The Tribeca Film Festival Is No Longer Just About the Business, It Is Also About Serious Art and Is Being Taken Serious-ser and Serious-ser

Ilhan Omar is the subject of “Time for Ilhan,” a documentary that chronicles the campaign of the woman who would make history when she was elected to the Minnesota Legislature. Photo from Time for Ilhan website.

BY VW

THREE works that have an African theme should have strong appeal.

In “Tanzania Transit,” a train ride reveals various facets of contemporary life in that part of Africa. Scientists undertake a 1500-mile journey in an effort to understand why Botswana's Okavango Delta wilderness is shrinking in National Geographic's “Into the Okavango.” Inspiration awaits the viewer in “Time for Ilhan,” a look at how a Somali-American Muslim woman made history when she was elected to the Minnesota legislature.

Muslims also figure prominently in “Terminal 3.” In the virtual reality piece - part of Tribeca Immersive - the viewer is asked to interrogate Muslims at the airport to determine whether they should be admitted into the country

All of the aforementioned are documentaries and are part of the 17th Annual Tribeca Film Festival (18-29 April 2018).

Over the last few years, festival organizers have invested their energies in curating some of the most interesting docs out there, and this year is no different.

Other notable documentaries to watch for: “Blowin’ Up”: a Queens court is a place where young women and men charged with prostitution aren’t treated like criminals;
“The Fourth Estate”: In the festival closer, a team of reporters from The New York Times covers the first year of the Donald Trump Administration:
“Love Gilda”: The festival opener is a love letter to comedian and trailblazer Gilda Radner;

San Diego Chargettes doing their thing, circa late '70s. Photo by Jack Schwaesdall.

“Sidelined”: The story of cheerleaders from the-then San Diego Chargers football team who were fired for appearing in “Playboy”;
“Unbanned: The Legend of AJ1”: How Air Jordans went from banned to spawning sneaker culture and its massive economy;
“McQueen”: The rise of uber talented designer Alexander McQueen;
“Studio 54”: The rise and fall of the world’s most famous disco;
“Blue Note Records: Beyond the Notes”: The story of the record company that launched jazz greats and gave talent 100 percent artistic control.

Meanwhile, one of the signposts that marks a film festival as serious is the number of world premieres. That means that directors are taking a pass on Berlin, Toronto, Sundance and other prestigious festivals.

With that in mind, the Tribeca Film Festival has entered a new sphere. Among its 96 feature films, a staggering 75 are having world premieres. Fewer than 20 have been seen elsewhere first. Do note that this does not include programming in other categories; world premieres abound across categories. Tribeca is no longer just a festival with a major Hollywood star behind it and a strong financial imperative behind the disproportionate amount of Hollywood fare with a bankable star attached.

A case in point is “Diane” starring Mary Kay Place as a woman living a mundane life as penance for past misdeeds. Sex on the hour may be the undoing of two frustrated women in “Duck Butter.” A retelling of Chekhov’s “The Seagull” is set on a lakeside estate. Among the stars are Annette Being, Mare Winningham and Brian Dennehy. In "Dry Martina," a singer begins to get her groove back when she leaves Argentina for Chile, prompted by a visit from her "sister."

The festival centerpiece, “Zoe,” is an entry with a more Hollywood feel. The futuristic drama about technology-produced love stars Léa Seydoux, Ewan McGregor, Christina Aguilera and Rashida Jones, among others.

Sir Ben Kingsley and Liam Neeson in "Schindler's List." Archive photo.

This year, three films will have anniversary screenings: "Schindler's List"(25th) "Scarface" (35th) and "In the Soup"(25th).

Shorts-wise, a one to watch is "The History of White People in America," an animated affair that explores the invention of race in this country. It is one in the Whoopi Goldberg category. In the Bold Moves category, geopolitics might complicate a joint concert by musicians from North and South Korea in "9 at 38."

“Homeless: The Soundtrack” in the Home Sweet Home shorts category follows a woman who finds her long-lost father homeless. And a musician, like herself. The Lighten Up! category offers “So You Like the Neighborhood.” If you want to stay and not be evicted, some mafia members might be able to help. Two sisters must rethink their building plan in “Paper Roof,” a Loose Ends entry.

As the digital revolution continues to blur the lines of how and where content is consumed, Tribeca is trying to keep up with the times. Part of its response is both the Tribeca TV and N.O.W. (New Online Work).

Ones to watch on TV include Jay-Z’s (executive producer) “Rest In Power: The Trayvon Martin Story” and “Bobby Kennedy for President,” coming to Netflix.

