Short Cuts

Numerous special film screenings are getting underway this week. An impressive six-part series, Short Films from Latin America, begins Thursday, May 8 at Mexic-Arte Museum. Presented by the museum and the Chicano/Latino Film Forum, the film series is organized and circulated by the American Federation of Arts. The survey includes 36 dramatic narratives, documentaries, and animated shorts from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Mexico, Nicaragua, Peru, Uruguay, and Venezuela. The subtitled prints offer a rare opportunity to see a diverse assortment of works from both film pioneers and young newcomers. The series is divided into six thematic programs which will be screened over two weekends. Program 1 (May 8) is titled "The Land"; Program 2 (May 9) "People at Work"; and Program 3 (May 10) "Change and Conflict"; Programs 4-6 are scheduled for May 15-17. All screenings are at 7pm at Mexic-Arte Museum (419 Congress); admission to each screening is $4 ($2 for students, seniors, and museum members; $10 for a weekend pass). For schedules and more info call 480-9373 or check out the Chicano/Latino Film Forum website at http://members.aol.com/aavila9999. Volunteers are also needed for projector set-up and concession sales; call the Film Forum at 708-0904... Janice Inskeep, the 1996 winner of the ACTV (now ACAC) Video Art award, is screening her new work "Fetus Kazoo" along with several of her old favorites including "Cockroaches in Love" and "The Box" on Tuesday, May 6 (8 & 10pm) at the Ritz (320 E. Sixth). The avant-garde video artist describes "Fetus Kazoo" as a musical that features the Potential Christ Cabaret and explores America's obsession with the aborted fetus. A $5 donation is suggested and the first 40 arrivals at each screening will receive a free kazoo... The film, The Twilight of the Golds, is being screened at the Paramount on Friday, May 9 as a benefit for the Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival and the Austin Federal Club of the Human Rights Campaign. The film stars Garry Marshall, Faye Dunaway, Brendan Fraser, and Jennifer Beals and is adapted from the high-profile stage play that in 1994 played to sold-out audiences at the Paramount two weeks before going on to Broadway. Austin co-producer Charles Duggan will speak about the adaptation process following the screening. Tickets are $10 for reserved admission; $35 for preferred seating and admittance to a post-screening private reception. Tickets can be purchased at the Paramount box office or through UTTM. Call 476-2454 (aGLIFF) or 750-4605 (HRC) for more info... This week the Austin Film Society presents Sam Fuller's autobiographical war drama The Big Red One, starring Lee Marvin, on Tuesday, May 6, 7pm, at the Texas Union. The Fuller series concludes the following Tuesday with the unforgettable White Dog... Kudos to Harry Knowles, whose Ain't It Cool website (http://www.aint-it-cool-news.com) was touted last week in this column. Well, those national arbiters of cool over at Entertainment Weekly agree. They glowingly profile Harry and his unique movie news site in their new issue (May 2). And, yes, it's very cool.