In an evening that will get you off of your couch and out into nature, Aurora invites you to join in a garden party with film, food and flowers. Ride your bike, walk your legs or drive on over, but don't forget your blankets or chairs to sit in the grasss for a night under the stars in Mandell Park in Houston’s Museum District. In partnership with Friends of Mandell Park and State Farm Agent E. Bailey Moore, Aurora Picture Show presents a night under the stars with short films about gardening and nature on Saturday, September 26 at 7PM in Mandell Park, 1501 Richmond Ave. The screening is curated by Mary Magsamen of Aurora Picture Show.
Bees, manicured lawn, community gardens and dung beetles are just a few of the subjects in this big-screen presentation of garden-inspired short films. The program features animation, live action and documentary films that highlight gardening and natural environments. In addition to the screening, gardeners from Meredith Gardens will host tours of the gardens and offer brief demonstrations of seed planting. Household chefs are also invited to arrive early with garden-inspired culinary treats to share with the community. Each chef will be entered into a drawing with gifts courtesy of Whole Foods Market. Fuze Beverages will also be on hand to share their yummy drinks.
WHAT TO BRING: Picnics, garden-inspired pot luck tasting, blankets and lawn chairs.
WHAT NOT TO BRING: Alcoholic beverages, any glass containers.
Garden Party Film Selections
Every Third Bite, 8:53, In the past few years, millions of bees have disappeared from their hives. More than just a honey matter, the lives of bees are connected to us and our ecosystems in more ways than we can count. From Media That Matters
Inch By Inch: Providence Youth Gardens for Education, 8:18, The story of Inch By Inch began four years ago in Providence, Rhode Island. Ilana was building a raised-bed vegetable garden with fellow Brown University students in their back yard. The experience connected Ilana to her New York City roots, where she used to garden with her father on their roof, and introduced her to questions of food quality and environmental issues like lead contamination. From Media That Matters
Dandelion Wine, 4:00 by Melinda Stone and Sam Sharkey.
Wanna get drunk? Don’t have a dime, make Dandelion Wine! From How to Homestead.Way Home, 9:00, by Erick Oh. A story featuring a fly, a dung beetle, and a farmer. Through a tragic episode that is also filled with humor and brightness, I would like to give the viewers an opportunity to think about what they are chasing after and what is truly precious in life. When considering the theme of the film, some would perceive a fate that no one can alter, or a natural cycle of life. Others would simply experience the nothingness at life's end. Regardless of which notion would weigh heavier on their minds, it would all narrow down to a question about 'life' after all.
The Nightgardener, 9:00, by Jennifer Hardacker. Images appropriated from old educational films are projected onto floral screens and rephotographed. Dancers sway on a petal and singers perform in a lily. Filmmaker and gardener merge in the concept of cultivation and found sounds and imagery. It is the life of a garden after dark.
The Garden Dissolves Into Air, 6:00, by Jennifer MacMillan. A cinematic exploration through the Brooklyn Botanic Garden, using a super-8 camera and the simple power of observation; a document of flowers, butterflies, dragonflies, and goldfish has been captured and analyzed through the optical printer and FinalCut Pro. A true film/video hybrid of science and imagination, this digitally manipulated 16mm film in some small way approaches the marsh flowers of Odilon Redon, where the marvels of nature become part of the dream world!
Garden Without Flowers, 4:00, by Alyssa Sherwood. A short animation shot under an Oxberry camera using watercolor cut-outs and backgrounds. Fausto Caceres created the sound.
ABOUT STATE FARM
Your Good Neighbor State Farm Agent E. Bailey Moore can be reached at 713-522-6511. Please thank him for his support of this great community event.
ABOUT MANDELL PARK
Bordered by Richmond Avenue, Mandell and Bonnie Brae Streets in Houston's Museum District, Mandell Park was designated as an official City of Houston park in 2003, but has long been home to the Meredith Gardens, an organic community garden in continuous operation since 1992. An organic community garden, the Meredith Gardens is an inner-city oasis. In addition to fostering community spirit and cooperation, the garden provides a learning environment, for the natural ecosystem and organic gardening. Maintained by 15 volunteer gardeners, the garden has hosted educational visits by home-schoolers, public and private schools, as well as college students, girl scouts, boy scouts, and garden clubs.