On N.O.W. is “Snugglr,” or a young woman who cuddles strangers as an income-generator to make rent. A guy in “Driver Ed” hopes to impress a racecar enthusiast gal by getting his driver’s license. Drug counseling gets a twisted treatment in “Cleaner Daze.”

Jacob A. Ware as the title character in "Driver Ed." Photo courtesy of "Driver Ed" production.

“Tribeca Talks” offers post-screening chats with Brian De Palma, Sir Ben Kingsley, Liam Neeson, Al Pacino, Michelle Pfeiffer and more. Those in conversations include Alec Baldwin, Edward Burns, Claire Danes, Jamie Foxx, John Legend, Nancy Meyers and Sarah Jessica Parker.

Visit http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival to learn more about it and the 2015 Tribeca Film Festival, including tickets and schedule.

ON THE TOWNS: Apollo Theater Gives Prince a Place of Honor; Northside Festival and the Next Big Things; in 'Hooligan Sparrow,' a Good Deed Does Not Go Unpunished; Lens on Danny Lyon

Prince will be inducted posthumously into the Apollo Theater's Walk of Fame in a ceremony on 13 June. Photo from Prince fan Facebook page.

JUNE 2016

A list of goings-on, from a place on the Apollo Theater Walk of Fame for Prince to Eva Longoria getting down with "Lowriders" and all manner of cattiness at CatCon LA 2016.

1-7 June

ART. Through 26 June. Intrude. Four-city tour of public art installation by Amanda Parer of Australia continues. Presented by Arts Brookfield, “Intrude” depicts white nylon-inflated rabbits illuminated from within. New York, 17-30 April; Houston, 9 May-14 May; Los Angeles, 5 June-11 June; Denver, 17-19 June, 24-26 June. Brookfield properties. Free. New York. Houston. Los Angeles. Denver. http://www.brookfieldplaceny.com/events/intrude/

FILM. 1-9 June. LA Film Festival. Festival opens with Ricardo de Montreuil’s “Lowriders,” starring Eva Longoria and others. The closing film is “Desierto” from Jonás Cuarón. Various Locations. Los Angeles. http:// www.filmindependent.org/la-film-festival/

ART, MUSIC, FILM, BUSINESS, etc. 6-12 June. Northside. Festival convenes trendsetters and stakeholders across various artistic and business disciplines. Concerts, films, popup shops, speakers content creators. Various locations. Brooklyn. http:// www.northsidefestival.com/

8-14 June

FOOD, TECHNOLOGY. 10-12 June. Food Loves Tech. Hosted by Edible Manhattan and VaynerMedia, the expo explores the intersection of food and technology. On the table: sustainability and healthy eating, panels, chefs and tastings. The Waterfront, 241 11th Avenue. New York. http:// www.foodlovestech.com/

FILM. 10-19 June. 2016 Human Rights Watch Film Festival (New York). Festival presents 18 films and three interactive programs. Opens with “Hooligan Sparrow” from Nanfu Wang. The subject of the film is Chinese activist Ye Haiyan (aka Hooligan Sparrow) whose efforts to expose the sexual abuse
of young girls by a school headmaster lead to unwanted government attention. Film Society of Lincoln Center (FSLC) Walter Reade Theater and IFC Center. New York. 6-20 June, Chicago. 14 June, Sydney. http:// www.bit.ly/21cHmCO

LIFESTYLE, MUSIC. 11 June. Shikuri Project Charitable Trust Fundraiser. Drumming group, Denbaya, performs during the benefit at Mist Harlem. Founded by Gail Sealy, the Shikuri Project is dedicated to providing medical care to needy children in Kenya and sub-Saharan Africa. Mist Harlem. New York. http:// www.shikuriproject.com

FASHION. 11 June. St James’s London Hosts Jermyn Street Catwalk Show. For the second year during men’s fashion week (London Collections Mens), Jermym Street will be shut to traffic and turned into a catwalk. St James’s hosts the fashion shows and invites the public, too.
Jermyn Street, West End. London. http:// www.stjameslondon.co.uk/

MUSIC. 4 p.m. 13 June. Apollo Theater Prince Walk of Fame Induction Ceremony and 11th Annual Spring Gala. Before its 11th Annual Spring Gala and its largest fundraiser of the year – emceed by LL Cool J and with performances by The O’Jays and others – the Apollo Theater inducts Prince into its Walk of Fame. The Artist joins some splendid company under the venue’s marquee, including James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Little Richard and Stevie Wonder. Apollo Theater, 253 W. 125th St. New York. http:// www.apollotheater.org/event/apollo-gala-2016/

FILM. 13 June. Kino & Vino Series: FLYTRAP. Monthly industry screening party sponsored by the Chelsea Film Festival and Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea. Screening of “Flytrap.” Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea, 260 W. 23rd St. New York. http:// www.chelseafilm.org/kinoandvino

15-21 June

"Pumpkin Reneé, Galveston, Texas, 1967. Vintage gelatin silver print from the Whitney Museum retrospective, "Danny Lyon: Message to the Future." Photo by Danny Lyon, courtesy Edwynn Houk Gallery, New York.

