Art House 201 Film Festival - Feb. 2-4

***An upcoming event happening in our community. Consider supporting our local arts!

Harrisonburg, VA – The Arts Council of the Valley (ACV) announces Art House 201, the second annual film festival celebrating the visual and performing arts. The event will take place February 2 – 4, 2012 at Court Square Theater (CST), 61 Graham Street. The three featured films are My Kid Could Paint That, Young at Heart, and A Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy to be shown at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. each evening in a rotating schedule. Tickets are $6 per film. Movie attendees are invited to enter a raffle for a free DVD copy of each of the three featured films.

The purpose of Art House 201 is two-fold. First, this is a celebration of the arts in its diverse forms. ACV believes the arts are foundational to a vibrant community and want to encourage the public to consider the role of art in their lives. Second, this festival provides an opportunity to educate the community on the mission of CST. CST is an intimate art house that celebrates the independent and foreign films as well as unique theater, music, and dance.

The featured films:

My Kid Could Paint That:  Does modern art look more like a paint store exploded to you? How can such seemingly haphazard swirls fetch prices that would purchase a home? This movie follows the early artistic career of Marla Olmstead, a young girl from from a small New York town who gains fame first as a child prodigy painter of abstract art, and then becomes the subject of controversy concerning whether she truly completed the paintings herself or did so with her parents’ assistance and/or direction. Watch, and decide for yourself if she’s a genius, a puppet, or merely a kid fingerpainting.

Young at Heart:  If you’re only as old as you feel, then these senior citizens still have a lot of rocking to do. Join the final weeks of rehearsal for the Young at Heart Chorus in Northampton, MA, whose average age is 81, and many of whom must overcome health adversities to participate. Their music is unexpected, going against the stereotype of their age group, performing songs, for example, by James Brown, and Sonic Youth. Although they have toured Europe and sang for royalty, this account focuses on preparing new songs, not an easy endeavor, for a concert in their home town, which succeeds in spite of several real heart breaking events. Come learn why “Rock ‘N Roll will never die.”

Rehearsal for a Sicilian Tragedy:  The American actor John Turturro is known for creating slice of life characters with instant rapport. Several years ago he traveled to Sicily in order to work on a motion picture and promptly fell in love with the land of his ancestors. He had never been to the birthplace of his grandparents before, and since that film shoot he’s made it almost a second home. Experience Sicily alongside Turturro as he brings us along on his working vacation. This colorful, informative travelogue and a touching portrait of a gifted artist’s delight in embracing his family roots also explores the puppetry tradition and its high status in pre-cinematic entertainment.

Thank you to our event sponsor, the Virginia Commission for the Arts.

For a detailed schedule and to learn more about the films, visit www.CourtSquareTheater.com or www.ValleyArts.org.

Since opening its doors in 2002, the Arts Council of the Valley and its Court Square Theater have emerged as a dynamic force in the cultural, economic, and educational life of our community. It produces, manages, and promotes the visual and performing arts from its two locations: the Smith House and Court Square Theater. Art openings occur the first Friday of the month from 5-7 p.m. and are open to the public. For more information on the Arts Council visit www.valleyarts.org or call (540)-801-8779.