ZOMBIE CASTING CALL
Local filmmaker and musician Timothy Gassen is putting out a casting call for extras to play zombies in an upcoming shoot for a phony 2008 campaign commercial, Vote for Zombie. He describes it as "a bloody, zombie-laden comment on the current political situation." Extras will only be needed for a few hours. Contact him at tgassen@purple-cactus.tv.
MAX CANNON AT IFASA
Local filmmaker and cartoonist Max Cannon will be the guest speaker at the December meeting of the Independent Filmmakers Association of Southern Arizona (IFASA) at 6 p.m., Monday, Dec. 4, at Access Tucson, 124 E. Broadway Blvd. Cannon is the creator of the nationally syndicated "Red Meat" cartoon, Comedy Central's Shadow Rock animated series and host of the monthly First Friday Shorts contest at the Loft Cinema. Elections for new IFASA board members are also being held Dec. 4, and all IFASA members are urged to attend. Contact IFASA president Brian Mulligan at 349-8249 or mclaff9@earthlink.net for additional information, or check ifasa.net.Congratulations to local filmmaker Jackie Lee James, who won the first-place prize at IFASA's Fourth Annual Three Minute Thriller contest at the Loft on Oct. 28 for his zombie film No Way Out.
JOAN NESTLE AT UA
Renowned lesbian author Joan Nestle will be at the UA at 6 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 6, for the Tucson premiere of a 2006 documentary about her life and work, Female to Femme, by filmmakers Kami Chisholm and Elizabeth Stark. Nestle is the author of A Restricted Country and A Fragile Union, the co-founder of the Lesbian Herstory Archives and the editor of The Persistent Desire: A Femme-Butch Reader. A discussion with the author will follow the screening. Presented by the LGBT and Women's Studies programs, the Lesbian Looks film series and Wingspan, the event is free at the Integrated Learning Center, Room 150. Contact Beverly Seckinger at bsecking@u.arizona.edu or check lgbcom.web.arizona.edu for more information.
PURA AWARDS
Reel Inspiration is pleased to announced the winners in the 2006 Pura Inspiracion Film Contest, which was held as part of the Puro Mexicano: Tucson Film Festival Nov. 3-5. And the winners are: The Celebrating Cultural Diversity Award went to Muriel Stockdale of New York City for her film New York City Spirit; the Best of Tucson Award went to Sarah Sher for her film Have Coffin, Will Travel; Best Narrative Award went to Linear Progression by Kat Kosmala from La Habra, Calif.; and the Best Documentary Award went to Tucsonan Bill Kersey for 87 Topaz. See reelinspiration.org for more information.
EVENTS AT THE LOFT
· First Friday Shorts: It's the monthly contest where local filmmakers pit their films against each other and the will of the audience, who can vote for a "gong" after three minutes; 9 p.m., Friday, Dec. 1; $5. Hosted by Max Cannon.· Katrina film: The Media Literacy Project and the Loft present a screening of Dark Water Rising, a documentary by the filmmaker, journalist and photographer Mike Shiley about the animal-rescue mission in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina; 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 3; free for students K-12, their parents and teachers; $5 otherwise.
· Picturing Mary: KUAT Channel 6 and the Loft present a screening of the PBS documentary Picturing Mary, a "visual homage" to Mary, mother of Jesus. Narration is by Jane Seymour and Stacy Keach; 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 4; free.
· Junky holiday: The Loft celebrates the work of iconoclastic author William S. Burroughs with a screening of Gus Van Sant's Drugstore Cowboy (Burroughs plays The Priest), a collection of Burroughs' short films and an audience reading of Burroughs' work; 7 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11; $5.
· Christmas in Yellowstone: KUAT and the Loft are also screening Christmas in Yellowstone, a PBS film that documents the wildlife in Yellowstone National Park in mid-winter; 7:30 p.m., Monday, Dec. 11; free.
· Buffy Sing-Along: The third Buffy the Vampire Slayer Sing-Along and Costume Contest takes over the Loft on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2007. Tickets are $5 and go on sale Dec. 1
The Loft Cinema is at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Call 795-7777 or check loftcinema.com for a full schedule of films and events and further information.
MORE SCREENINGS
· Indymedia: Arizona Indymedia regularly screens social and politically themed films; check arizona.indymedia.org for updates on what's showing.· Voices of Opposition: This local group also periodically screens politically and socially oriented films. Check voicesofopposition.org for upcoming films
· Dry River: The Dry River Radical Video Night Series runs the first and third Thursday of each month, at the Dry River Community Center, 740 N. Main Ave. All films are at 7 p.m. and are free. Check dryriver.org for screening information.
· Monkey Box: The third Thursday of each month Hadji Banjovi screens a diverse collection of 16-millimeter films (cartoons, home movies, educational films, etc.) at the Monkey Box, 100 N. Stone Ave. from 8 to 10 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 21; free.
· Films at BICAS: The BICAS bicycle collective usually shows films the last Saturday of each month, following their community ride at 6 p.m. December's film will be on Dec. 23 (not Dec. 30), and is to be announced. BICAS is at 44 W. Sixth St., and the phone number is 628-7950; there is no charge.
· Films at the Fox: The Fox Tucson Theatre has a full weekly slate of Christmas and holiday films booked for weekends in December. The are also screening three films by the late director Robert Altman on Friday, Dec. 15, The Long Goodbye, M*A*S*H and Nashville. Visit the box office at 17 W. Congress St. or check foxtucsontheatre.org for a full schedule of films.