FILM. 16-19 June. Oak Cliff Film Festival. The 5th edition opens with a restored version of Eagle Pennelli’s “Last Night at the Alamo. Music performances also on the bill. Closes with “Hunt for the Wilderpeople” from Taika Waititi. Various locations.Dallas. http:// /www.oakclifffilmfestival.com

ART. 17 June-25 Sept. 2016. Danny Lyon: Message to the Future. The retrospective of the photographer’s work includes nearly 200 photos and is billed as the first to consider his work as a filmmaker. On opening night, DL participates in a program. Whitney Museum of American Art. 99 Gansevoort. New York. http:// www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/DannyLyonMessageToTheFuture

Vegans expected at the Rose Bowl. Photo from Photo from Los Angeles Vegan Beer and Food Festival website.

FOOD. 18 June. Los Angeles Vegan Beer and Food Festival. Depending on ticket tier, unlimited pours of beer, wine, kombucha, craft soda and cold brew as well as access to more than 70 vegan restaurants and the pop up marketplace. A portion of all proceeds goes toward The Gentle Barn which works to provide a place of healing and safety for at-risk youth and animals. Rose Bowl. 1001 Rose Bowl Dr. Pasadena, CA. http://www.veganbeerfest.com/

22 June and Beyond

Calling all cat people to CatConLA. Photo from CatConLA Facebook page.

FILM. 22 June-9 July. 2016. The 15th New York Asian Film Festival (presented by Film Society of Lincoln Center and Subway Cinema. The festival attracts some of the most edgy work, featuring some of the most popular stars of the moment in Asian cinema. Also awards and talks. Walter Reade Theater and SVA Theatre. New York. http://www.filmlinc.org/festivals/new-york-asian-film-festival/

Harvind Raj as Appoy in Shanjhey Kumar Perumal debut film, "Brutal." Photo from festival website.
LIFESTYLE. 25 and 26 June. CatConLA. Convention for cat people, that is individuals who like cats. Products, panels, furniture, food, ideas and experts. At the Reef, 1933 S. Broadway. Los Angeles. http:// www.catconla.com/

Last Day TFF2016: On a Frightening Acid Trip Down Memory Lane With ‘the bomb’

In "the bomb," footage of parts of Japan after the atomic bomb was dropped. Photos by V.W.

BY V.W.

GOD help us all if any of the club members have a meltdown moment. We’d all be ... melted down or suffer some similar, awful fate.

Here to remind us of this outcome is “the bomb.” The closing film of the "15th annual Tribeca Film Festival" continues its world premiere run tonight with showings at 7 and 10. From Kevin Ford, Smriti Keshari and Eric Schlosser, “the bomb” addresses the nuclear threat.

The Nuclear Club, the so-called name for the countries that admit to or are known to have nuclear weapons, is a motley crew: China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia, United Kingdom and, of course, the United States. Do note that these are the countries that have come clean about their nuclear possessions.

Anyone with the remotest knowledge of geopolitics is aware that there exists a massive amount of tension among members of the club, heightening the relevance of “the bomb.”

It is a multimedia work by virtue of being projected on a series of large screens that surround the main show space at Gotham Hall. In the center, playing live, is the band, The Acid. It can be inferred from the 360-degree view of the film that it's a metaphor for the reality that the nuclear threat surrounds us.

Like a typical documentary, “the bomb” uses archival footage to take the viewer back and forth in time to various points of development of nuclear weaponry.

Disturbing business all around such as footage of animals being carted and taken away to be guinea pigs for scientists to test the effects of nuclear energy on living beings that will have similar reactions to humans .

The busy work of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s The Manhattan Project, the piece of nastiness that started the nuclear arms race and crushed a society, is cited. Back then, it all seemed so simple and innocent. Today, it is obvious that it spawned menaces to society.

Scene of the aftermath of a bomb attack in "the bomb."

In truly satirical moments, “the bomb” uses clips from propaganda films of the 40s designed to allay the fears that a wary, but trusting U. S public had about radiation poisoning. Of course, the effects of the atomic bomb on Japanese citizens would give lie to those assurances.

