Film lives at the Wex with major visiting filmmaker lineup

Columbus, OH—October 7, 2015—With more than a dozen filmmakers visiting the Wexner Center throughout October, audiences will experience an extraordinary roster of on-the-rise film talent and established masters, all presented in an intimate setting often surrounding premieres of new work.  The series begins Thursday, October 8 with an at-capacity screening of How to Dance in Ohio, a Sundance sensation making its area debut with director Alexandra Shiva and producer Bari Pearlman.

David Filipi, director of film/video at the Wexner Center says, “We’re proud of our history of bringing the world’s most acclaimed filmmakers to Columbus. Hosting visiting filmmakers is one of our favorite aspects of our program and it gives our audiences the chance to not only hear from these artists, but also an opportunity to get an inside perspective on the filmmaking process. We say that film lives here at the Wex, and this month’s lineup of visiting filmmakers illustrates that.”

Visitor information: Unless otherwise noted, tickets for individual screenings are $8 for the general public and $6 for Wexner Center members, students, and senior citizens. Tickets are available in advance at tickets.wexarts.org, 614-292-3535, or at the ticket office. All films will be held at the Wexner Center’s Film/Video Theater, 1871 N. High St.

The full schedule for the October Visiting Filmmaker series follows.

October visiting filmmakers

How to Dance in Ohio (Alexandra Shiva, 2015)
Introduced by Shiva and producer Bari Pearlman
Thu, Oct 8 | 7 pm
No tickets remain

A favorite at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, this touching documentary follows a group of autistic Columbus teenagers and young adults as they prepare for a spring formal. (89 mins., DCP)

Miners Shot Down (Rehad Desai, 2014)
Introduced by Rehad Desai
Wed, Oct 14 | 4 pm
Free for all audiences

The gripping documentary Miners Shot Down explores a 2012 “wildcat” strike in one of South Africa’s biggest platinum mines. Six days into the spontaneous employee action, the police used live ammunition to suppress it, killing dozens and injuring even more. (86 mins., HD video)
Cosponsored by Ohio State’s Departments of African American and African Studies,Comparative Studies, and the Center for African Studies.

NSEW: Films by Vanessa Renwick
Introduced by Vanessa Renwick
Wed, Oct 21 | 7 pm

Spanning her 30-year career, this program provides an excellent introduction to an inspiring and extraordinary filmmaker: Portland-based DIY filmmaker Vanessa Renwick, founder of the Oregon Department of Kick Ass. Renwick’s wildly eclectic filmography covers a spectrum of tones, styles, and subjects with works that are hard to forget. (Approx. 90 mins., 16mm and video)

The Decline of Western Civilization (Penelope Spheeris, 1981)
Introduced by Penelope Spheeris
Fri, Oct 23 | 7 pm
$10 general public, $8 Wexner Center members, students, and senior citizens

Shot in 1979–80, Spheeris’s instant cult favorite The Decline of Western Civilization captures LA’s punk music subculture with still-startling performance footage and interviews with the likes of the Circle Jerks, X, Black Flag, and more. Spheeris will introduce and discuss this freshly restored and legendary documentary (100 mins., DCP). The Wexner Center will screen parts two and three of this acclaimed series at 2 pm Sunday, October 25. Additionally, collection of short films by Speeris will be screened at 7 pm Thursday, October 22.

Picture Lock: 25 Years of Film/Video Residencies at the Wex
Thu, Oct 29–Sun, Nov 1
Festival pass—includes admission for all talks and screenings: $30 general public, $25 for members, students, and seniors
Tickets for individual screenings also available

Discover one of the Wexner Center’s best-kept secrets and a rich legacy of film and video created right here in Columbus.

Over the years, the Film/Video Studio Program has welcomed a remarkable array of artists and filmmakers from around the world to work in our state-of-the-art postproduction facility. Picture Lock celebrates this illustrious history by inviting some of our favorite filmmakers back to present their own work along with rare screenings from our extensive archive. Hear from filmmakers such as Guy Maddin, Jennifer Reeder, Deborah Stratman, Gregg Bordowitz, Kevin Jerome Everson, and more. A complete schedule is available here.

More on Visiting Filmmakers at the Wex: http://wexarts.org/series/visiting-filmmakers