as he previews Saturday's event and discusses why it will have a positive impact on the local community. He also introduces viewers to the guest presenters at the expo and explains the graffiti wall project.

View the interview here: http://www.ohio.edu/outlook/08-09/April/498v.cfm

Cinematheque explores the 'End of the Line'

Cinematheque's April run at the Athena Cinema on Court Street kicks off Friday with the theme "End of the Line." The monthly film series will feature five films that examine the unsettling space between society's hopes and the darker impulses and trauma that afflict mankind.

With screenings through April 16, this month's films are "Gimme Shelter," "Solaris," "M," "Day of Wrath" and "WR: Mysteries of the Organism."

The films represent a wide variety of cultures, eras and languages including English, Russian, German and Danish. All foreign language films include English subtitles. The films date from 1931 to 1972.

The film series is sponsored by the Arts for Ohio initiative and aims to expose the Ohio University and Athens communities to a variety of classics, documentaries and international titles.

Cinematheque films are free for students with a valid ID, including local high school students and those visiting from other universities. Ohio University employees and community members pay $4 per film. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/cinematheque.htm for more information.

Visiting Faculty Exhibition at Trisolini

Featuring 17 works by six visiting faculty members, the exhibit "Chicken, Beer and Celery: A Random Assortment of Academic Units" is eclectic to say the least.

The exhibition, which runs through April 18 in Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405, features works in video installation, ink, mixed media and textile by visiting faculty members Brandon Boan, David Colagiovani, Nathan Davis, Mitchell Goodman, Suzanne Hagood and Cindy Malon.

"Most of my work has to do with place and memory," said Malon, a visiting professor in graphic design. "As a visiting faculty I am only here in Athens for nine months. Being in a place temporarily is a very different experience than being in a place permanently (or at least the mindset of thinking of a place as being permanent)."

Malon's piece "Felix Gonzalez-Torres" uses pink damask napkins and red cotton thread textiles to make reference to childhood memories of her grandmother's quilting, embroideries and knitting.

"Having lived outside of the U.S. since 1989, my connection to Ohio has always been that of a displaced tourist visiting family members, even though I was born and raised in Dayton, Ohio," Malon said. "Throughout my childhood we would spend two weeks every summer at my grandmother's house in the mountains of Eastern Kentucky near Hindman. Because of these childhood experiences, I have a strong sense of attraction to the local landscape of Athens County."

Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The gallery is free and open to the public.

Other events for coming weeks include:

Beginning tomorrow, the Trisolini Gallery in Baker University Center 405 will feature the work of six School of Art visiting faculty members in an exhibit title Chicken, Beer and Celery: A Random Assortment of Academic Units. The eclectic works include video installation, ink, mixed media and textile. The exhibit will run April 18. Gallery hours are Mon. through Fri. 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat. 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. An opening reception will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. Tuesday. Both the gallery and opening reception are free and open to the public.

The Cinematheque monthly film series kicks off April 10 and features the theme "End of the Line" and features five films that examine the unsettling space between society's hopes and the darker impulses and trauma that afflict mankind. This month's film are "Gimme Shelter," "Solaris," "M," "Day of Wrath" and "WR: Mysteries of the Organism." Admission is free for Ohio University and local high school students with a valid ID and $4 per showing for the public. Visit www.finearts.ohio.edu/artsforohio/ for show times and more information.

The School of Theater will get spring quarter off to a fast start with the production of "The Trojan Women." Adapted by Ellen McLaughlin, Euripides' play follows the stories of the women of Troy after Greek armies conquered their city and is the third tragedy in a trilogy about the Trojan War. "The Trojan Women" will run April 8 through 11, and April 15 through 18 with performances at 8 p.m. at the Forum Theater in the RTV Building. Admission is free for OHIO students with a valid ID, $7 for other students and seniors, and $10 for adults.

The Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society (B.E.A.T.S) will host a Hiphop Expo April 11 at Baker University Center. The expo, titled "Bridging the Rural and Urban Experience through Sustainability," is an interactive event that merges the elements of Hiphop and discussions of social, economic and environmental justice toward solutions of how art transforms rural and urban communities. Visit www.ohio.edu/aas/hiphop/ for more information.

Balloons become art workshop

The Aesthetics Technologies Lab presents a hands-on workshop with sculptor and musician Addi Somekh from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday at 227 Putnam Hall.

Somekh has traveled more than 30 countries from the Sahara desert to the Mongolian mountains to the forests of the Amazon creating art from inflatable forms such as balloons. As an inventor, Somekh has extended his balloon craft into the world of music, adapting a Sean Rooney balloon model into what he calls the balloon bass -- an electronically amplified bass instrument constructed from three simple balloons. Additionally, he's taken the concept a step further developing a range of percussive balloon drums.

The workshop will teach the basics of balloon twisting for sculptural shapes, objects and music. The workshop is free but space is limited, so interested participants must RSVP. Visit www.ohiou.edu/atlab/ for more information.