Settling in to watch a movie is a quintessential, cozy autumn activity. Now that fall semester has officially started, students looking for a meaningful cinematic experience can always visit the Wexner Center for the Arts.
Over the next few months, the Wex will showcase a diverse lineup of film and video content sure to captivate any cinephile or the average moviegoer. Click on the title of any event to learn more information.
- Illya Mousavijad in “Between a Lost Home and a Losing Destination” (Aug. 24-Oct. 31) (Free)
Using “computer-animated generation techniques,” Mousavijad examines the exile experienced in the Iranian diaspora. The artist explores the struggles of immigrants in his short film, drawing inspiration from the famed magic carpet as depicted by the collection of Eastern folk tales “One Thousand and One Nights.” In Mousavijad’s work, the magic carpet portrays the dichotomy of memory and reality, conveying the experience of an Iranian immigrant struggling to maintain access to their memories from home while living in the United States.
- “Umm Kulthum: A Voice Like Egypt” (Aug. 27-Sept. 12) (Free)
Viewed as “one of the greatest singers in the history of Arabic music,” Umm Kulthum transformed from a popular performer into a nationally influential individual in Egypt, with this documentary to prove it. The film — narrated by renowned Egyptian actor Omar Sharif — reflects on the artist’s life before she passed away in 1975 and contains interviews of her friends and peers as well as concert footage from her many live performances.
- “my eye has no iris: Collected Short Films by Palestinian Women” (Sept. 6) (Free)
This short film program consists of seven different vignettes, carefully crafted by Palestinian women. Though every short film is under 15 minutes in length, the project’s creative impact is anything but small. Special guest Sara Abou Rashed — a Palestinian-American poet and Columbus resident — will also be in attendance to give a preliminary poetry reading.
- “King Coal” Screening and Q&A with Elaine McMillion Sheldon (Sept. 8) ($5+)
Sheldon contributes her perspective as a coal miner’s daughter in her short film exploring the day-to-day cultural relevance of coal in Appalachian society. In her distinct and spirited portrayal of her Appalachian community, Sheldon imagines a future for the region independent of its reliance on coal. After the screening, Sheldon will be joined by Brian Harnetty, a Columbus composer and musician with familiarity of Appalachia as a soundscape.
- “The Changeover System: A Projector Performance Installation” (Sept. 20) ($5+)
New York-based artists Sandra Gibson and Luis Recoder are visiting the Wex for the first time to showcase their newest “expanded cinema performance,” where they use hand-blown glass objects and other distorting materials to alter images within films. In line with their existing record of film transformation, Gibson and Recoder’s performance reinvents cinematic film projection.
- The return of Secret Cinema (Sept. 22) ($3)
Feeling spontaneous? For a $3 fee, Secret Cinema attendees can purchase a mystery movie ticket. Keep an eye on the Wexner Center’s Instagram and Facebook pages, as select hints could be released prior to the 7 p.m., screening.
- Cartoon Crossroads Columbus Spotlight on DreamWorks Animation (Sept. 27-Oct. 1) (Free)
Over the course of several days, the Wex will collaborate with the Cartoon Crossroads Columbus festival to offer free screenings of DreamWorks Animation’s most casually and critically acclaimed movies. In addition to beloved titles such as “Shrek” and “Kung-Fu Panda,” participants can look forward to a special showing of “The Prince of Egypt,” which is turning 25 years old this December.
