TUCSON JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL
The 17th Annual Tucson Jewish Film Festival runs Jan. 12-22 and Feb. 7, 10 and 24. Locations include the Jewish Community Center, the Loft Cinema and the Gallagher Theater at UA.The festival opens with an Opening Night Comedy Extravaganza featuring a live comedy performance by Jackie Hoffman and a screening of the film Making Trouble. Highlights of the festival include an Israeli film and music night with Yonatan Miller and Jewish jazz, followed by a screening of Aviva, My Love; guest directors Michele Ohayon with Steal a Pencil for Me and Gabriela Böhm with The Longing: The Forgotten Jews of South America; and Orthodox Stance with director Jason Hutt and boxer Dmitriy Salita.
To purchase tickets and/or for more information, call 299-3000, ext. 200, or e-mail ssilverman@tucsonjcc.org; you can also buy online at the film festival Web site. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jewish Community Center (3800 E. River Road), Antigone Books (411 N. Fourth Ave.), Details Art and Design (3001 E. Skyline Drive) and Enchanted Earthworks (2980 N. Swan Road).
ACTING WORKSHOP
The Tucson chapter of the National Association of Latino Independent Producers (NALIP) is sponsoring a three-day acting workshop for both English- and Spanish-speaking actors. The workshop will run Feb. 1-3. For more information, contact NALIP chapter president Ben Lopez by e-mail.
SPECIAL-EFFECTS TALK
The Hanson Film Institute at the UA is presenting "The Art and Science of Movie Visual Effects," a free talk by John Kilkenny, from 4 to 5 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 31, at a UA location to be announced. Kilkenny, a senior vice president of visual effects at Twentieth Century Fox, is a UA alum. He oversaw the effects on X-Men: The Last Stand, Live Free or Die Hard and many other films. He is currently working on Avatar and Starship Dave. For further information, call 626-9825.
CALL FOR SHORTFEST FILMS
The film-submission process is now open for the 2008 TucsonFilm.com ShortFest, open to filmmakers from Arizona and around the world, with cash prizes for winning films. Last year's ShortFest included films and filmmakers recognized by the Emmys and Oscars, including Star Trek producer and writer Andre Bormanis, and the 2007 Oscar-winning short film West Bank Story. The submission cost is $15. The final deadline for film submissions is Saturday, Jan. 26. Complete submission details and free streaming films from the two previous ShortFests are available at the TucsonFilm.com Web site. The ShortFest will start at 7 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Crossroads Cinema, 4811 E. Grant Road. Admission is $10.
CALL TO YOUNG FILMMAKERS
The Arizona International Film Festival is looking for new and innovative works by young filmmakers to be part of the Reel Frontier Film and Video Competition. Finalists will be screened during the 2008 AIFF, scheduled for April 18-27 in Tucson. Submissions are being accepted through Feb. 6 in the categories of music videos, dramatic, comedy, documentary, experimental and animation shorts. Submissions must have been completed between January 2007 and February 2008 and must be submitted on DVD or VHS for pre-screening. Entry fees are $10 for each work submitted. For entry guidelines and forms, visit the festival Web site.
IFASA MEETING
The January meeting of the Independent Filmmakers Association of Southern Arizona (IFASA) will be held at 6 p.m., Monday, Jan. 7, at Access Tucson, 124 E. Broadway Blvd. This month's meeting is an annual open forum for suggestions and input on what members want from IFASA in the next year. As always, anyone is welcome; for further information, contact Brian Mulligan at 349-8249.
FILMMAKING WORKSHOP
Starting on Jan. 19, the Loft Cinema is presenting a six-week filmmaking workshop with acclaimed film production designer Gene Rudolf. Rudolf's credits include Raging Bull, Diner, The Right Stuff, Trading Places and Superman. The workshop is open to those with all skill levels; students will be expected to submit a brief project each week that will be discussed by all the participants, and all students must have access to a video camera. Workshops will be held at Access Tucson (124 E. Broadway Blvd.) and run on consecutive Saturdays. Tuition is $75 for Loft members and students with a valid ID, or $100 for the general public; the workshop is limited to 25 students, and people who enroll before Jan. 1 get a $5 discount. You can register in person at the Loft. For more information, call 322-5638, or go to the Loft Web site.
EVENTS AT THE LOFT
· Underskatement Vol. 4: At 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 17, the Loft presents the fourth installment of the Underskatement Film Festival, showcasing the best short films (seven minutes or less) made by skateboarders from around the world. The festival's curators, David Franklin and Andreas Trolf, will be on hand to introduce the films; $5. More information is at the festival Web site.· Essential Cinema screens a newly remastered and restored print of Fritz Lang's classic Metropolis at 1 p.m., Sunday, Jan. 27, and 7 p.m., Monday Jan. 28. Essential Cinema screenings are free, but donations are accepted.
· Regular events: First Friday Shorts (9 p.m., Friday, Jan. 4; $5), Mondo Mondays: (8 p.m., Mondays; $2) and Cult Classics (10 p.m., Friday and Saturdays; $5).
The Loft Cinema is at 3233 E. Speedway Blvd. Call 795-7777 or check the Loft Web site for a full schedule of films and events, and further information.
