HCAF 2013 Venues and Partners
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Mark Sullivan / Nick Scurfield
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
HOUSTON CINEMA ARTS FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES 2013 VENUES AND PARTNERS
ART-FUELED FILM FESTIVAL ENTERS FIFTH YEAR IN BAYOU CITY
HOUSTON – The 2013 Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) – taking place November 6-10, 2013 – will center on venues in downtown Houston and the Museum District within easy access of the Metro Rail Red Line and B-Cycle stations. Venues, announced today, include Sundance Cinemas Houston, Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH), Asia Society Texas Center and hotel partner The Sam Houston Hotel – giving HCAF the added and legitimate claim of being a truly walkable festival – along with the nearby Aurora Picture Show.
“We are extremely excited to be celebrating the fifth year of the Houston Cinema Arts Festival,” Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS) Executive Director Trish Rigdon said. “The festival continues to grow by leaps and bounds, and this promises to be our best year yet. We are thrilled to be working with exceptional presenting partners who are returning this year to help make the festival possible, and we’re equally as excited to welcome our new hotel partner, The Sam. The official Festival Headquarters and location of the Cinema on the Verge interactive media installation gallery are still in the works – we plan to announce these locations in September.”
Featured Presenting Partners for HCAF 2013 are returning sponsors Levantine Entertainment, Houston First Corporation and Anadarko Petroleum Corporation. Levantine, in addition to its important support of the festival overall, hosts the annual Levantine Cinema Arts Award, which was presented to Isabella Rossellini in 2010, Ethan Hawke in 2011 and Robert Redford in 2012. Redford’s conversation with Houston’s own Ernie Manouse before a packed house at Sundance Cinemas was one of the highlights of the 2012 festival.
The Sam will serve as the hub for filmmakers and guest artists of the 2013 fest. The boutique hotel is located a few short blocks away from Sundance Cinemas in downtown Houston and is a first-time partner of HCAF.
The 2012 HCAF presented 54 programs, more than 60 speakers and the Houston premieres of several feature films during its five-day run in various downtown and Museum District venues. The festival began with a sold-out screening of LOVE, MARILYN with the movie’s producer Amy Hobby at MFAH and closed with a sold-out Houston premiere of DIANA VREELAND: THE EYE HAS TO TRAVEL, followed by a conversation between director Lisa Immordino Vreeland and fashion icon Lynn Wyatt. This year’s program of film premieres, live performances, media installations and special guests will be announced at the Festival launch party for HCAS members and sponsors on October 15 at The Sam.
ABOUT THE HOUSTON CINEMA ARTS SOCIETY
Houston Cinema Arts Society is a non-profit organization created in 2008 with the support of former Houston Mayor Bill White and the leadership of Franci Crane. HCAS organizes and hosts the annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival, a groundbreaking and innovative arts festival featuring films and new media by and about artists in the visual, performing and literary arts. The festival celebrates the vitality and diversity of the arts in Houston and enriches the city’s film and arts community. HCAS sponsors include the Crane Foundation, a grant from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, Levantine Entertainment, Houston First Corporation, Anadarko Petroleum Corporation, Champion Energy Services, Amegy Bank of Texas, The Brown Foundation, Inc. and others. The project is also supported in part by an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 2013 Houston Cinema Arts Festival was held Nov. 6-10. For more information, please visit HCAS at www.cinemartsociety.org.
ABOUT LEVANTINE ENTERTAINMENT
Levantine Entertainment, LLC develops, produces, and distributes compelling and entertaining feature-length motion pictures. Levantine presents projects with Middle Eastern themes and cross-cultural sensibilities to North American audiences, focusing on the interaction between the Western world and the Middle East. Levantine films promote understanding and inspire dialogue across cultures, captivating audiences and challenging stereotypes through the power of great storytelling. Levantine develops scripts and partners in conjunction with experienced filmmakers to create high quality entertainment targeted to Western audiences. For more information, visit www.levantine-films.com.ABOUT HOUSTON FIRST CORPORATION
Houston First Corporation operates the city’s finest arts and convention facilities to position Houston as a world-class destination. Houston First manages more than 10 city-owned buildings, plazas and parking facilities. Properties include Miller Outdoor Theatre, Wortham Theater Center, George R. Brown Convention Center, Jones Hall and Hilton Americas-Houston. For more information, visit www.HoustonFirst.com.
ABOUT ANADARKO PETROLEUM CORPORATION
Anadarko is among the world’s largest independent oil and natural gas exploration and production companies, with 2.56 billion barrels of oil equivalent (BOE) in proved reserves at year-end 2012. Its deep and balanced portfolio of assets encompasses premier positions in major U.S. onshore shale and resource plays, and oil-focused opportunities in deepwater basins worldwide. During 2012, Anadarko produced approximately 732,000 BOE per day – enough to meet the daily energy demands of approximately 24 million average American homes. For more information, visit www.anadarko.com.ABOUT THE SAM HOUSTON HOTEL
Located in heart of downtown Houston at 1117 Prairie Street, The Sam Houston Hotel reflectsthe proud heritage of Texas pioneer Sam Houston, who lived a life full of rich experiences that helped shape the city of Houston. The boutique hotel’s 100 rooms and suites were redesigned in 2013 with comfort and simple style in mind, combining clean décor with contemporary touches. The Sam is surrounded by historic landmarks, the city’s best entertainment destinations, major corporations and several entertainment and shopping venues. The hotel is ideal for meeting and event planners, thanks to more than 3,000 square feet of meeting and event spaces, equipped for comfort and productivity. For more information, visit www.thesamhoustonhotel.com.