CANDID

On March 27th, Atlas O Phoenix and Simone LeClaire’s films combine to create a conversation on community, self-actualization, and more. You’re a Filmmaker, You’re an Artist, Moonplay Cinema's first cinema-literary zine officially releases on April 10th, with a night of experimental films curated by Jes Reyes. All events of CANDID are free.
 

Iconoclasmania Collection Screening and Conversation
March 19th, 6:30-9 PM
Open Book Performance Hall, 2nd Floor
Join us for the opening night of CANDID, our first interdisciplinary art festival! We will celebrate with a night of Black short films and a Q&A panel around the importance of storytelling and archival work in the journey towards Black Liberation. Special thanks to Da Comic Shop and Black Garnet Books for providing curated literature selections to browse and purchase. Curated and moderated by Sabrina Ford.
 

Panel guests include:
Hawwa Youngmark- Comic Artist and Founder of Da Comic Shop
Jai Stephenson- Filmmaker and Director of All My Niggas Surround Me
Kayla Jackson - Head Archivist of the Hallie Q. Brown Center
Za’nia Coleman - Multidisciplinary Artist and Co-founder of Tangible Art Collective
 

In Conversation: Simone LeClaire & Atlas O Phoenix
March 27, 6:30-8:30 PM
Open Book, Performance Hall, 2nd Floor
An evening of short films and conversation on community, self-actualization, and more with two award-winning filmmakers. Screening Do I Qualify for Love? and Little Men from Atlas O Phoenix. Screening To Ana and Daddy Buries Gram from Simone LeClaire. Moderated by Sabrina Ford
 

Cinecriture
April 10, 2024, 6:30-8:30 PM
Open Book Performance Hall, 2nd Floor
Moonplay celebrates the release of You're a Filmmaker, You're an Artist with a screening of short experimental films by Alison Bergblom Johnson, Andy Jacobs and Evan Flom, Cecilia Cornejo Sotelo, Hannah RW Hamalian, Hend Al Mansour, Kat Parent & See More Perspective, Petra Kuppers and Kym McDaniel, Sharon Mansur, and Amy Sands. Readings from Valérie Déus and Alison Bergblom Johnson. Curated by Jes Reyes.

About the programmers:
Sabrina Ford (she/her/hers) is a visual artist and independent curator born and raised in the Twin Cities. With a strong gravitation towards experimental filmmaking and carrying a research-based practice, the main intersections within her work at the moment are centered around black existentialism, new media, and dream analysis. Her curatorial practice is rooted in representation and providing spaces for artists to feel supported. Focusing particularly on black film in a personal and intimate context. (I.e: Diary, experimental, suggestive, documentary) Her goal is to create environments for others that are reflective of the people who occupy them, to create networks where none reside, and to support other makers who see similar issues in their communities. Graduated from the University of Minnesota with a BFA, she is the co-founder of the local experimental filmmaking collective, Onyx22 and the Producer of its Black cinema-focused public access show in St. Paul, Dream Chambers, receiving both a VAF and MRAC for the project. She is also a current resident artist at Public Functionary.
 

Jes Reyes (she/they) is an interdisciplinary artist, artist organizer, and art facilitator practicing mixed media art, textiles, video, and more. Her artwork is rooted in play, vulnerability, experimentation, collaboration, and the blending of disciplines. She has exhibited and screened her artwork throughout the Twin Cities and is the founder of the Altered Esthetics Film Festival and Moonplay Cinema. An extension of Jes's art practice is to bring artists and people together, building larger and stronger creative, compassionate, supportive, and responsive communities. Jes identifies as queer, feminist, and punk. She is passionate about equitable arts access and offering support to other creatives. Jes received a Master of Liberal Studies from the University of Minnesota. Her Bachelor of Art is in Film & Electronic Media and Women’s Studies from California State University, Long Beach.

This activity is made possible by the voters of Minnesota through a grant from the Minnesota State Arts Board, thanks to a legislative appropriation from the arts and cultural heritage fund.

About Moonplay:

Moonplay Cinema is an artist-run project promoting and celebrating auteur-driven experimental, documentary, and innovative narrative work from gender-diverse filmmakers. We are committed to supporting underserved and underrepresented filmmakers who work across and within various art genres and mediums. www.moonplaycinema.org