Save the Date for the Reel Artists Film Festival, February 24 to 28, 2010
Still from Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child Courtesy Arthouse Films
The seventh annual Canadian Art Reel Artists Film Festival opens on Wednesday, February 24, 2010 with the CANADIAN PREMIERE of Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child, Tamra Davis’ definitive behind-the-scenes story of artist Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Linda Yablonsky of the New York Times calls it “a profoundly moving testament to an artist who really could not do anything but make paintings, to the gritty New York of the early ’80s and to the creative community that helped foster Basquiat’s genius.”
The festival will once again host a FREE day of films for students on Friday, February 26, 2010. Full student screening information will be posted on the Reel Artists microsite in January.
Other festival highlights include the WORLD PREMIERE of a film about El Anatsui, the first black African artist to achieve the highest levels of world acclaim; the NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE of a film about Antony Gormley’s highly controversial living monument in London’s Trafalgar Square this past summer; and several TORONTO PREMIERES—including a film on legendary Nova Scotia painter Alex Colville and two films that follow globetrotting Japanese artists Yoshimoto Nara and the polka-dot loving avant-garde artist Yayoi Kusama.
Check the Reel Artists microsite in January for the full program and festival schedule.
The festival’s opening night screening and celebration takes place on Wednesday, February 24, at the Royal Conservatory, Koerner Hall, 273 Bloor Street West, Toronto. The Canadian premiere of Jean-Michel Basquiat: The Radiant Child will screen at 7 pm sharp and be followed at 8:30 pm by the opening night celebration.
All other screenings take place at the Al Green Theatre, Miles Nadal JCC, 750 Spadina Avenue (at Bloor Street), Toronto. General admission tickets are $9 in advance; festival passes are $50 in advance. Rush tickets, if available, are $10 ($5 for students/seniors with valid ID) 15 minutes prior to each screening.
Individual tickets for the opening night screening and celebration are $175. Buy your opening night tickets today! Click over to www.canadianart.ca/reelartists/tickets to order or phone (416) 368-8854 ext. 102.
