• Znine
• Campus Calendar
• My Mav
• UTA Radio
• UTA Home
• Student Email
• Libraries
• Wikipedia

• Local Forecast
• Movie Listings
• Traffic Info
• TV Listings

July 26, 2007

Eye of the Beholder

Annual video festival encompasses many genres of work

Story by: A.J. Eaton

The Shorthorn staff

Courtesy Art

A movie still from Little Boy, the second installment in Frank Mosely’s perception trilogy, will be shown in the Dallas Video Festival. The character, Michael Morse, works on a sector of the Manhattan Project.

Pushing the idea that video is an artistic medium, the 20th annual Dallas Video Festival will highlight the work of filmmakers, including university students, professors and alumni.

The collection of more than 250 titles from 13 countries comprises experimental video art, documentaries, animation, silent movie theater and a collection of Lite-Brite art.

Art and art history associate professor Bart Weiss began the festival 20 years ago and now says it’s the largest of its kind in the country. Weiss also said he takes great care in selecting every title that’s shown.

“I spend all year looking for great work,” he said. “I went to Sundance [Film Festival], traveled to Europe and talked to curators from all over the planet.”

Weiss said some work comes from the university because he teaches here and sees it but that the work makes it into the festival because of its quality, and not due to any association with the university.

“I’ve seen all of the work, and I’m looking forward to being there with an audience and experiencing that connectivity,” he said. “I travel all over looking for work that will open people’s minds and give D/FW something they haven’t seen before.”

The work of filmmaker Frank Mosely, a 2006 alumnus, will be shown. Mosely’s works, Little Boy, Leave and Lion’s Den, use unique styles of filmmaking to tell a story in new ways. Little Boy was inspired by Plato’s words, “We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark. The real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.”

The 15-minute experimental film examines responsibility during the creation of the atomic bomb in 1945. Little Boy was shot on a soundstage to bring the aspect of theater to video.

The silent film El Automóvile Gris, or The Gray Automobile, will also be shown. The 1919 film is accompanied by piano and both Spanish and Japanese dialogue. The long-forgotten film chronicles the story of the Gray Car Gang who, with forged warrants, looted wealthy homes in 1915 during the Mexican Revolution.

In addition to films, the festival will host workshops for filmmakers and will show Lite-Brite creations from filmmakers and artists.

Dawn Quiett, festival media relations consultant, said there should be something for everyone.

“We show gay and lesbian programming, African-American programming, Latino programming, and overall 90 percent of what you see here, you won’t see anywhere else,” she said.

Film patrons may purchase an all-day pass for $10 on weeknights and $25 during weekends.

A pass for the entire festival is $80, but for those who only wish to see one program, an individual price is offered for $7.50

Special event tickets to El Automóvile Gris are $25.

Discounts are available to community partners, senior citizens and students.