The Houston Cinema Arts Society recently announced their lineup for the 2012 Houston Cinema Arts Festival. This year in honor of the 40th anniversary of Women Make Movies, the festival is emphasizing women directors. Both the opening and closing films of the festival are directed by women. Opening up the festival is Liz Garbus’s documentary on Marilyn Monroe, Love, Marilyn. And closing out the festival is Lisa Immordino Vreeland’s documentary on Diana Vreeland, Diana Vreeland: The Eye Has to Travel.
Alongside celebrating the 40th anniversary of Women Make Movies, the festival will also be showcasing the films distributed by Milestone Films. They will be looking at the work of director, writer and producer, Lourdes Portillo. Three of her films will be featured including her documentary, Corpus: A Home Movie for Selena, about the murdered Tejana pop star.
And the two founders of Milestone Films, Amy Heller and Dennis Doros, will be discussing Project Shirley, their campaign to restore and re-release the films of director Shirley Clarke.
Jolene McMaster, president of Women in Film & Television Houston, talked about the lineup and the potential it has to bring light to women’s work in film.
This celebration of film by women at the 2012 Houston Cinema Arts Festival will provide an opportunity to examine quality works by talented women whose inspiring films, if left to the studio system, might never have been made.
The festival will run from November 7–11. You can find more information on the festival here.