As comic as it is alarming is the PSA instructing children to duck and hide in the event of a bomb attack. Downright sinister is the Lockheed Martin manifesto.

Fast forward to today and “the bomb” shines the spotlight on certain members of the Nuclear Club saber-rattling under the guise of the harmless testing of their nuclear weapons. Or bragging about their capabilities.

“the bomb,” occasionally obtuse and too enamored with mushroom clouds, does not offer solutions. Rather, it seems to illustrate the problem ,and in doing so, exhorts us to remember the lessons of the past. To not forget what was wrought when The Bomb was dropped.

It quietly beseeches us to undertake the necessary course to avoid another catastrophe, one that will likely take us all out next time.

We’d do well to heed this counsel.

Other films/events on today's TFF2016 schedule: “Win,” “Children of the Mountain,” “Do Not Resist,” “Keepers of the Game,” “The Tenth Man,” “Here Alone,” “Adult Life Skills,” “Junction 48,” “Midsummer in Newtown,” “Untouchable,” “Dean,” “The Fixer,” “Kicks,” “Little Boxes,” “Women Who Kill,” “Madly,” “Check It,” “Between Us,” “Fear, Inc.,” “The Ride,” “Prison Dogs,” “Life, Animated,” “Almost Paris,” “Strike a Pose,” “SHORTS: New York Now, “Nerdland,” “Custody,” “Geezer,” “Mr. Church,” “King Cobra

Visit http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival to learn more about it and the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, including tickets and schedule.

Day 4 TFF2016: 'Bugs' and the Many Splendid Ways to Feast on Them

Ben Reade drinks honey from an African stingless bee at a farm in Uganda. Photos by V.W.

BY V.W.

IN the mood for Chicken w/garlic crumbs in buffalo worms? How about fried noodles in black soldier fly larvae?

Not your cup of tea? It may be one day if the world fills up with too many people and there is not enough beef, for instance, to go around.

With this very plausible outcome in mind, “Bugs” makes a very compelling and sometimes queasiness-inducing case for the West to also turn to the world of edible insects as a future food source.

From Andreas Johnsen, the documentary has its world premiere this evening at the 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival. The engaging guides in “Bugs,” chef Ben Reade and researcher Josh Evans, trot the world over meeting people who eat a steady diet of insects of all kinds.

Perhaps maggot cheese is not your thing. Nor is tabouli with locusts. But it is very difficult to dismiss “Bugs” during a moment in time when the "industrialized" food of the West is making people sick and killing them.

Josh Evans and Ben Reade eat escarole tortilla at a Mexican farm.

More later. For now, a pictorial and video.

Sustainable farm (Uganda)

Maggot cheese (Italy)

Escamole w/vegetables (Mexico farm)

Escamole saute (Mexico restaurant)

Escamole tortilla (Mexico restaurant)

Queen Termite in nest (Kenya)

Queen Termite on leaf (Kenya)

Queen Termite on cooker (Kenya)

Queen Termite w/mango (Kenya)

Termites at market (Kenya)

Other films/events on today's TFF2016 schedule: TFI Interactive, “Hacked by Def Con and Mr. Robot, “Do Not Resist,” “The Fixer,” “The Ticket,” “Shorts: Learning Curve,” “Little Boxes,” “Lovetrue,” “Win,” “Burden,” “Tribeca Tune-In: Love of Spock,” “California,” “Houston, We Have a Problem,” “Women Who Kill,” “Nerdland,” “Shadow World,” “The Happy Film,” “Contemporary Color,” “National Bird,” “Solitary,” “Detour,” “Madly,” “Jeremiah Tower: The Last Magnificent,” “Youth in Oregon”

Visit http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival to learn more about it and the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, including tickets and schedule.

Day 2: TFF2016: 'Intersection of I,' Frank Talk About What Whiteness Means to Me

In "Intersection of I," Hadley and other millennials discuss the impact that identifying as white has on their lives. Photo by V.W.

BY V.W.

VERY casually, Connor discloses that he has been arrested more than 20 times. Selling drugs, is one of his offenses. "I did what I wanted to do knowing there would be no consequences," he confesses without a trace of shame.

Welcome to the engaging and provocative “Intersection of I," a multimedia installation in which 23 part-white and white millennials speak candidly about the impact of "whiteness" on their lives.

"There have been plenty of times where I have taken advantage of it," Connor says of his white privilege.

