Explore the world of visual, performing, and literary arts at venues all over town at the Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) from Thursday, November 10 through Thursday, November 17, 2016.
Now in its eighth year, the Houston Cinema Arts Festival brings films focused on the arts for eight days of viewing pleasure in a unique-to-Houston experience.
This year, the curated festival showcases more than 40 screenings and special events including Artist Talks, an AFI Directing Workshop for Women, a Meet the Makers Brunch, the Cinema Arts Celebration, the return of CineSpace (which highlights films with footage from NASA) a panel talk with investigative journalists, special programs of immersive Fulldome Dance & Animation and VR Gallery cinema, plus much more.
Celebrating the Arts & Those Who Create
A groundbreaking and innovative festival featuring films and new media by and about artists, the HCAF celebrates the vitality and diversity of the arts in Houston and enriches the city’s film and arts community.
Click here for a full list of screenings and event information.
Highlighted Films
In true Texas fashion, Honky Tonk Heaven: Legend of the Broken Spoke by Houston-bred filmmaker Sam Wainwright Douglas and Brenda Mitchell will open this year’s festival on Thursday, November 10 at Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, accompanied by a performance from popular Texas country artist Dale Watson.
In addition to the country-tinged opener, guests can check out La La Land, which tells the story of Mia (Emma Stone), an aspiring actress, and Sebastian (Ryan Gosling), a dedicated jazz musician, who are struggling to make ends meet in Los Angeles. The movie is an homage to the classical Hollywood musical.
Or sink your teeth into Lion, based on a memoir about five-year-old Saroo who gets lost on a train taking him thousands of miles across India. Away from his home and his family, he learns to survive the mean streets of Kolkata, before landing in an orphanage and being adopted by an Australian couple.
These are just a few of the programs attendees can discover over the course of eight days spread throughout some of the city’s most beloved venues.
Individual tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here; passes can be purchased in advance by clicking here.
VR Gallery at Cafe Brasil
Continuing the exploration of immersive cinema, HCAF16 will offer special virtual reality exhibits at Cafe Brasil and the Brandon Gallery beginning on Friday, November 11, in the VR Gallery which includes an Oculus Rift VR experience and a video installation by visiting Netherlands-based artist Maarten Isaak de Heer.
De Heer’s installation takes the user inside the experience of being blind, which is just one example of innovative cinema created for VR devices at HCAF16.
Fulldome Animation & Dance at HMNS
Attendees can take their viewing experience to the next level at the Houston Museum of Natural Science’s newly upgraded planetarium.
There guests will be completely surrounded and immersed by 360 degrees of projected dancing and animation all around them and above their heads at Fulldome Dance and Animation, created by de Heer and other filmmakers.
About Houston Cinema Arts Festival
Presented by the Houston Cinema Arts Society (HCAS), the eight-day Houston Cinema Arts Festival showcases films by and about artists in the visual, performing, and literary arts. Welcoming a bevy of Texas-born filmmakers, actors and other celebrity artists, showings are held at both traditional theatrical venues and through interactive video installations, live multimedia performances and outdoor projections.
The 8th Annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival
- Dates: Thursday, November 10 to Thursday, November 17, 2016
- Times: Times vary. Click here for a full list of event and screening information.
- Locations: Locations vary. Click here to see the full list of participating venues.
- Parking: Parking fees vary by venue. Click here for parking information at participating venues.
- Admission: Individual screenings range from free to $23. $80 Saturday or Sunday pass; $150 three-day weekend pass; $600 all-access pass. Individual tickets can be purchased in advance by clicking here; passes can be purchased in advance by clicking here.
This content was sponsored by Houston Cinema Arts Society. Per our advertising policy, 365 Things to Do in Houston only accepts sponsored content from businesses and organizations that meet our editorial standards and truly present a valuable activity, resource or destination for Houstonians and Houston visitors. Click here for more information about advertising your event, attraction, business or product on 365 Things to Do in Houston.
