Surreal/Reel
Co-presented with the Menil Collection
Friday, March 28, 8:00pm
Location: Menil Collection Front Lawn
FREE Admission
In conjunction with the exhibition at the Menil Collection, Magritte: The Mystery of the Ordinary, 1926–1938, Aurora curator, Mary Magsamen, has curated a special collection of short Surrealist Films including Magritte’s own home movies.  Enjoy the cool air of the Menil lawn and be transported to the 1930’s film world of strange, dream-like imagery from legendary filmmakers such as Hans Richter, Buñuel, Cornell and others.  READ MORE

This World Made Itself and Myth and Infrastructure by Miwa Matrayek
Co-presented by the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts for CounterCurrent 2014
Part of Media Archeology 2014
Wednesday, April 9th, 7PM
Free Admission
Los Angeles multimedia performance artist Miwa Matreyek creates magical, visually rich fusions of intricate animation and live performance that leave audiences spellbound. Her latest solo work, This World Made Itself, merges cinematic vistas with theater and intricate shadow play. The fantastical kaleidoscopic experience is sophisticated yet full of childlike wonder, leading the audience through the history of the earth, from its birth to today’s complex and fast-paced world. The thematic journey is a spectacle of surrealistic metaphor and fantasy. Matreyek also performs Myth and Infrastructure, which traverses seascapes, cityscapes and domestic spaces to conjure dreamlike scenes with nuanced layers of light and shadow.  Reception with the artist follows the screening. READ MORE
 
Media Performances by University of Houston Students
Co-presented by the University of Houston Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center for the Arts for CounterCurrent 2014
Thursday, April 10th, 7PM
Free Admission
Twelve students from the University of Houston will present collaborative performances that incorporate media in some way including: music, video, sound and writing.  These students are currently taking an art class with Aurora Curator, Mary Magsamen, where they are learning about interdisciplinary art practices that specifically employ performance and media (film, video, digital imaging, interactive design, cell-phone, games, sound). For the first part of the semester, the students have been introduced to the history and theory of performance art and media, and the second half of the semester includes this public presentation combining performance and media.  READ MORE
 

AURORA NEWS

Extremely Shorts Film Festival Accepting Submissions
Got Short Shorts?
Aurora Picture Show is pleased to open up submissions for the 17th annual Extremely Shorts Film Festival.  Started in 1998, the Extremely Shorts Festival is a juried competition of adventurous three-minute or shorter films and videos from around the world. Each year a different juror (esteemed filmmaker, film programmer or arts curator) selects 20-25 mini-masterpieces to be shown at a two day screening event. Audience Choice cash awards are given for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place. The short format of the festival encourages innovative approaches to moviemaking in a range of genres including narrative, art, experimental, documentary and animation. If you have films that are 3 minutes or less, please consider sharing them with us today.  All submissions are through Withoutabox.  Regular Deadline is April 1st and Late Deadline is April 8. HERE.

Aurora Filmmaking Boot Camps
Summer Camp Registration is Now Open
Each summer, Aurora hosts filmmaking boot camps where students can learn about, create, and discuss film and video at Aurora Picture Show. Camps will be held at the Aurora Picture Show Media Arts Center at 2442 Bartlett where campers will develop, produce and edit their own short films. REGISTER NOW

Meet Our Interns
Aurora Loves Helper Bees
Each semester Aurora welcomes a fresh crop of young faces as interns. In exchange for their support with administrative responsibilities, office management and events, we offer them hands-on experience as a non-profit media arts professional.  This semester, we are happy to announce that we have three helper bees.  If you have not yet met them at Aurora function, then please do say hello the next time that you join us! READ MORE

Now Hiring!
Paid and Unpaid Summer Positions
Aurora Picture Show is currently accepting applications for a paid Summer Filmmaking Summer Camp Apprentice position as well as unpaid interns that assist in the office and at all events.  Check out this link and follow the instructions on how to apply HERE.

Mobile Media Literacy
Aurora Picture Show in the Community
Through our Mobile Media Literacy program, Aurora Picture Show hits the road to visit hospitals, non-profit groups and local schools to bring media literacy and filmmaking to the community.  By working with partners such as Writers In The Schools, Texas Children's Hospital Cancer Center Art In Medicine Program and Young Audiences of Houston, Aurora works with established community programs geared toward youth. View some of these films HERE.

Meet Britt Ragsdale
Featured in the Curator's Corner
Each quarter, Aurora Curator Mary Magsamen highlights an artist from Aurora's diverse membership to showcase their work and introduce you to the Aurora congregation. This season, our featured member is Britt Ragsdale of Houston, Texas. Through photography, video and performance, she creates artwork based around social anthropology and the psychoanalysis of pretense. READ MORE