“Intersection of I” is making its world debut today through 17 April in the virtual reality and installation space, Storyscapes, at the 15th annual Tribeca Film Festival.

From Whitney Dow, it is the second series in his “The Whiteness Project.” During a brief chat at a press preview yesterday, the award-winning filmmaker says he conceived the work as he became aware that as a white person he was bringing the racial experiences of others to the fore without having examined his own, specifically his white male privilege.

Of “The Whiteness Project,” WD says wanted to present work in which white participants could have a “transformational experience.” It was not his desire, however, to present an “argumental thesis” in defense of whiteness. Further, he had in mind an interactive experience.

“Intersection of I” is situated in what’s called the 5th Floor Hub at Spring Street Studios, command central of Tribeca. Before visitors enter the space, they are asked to allow a photo of a part of their skin to be taken. It will be immediately added to a digital skin color storyboard within the exhibit that looks like a collection of fabric swatches.

In addition to the storyboard, the installation includes a world map that shows in real-time where people are watching. Their comments appear on a screen above the world map. On a huge projected screen, across from visitor bleacher-style seating, are photos and names of the 23 people featured in “Intersection of I.”

The questions they have been asked about whiteness have been recorded. Visitors can hear their remarks by speaking their names into a microphone. The mic acts as a mouse.

Say “Lena” and her image fills the screen; she explains why she alters her appearance to appear less Arab and more white.

Alfredo is Hispanic, too, and proud of it. But when he identifies as white, “I have more freedom to be who I am.”

Carson wonders how much he has actually accomplished on true merit. He is discomfited because he doesn’t know what he has earned by hard work and what has been handed to him because he is white.

No black males appear in "Intersection of I," an obvious oversight. Nor is there anyone who is part black, but who can pass for white yet does not do so. Moreover, no Native Americans.

Though forthright, WD's explanation to the effect that it was not possible, owing to the constraints of time and budget, is tepid. He is contrite, however, which mitigates these omissions.

"I am eventually hoping to have 1,000 interviews altogether. And once I do that, then you will be able to go into it and pick from a greater number of interviews," he explains. "...The project is in pilot stage. It is absolutely not fully representational of the way I'd like to have this conversation."

For “Intersection of I,” WD chose millennials aged 15-27 in part because “they have much stronger language skills around talking about identity” than Gen Xers and Baby Boomers.

"Intersection of I" participants live in Greater Dallas. In part one of "The Whiteness Project," "Inside the White/Caucasian Box," WD spoke about their whiteness with residents of Buffalo, NY between the ages of 24 and 75.

Of millennials, he continues, their perspective is that ‘the world has to take me on my terms.’

“I also thought it would be interesting to talk to people who are also in this place of forming their own identities, that they’re still in the process of not being like this codified thing.”

Other films/events on today's TFF2016 schedule: “Kicks,” “30 for 30: The Magic Moment,” “Nerdland,” “As I Open My Eyes,” “Dreamland,” “Keep Quiet,” “After Spring,” “Haveababy,” “Holidays,” “Madly,” “Tickling Giants,” “Win!,” “All this Panic,” “Do Not Resist,” “Mother,” “First Monday in May,” “Shorts: New York Then,” “The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea.”

Visit http://www.tribecafilm.com/festival to learn more about it and the 2016 Tribeca Film Festival, including tickets and schedule.

ON THE TOWNS: Beats at High Altitudes in Austria; Hatitude in Harlem; 90 Years of Martha; Lapping Up Chunky Monkey & Cherry Garcia; Dancing With Horses; On Film Fest Circuit

Jungle plays the Snowbombing festival for the first time. Photo from Snowbombing Web site.
The time has come. Welcome to the debut of On the Towns, our humble events calendar. We have received numerous requests over the last few years to publish such a chronicle. It makes sense. There are many festivals, concerts and other entertainments and gatherings that we wish to bring to your attention. Heretofore, it has not been possible, owing to limitations of space and staff. On the Towns, which will appear the first week of each month and will be updated throughout each month, is one small way that we can meet this challenge. We hope that you will find some things each month to engage you.

APRIL 2016

A list of goings-on around the world, from Snowbombing in Austria, to both the Great American Hat Show. and LOOT at the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) in New York. And Free Cone Day at Ben&Jerry’s Scoop Shops in various countries, including Brazil and Singapore.

