—————————————————— Manhattan Short Film Festival | Calendar | Houston | Houston Press | The Leading Independent News Source in Houston, Texas

Manhattan Short Film Festival

In museums, cinemas and cafes all over the world, some 100,000 people will help choose the best of the best in the Manhattan Short Film Festival. More than 300 cities participate in screenings, including Houston, with viewers voting on their favorites. The festival's a great opportunity to see some truly innovative and groundbreaking short subjects.

If you see no other film, be sure you catch Kat Candler's Black Metal, the story of a Satanically themed metal rock star whose fan base takes his music just a little too seriously, with tragic and catastrophic results. Candler drew from sources ranging from the Judas Priest suicide scandal to the Columbine massacre in researching her tale of music finding a home in a deranged mind. ''I think any artist faced with the aftermath of something like this would feel some sort of guilt,'' said Candler. ''Even though they're not responsible, it would be impossible not to struggle with the emotional weight of something you get connected to because of your art.''

On a more lighthearted note is Timothy Wilde’s #30. It's a dramatic comedy about an actress who shows up at an audition with a perfectly memorized piece of Hamlet only to find out it's the wrong part and she must do a cold reading. The result is a revelation of her innermost self. ''I used to hate being auditioned; it usually doesn't allow for any real discovery through exploration of the character with the actor and director,” said Wilde. ''I personally prefer a conversation with the actor first about them and their possible connections to the character.'' A total of ten films are on the schedule.

7 p.m. Saturday, 5 p.m. Sunday. Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, 1001 Bissonnet. For information, call 713-639-7515 or visit mfah.org. $9.
Sat., Oct. 5, 7 p.m.; Sun., Oct. 6, 5 p.m., 2013

KEEP THE HOUSTON PRESS FREE... Since we started the Houston Press, it has been defined as the free, independent voice of Houston, and we'd like to keep it that way. With local media under siege, it's more important than ever for us to rally support behind funding our local journalism. You can help by participating in our "I Support" program, allowing us to keep offering readers access to our incisive coverage of local news, food and culture with no paywalls.
Jef with One F
Contact: Jef with One F