Durham Hosts 4th Strange Beauty Film Festival

Durham is home to several film festivals each year. The biggest and most well-known is the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival, but there are others like the 10-day long NC Gay and Lesbian Film Festival, and even on about LEGOs.

There is also the Strange Beauty Film Festival.

IT celebrates something imaginative and odd. In its fourth year, the festival is held at Durham's Manbites Dog Theater Jan 24-26, 2013.

The festival shows dazzling and arresting short films from all over the place--this year's crop includes work from Estonia, Portugal, Argentina, Israel, England, and a heaping helping of local folks, including Jim Kellough, Bill Brown, Shambhavi Kaul, and Josh Gibson.

Special events this year include a brand new show from Tom Whiteside's Durham Cinematheque called CIRCLE SPIRAL SLOW. Whiteside describes it as archival explorations by him, with live music by Durham instrumental band Arrows Out.

There will also be another edition of the popular Strange Beauty Aural Fixation, an audio-only listening block curated by Jennifer Deer.

Tickets are $40 for the whole festival, or $12 for an individual screening block. Tickets are available from Manbites Dog. Watch the festival website for the complete schedule and teaser videos.

Learn more about all the film festivals held in Durham online.

New Theater Seasons Abound

It’s official: Durham theaters have announced their lineups for the 2010-2011 season and it is evident Durham is Where Great Theater Happens.

Manbites Dog Theater is kicking their new season of nine shows off October 7-23 with Breadcrumbs by Jennifer Haley. Tickets will go on sale September 6. Click here for more information about the entire season and to purchase tickets.

Duke Performances has also released a lineup for their upcoming season. Check out performances by the legendary Merce Cunningham Dance Company, Brooklyn Rider, Loudon Wainwright III & Friends, Carolina Chocolate Drops, and others. For ticket and schedule information, click here.

The Carolina Theatre has announced its 2010-2011 Star Series and highlights include an opening weekend celebration featuring Mavis Staples and The David Sanborn Trio, Betty Buckley – Broadway by Request, The Harlem Gospel Choir, Cirque Mechanics Boom Town, and Ladysmith Black Mambazo. Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

And last but not least, individual tickets for the DPAC – Durham Performing Arts Center’s 2010-2011 SunTrust Broadway Series are now on sale. Don’t miss a chance to see one of these fabulous shows. Visit www.dpacnc.com for more information.