1-7 April

MUSIC. 1-4 April. Desert Hearts. Cutting-edge house and techno music festival. Los Coyotes Indian Reservation. Warner Springs, Calif. http://www.deserthearts.us/

FILM. 1-5 April. Focus on French Cinema Festival. Festival is dedicated to showcasing the best French-language films from around the world . French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF). 55 East 59th St. New York. http://www.focusonfrenchcinema.com/

FILM. 7 p.m. 4 April. Kino & Vino Series. Monthly industry screening party sponsored by the Chelsea Film Festival and Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea. Screening of “Semper Fidel.” Bow Tie Cinemas Chelsea. 260 W. 23rd St., New York. http://www.chelseafilm.org/semper-fidel/

MUSIC. 4-8 April. Snowbombing. The world’s No. 1 music festival on snow. Mayrhofen ski area. Mayrhofen, Austria. http://www.snowbombing.com/

MUSIC. 7 p.m. 5 April. Nashville Pussy. The hard rock band in concert. Magasin 4. Avenue du port 51 B, Brussels, Belgium. http://www.bit.ly/1UFKxU1

MUSIC. 6 p.m. 6 April. RED HOT GALA. Benefits the Glimmerglass Festival’s Young Artists and Summer Internship Programs. The Metropolitan Club. 1 East 60th Street, New York. https://www.glimmerglass.org/support/gala/

MEETING. 7-9 April. Black Girl Movement Conference. Organized by Institute for Research in African-American Studies at Columbia University (IRAAS). Issues related to cis, queer and transgender Black girls (18 and under) in the United States. Columbia University. New York. http://www.bit.ly/1TJl36a

The Black Girl Movement Conference aims to empower select groups black females 18 and younger. Photo from IRAAS Web site.

FILM. 7-15 April. 17th Havana Film Festival New York. Celebrates Latin American cinema. Various locations. New York. http://www.hffny.com/2016/

ART. Through 14 April. Anima. Installation explores the concept of soul and the divide between man and animal. Combines art, magic and anthropology. The Invisible Dog Art Center. 51 Bergen St., Brooklyn. http://www.theinvisibledog.org/

8-14 April

Attendees to The Great American Hat Show can leave with their very own fascinator. Photo from Harriet Rosebud Hats Website.

FASHION. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. 9 April. Great American Hat Show Skincare and makeup master classes. Also “The Fabulous Fascinators” master class: students take home their own fascinator. Dance performance. Fashion show. Shopping. The Harlem Commonwealth. 361 W. 125th St. New York. http://www.harrietrosebudhats.com/

Free ice cream cones on Free Cone Day at Ben&Jerry's Scoop Shops. Photo from Ben&Jerry's Website.


FASHION. 4:30 p.m.-8 p.m. 11 April. LOOT 2016 Opening Benefit. Patrons of the Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) meet LOOT 2016 jewelry artists and can purchase their designs before the show opens to the general public. Cocktail hour. Reception. Also a dinner honoring LOOT 2016 Award recipients Joan Hornig and Kay Unger. LOOT opens to the general public 10 a.m.-6 p.m. on 12-16 April. MAD. 2 Columbus Circle. New York. http://www.MadMuseum.org/

A necklace from LOOT 2016 artist Pawel Kaczyński. Some of his pieces are refined until they resemble things found in nature such as flowers. Photo from MAD Website.


FOOD. 12 April. Free Cone Day. Ben&Jerry’s shows its appreciation to customers by offering an ice cream cone at its scoop shops around the world. Ben&Jerry’s Scoop Shop. Various countries. http://www.benjerrys.co/1RyuvEp


FILM. 13-24 April. 15th Tribeca Film Festival. Films from 32 countries and more than 70 world premieres. Various locations. New York. http://www.tribecafilm.com/

Hannah Overton in "Until Proven Innocent," which makes its world premiere at the Tenth Annual Dallas International Film Festival. Photo from DIFF Website.


FILM. 14-24 April. Tenth Annual Dallas International Film Festival. More than 160 films, panels and events. Various locations. Dallas. http://www.bit.ly/1PGkvrt

15-21 April

PieJu Chien-Pott in Martha Graham's "Lamentation." Photo by Christopher Jones.


ART. 15-24 April. Open Plan: Cecil Taylor. Fifth of six in Whitney’s series of exhibitions in its open-plan fifth floor. The Taylor retrospective is to feature recorded and live performances, including a sold-out concert by the iconic musician on 14 April. Also video and audio installations, photos, poetry and recollections by various artists who have been inspired by the man. Whitney Museum of American Art. 99 Gansevoort St. New York. http://www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/OpenPlanCecilTaylor

Wendell Pierce and Kerry Washington in "Confirmation." Photo from HBO Website.


FILM. 8 p.m. (EDT). 16 April. Confirmation. Starring Kerry Washington as Anita Hill and Wendell Pierce as Clarence Thomas. The film is based on the latter’s 1991 Supreme Court nomination hearings. HBO. http://www.hbo.com/movies/confirmation

ART. 17 April-26 June. Intrude. Four-city tour of public art installation by Amanda Parer of Australia. Presented by Arts Brookfield, “Intrude” depicts white nylon-inflated rabbits illuminated from within. New York, 17-30 April; Houston, 9 May-14 May; Los Angeles, 5 June-11 June; Denver, 17-19 June, 24-26 June. Brookfield properties. Free. New York. Houston. Los Angeles. Denver. http://www.brookfieldplaceny.com/events/intrude/

Cecil Taylor, rehearsing at the Whitney Museum of American Art, will perform a soldout concert the day before his retrospective, "Open Plan: Cecil Taylor," opens at the museum. Photo from Whitney Website.

DANCE. 7 p.m. 18 April. Martha Graham Dance Company 90th Anniversary Gala. A special program to celebrate the 90th year of the venerable dance company includes performances of classic pieces. Dinner. Dancing. The gala culminates the season, which opens on 14 April. New York City Center and The University Club of New York. New York. http://www.marthagraham.org/tickets-events/

22-28 April

Courant Splash brings together math-minded high schoolers.

DANCE. Noon. 23 April. Inter-species Encounters. A performance of humans and horses will be the featured showcase at the Dressage Nationals. Centenary Equestrian Center, Centenary College. Long Valley, New Jersey. http://www.equus-onsite.org/#!news/c1wnl

MEETING. Noon. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 23 April. Courant Splash. Annual one-day lecture series at the Courant Institute of New York University for mathematically gifted high school students in the New York metropolitan area. Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. 251 Mercer St. New York. http://www.csplash.org/


DANCE. 27-29 April. YAGP Finals Week and YAGP 2016 Gala Stars of Today Meet the Stars of Tomorrow. Final rounds performances and gala of YAGP, the world’s largest student ballet scholarship audition. BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music) Howard Gilman Opera House. Brooklyn. http://www.yagp.org/

Humans and horses will dance together during the Dressage Nationals at the Centenary Equestrian Center. Photo from The Equus Project Website.

ART. 27 April-12 Feb. 2017. Human Interest: Portraits from the Whitney’s Collection. Exploration of the changing face of portraiture from 1900 to 2016. Whitney Museum of American Art. 99 Gansevoort St. New York. http://www.whitney.org/Exhibitions/HumanInterest

THE WRIGHT WREPORT: Name Has Changed; Our Sense and Sensibility Are the Same

Some things have changed since 2015.

BY V.W.

IT’S a new year – HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! – and it has swept in some changes at our humble, little publication. For starters, we’ve tweaked our name.

You can now call us The Wright Wreport featuring VEVLYN’S PEN or The Wright Wreport, for short. Like it? We hope so. We sure do!

This new year will bring other changes, too. Heretofore, my byline has been YOURS TRULY and has only appeared on cowritten articles. Henceforth, my articles (and photos), such as this one, will carry the simple byline, V.W.

Yet another change is a renovation. More specifically, expect a new and improved layout. This is yet months off, though, so consider this only an early-bird heads up.

Though the name has changed, the high standards of journalism that are our stock in trade remain the same. Our address is also unchanged: vevlynspen.com. Even when we transition over to The Wright Wreport, you will still be able to reach us at vevlynspen.com, though we encourage you to make the transition with us.

Team VEVLYN’S PEN ... er ... The Wright Wreport Team has been on a short sabbatical since the holidays. However, do note dear, dear readers that we return wrefreshed, wrecharged and wreinvigorated.

Indeed, we are as committed as ever to informing, entertaining, inspiring and engaging in the realm of art&culture / fashion&beauty / food&drink / movies&music / theater&TV …

Next week, we bring you New York Fashion Week: Men’s FW 2016 and more. Stay tuned!

@NYFF53 Closing Film: Traveling 'Miles Ahead' and Taking Wild Detours With Don Cheadle

Miles kin: Vincent Wilburn, Jr. (nephew), Cheryl Davis and Erin Davis (children) after the press and industry screening of "Miles Ahead." Photos by Yours Truly.

DON Cheadle and Aaron Sorkin are on the same page in their approach to the biopic.

Both are on the record, emphatically stating their lack of interest in a "cradle-to-grave” treatment.

An approach in the case of "Miles Ahead" that will surely raise hackles among those expecting the expected and grousing about what has been left out. In a work that was never meant to be exhaustive, incidentally.

“It would be done better as a documentary," DC said about that traditional approach to "Miles Ahead" during the press conference after the press and industry screening of the film, which was attended by several MD family members.

The Miles Davis biography, the closing film of the 53rd New York Film Festival, has its world premiere this evening. Not only does DH star as MD, he also directed the film and co-wrote the script.

AS gets a writer's credit on a film about another controversial, visionary cat: the eponymous “Steve Jobs,” the NYFF53 centerpiece ( http://www.bit.ly/1VLtrjv).

The ending of "Miles Ahead" features a modern-day Herbie Hancock and Wayne Shorter, both MD collaborators. In fact, HH arranged the music for "Miles Ahead."

Implied at the end is a perpetuity that pays homage to MD's musical philosophy. It will surely set tongues a-wagging. Note the words on the back of his vest.

Both writers have delivered bios that are anything but linear. In “Miles Ahead, DC uses as a jumping-off point, MD's seclusion in his apartment once upon a time in the 70s, supposedly finishing his next album, the first in a long spell.

He is also agitating to get paid by Columbia Records while being dogged by “Rolling Stone” magazine reporter Dave Brill (Ewan McGregor), a composite character, according to DC.

Do pay attention, because the action in "Miles Ahead" does not take place sequentially. Recall that it is non-linear. A troubled man is looking back on his life, recalling triumphs and regrets.

At any given point, Miles' reminiscences may go back a few weeks, then a couple of decades, then forward a decade.

Now, forward two decades, back one, forward one, back one, back one, forward one and back two and so on.

Producer Pamela Hirsch, Vincent Wilburn, Jr. (nephew), producer Lenore Zerman and Erin Davis (son) after the press and industry screening of 'Miles Ahead."

It's as if someone is on an acid high. Credit to John Axelrad for such scythe-like editing, particularly of the boxing match scene.

Superimposed over the melee is an image of DC as MD playing his horn in a happier time. A beautiful piece of chaos in motion.

Much has been made of the fact that DC looks nothing like MD, except for coloring. Many have wondered how he would pull it off.

Well, DC – a quiet unassuming artist, has nailed MD – a tortured, talented, temperamental artist – with little makeup, a spot-on rasp and massive acting chops. Five or 10 minutes into “Miles Ahead,” DC becomes MD and it's on.

This is what good actors do. They inhabit a character and through some sleight of body only known to them, become the character right before our very eyes.

The result is a wild, sometimes wacky, fantastical thrill ride with a pulsing soundtrack.

Visit http://www.filmlinc.com to learn more about the 53rd New York Film Festival, including showtimes and venues.

@NYFF53 Day 14: Sublime Expressions of Love, Laughter and Loss in 'Heart of a Dog'

Lolabelle is the star of "Heart of a Dog." Photo from "Heart of a Dog" Facebook page.

IT is difficult to watch “Heart of a Dog” and not leave with a smile on your face and a smirk on your heart.

Visual artist, musician, director Laurie Anderson weaves anecdotes about her beloved, rat terrier, Lolabelle,” into observations and reflections on post-911 New York City, growing up as well as sundry other matters.

The film debuts this evening at the 53rd New York Film Festival.

“Heart of a Dog” is at once a visual essay and an epic poem on the level of the Iliad. Indeed, it relies heavily on figures of speech associated with poetry – metaphors, similes, anaologies – to tell a story about love and loss via myriad avenues.

Often in “Heart of a Dog,” LA spends considerable time discussing a seemingly unrelated topic until perhaps midway she connects the dots. It's akin to freefalling on a roller coaster, then at the last minute being swept upward. It is an exhilarating thrill ride.

A major character in “Heart of a Dog,” a commissioned by Arte, is LA’s narration. Hers is the voice of a raconteur. A light night deejay. Her vocals, backed by a dreamy soundtrack, hypnotize the listener, lulling and pulling her/him in to this wonderland.

Elsewhere, the visual aides and animation – veterinary hospital scenes, New York neighborhoods, ice skaters, hawks flying overhead, document storage facilities – are quite potent, highlighting LA’s skill as a visual artist. Two mediums are at work simultaneously – one a film, the other a shifting/ever-changing painting.

Though a times this mosaic is amorphous, it is never not wonderful. Even as it veers toward the incomprehensible, "Heart of a Dog" gently wills the viewer to tag alone, promising a fascinating discovery.

The most powerful and wonderful imagery of all, however, is of the lovely, loyal, talented Lolabelle.

Visit http://www.filmlinc.com to learn more about the 53rd New York Film Festival, including showtimes and venues.