Somerville...in Shorts!-An Evening of Outdoor Experimental & Animated Films August 14, 2009

Ever wonder what Somerville looks like in shorts? (Short films, that is!) On a hot summer evening, Union Square lights up at nightfall with an outdoor screening of animated and experimental shorts by local filmmakers. The Somerville Arts Council and Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT) have joined forces to project work from local animators and experimental filmmakers, including Karen Aqua, Joel Frenzer, Steve Gentile, Gina Kamentsky, Norah Solorzano and The Zucker Brothers. Some of these filmmakers have shown internationally, like Karen Aqua, and many have shown nationally, most recently at the Boston Institute of Contemporary Art, including Joel Frenzer and Steve Gentile. Some of the films are playful and wild, like Gina Kamentsky’s “Einstein’s Riddle” (above, left); several shorts feature animals, like Frenzer’s zany “Paper Bears.” The works of local up-and-comers, many who have taken workshops at SCAT and Harvard, will also be showcased. Ranging from drawn animation to stop motion, humorous to ponderous, this family-friendly film fest is the first of its kind in the area.

Local indie band, Faces on Film, will warm up the square while waiting for darkness to descend. The Boston Globe named the band’s fi rst LP, The Troubles, an “Album of the Year” and frontman Mike Fiore just won best local singer-songwriter in the Boston Phoenix music poll. Following Faces on Film and preceeding the fi lm screening, Tim Devin locates us in time and place with his presentation of “The History of Somerville, 2010-2100,” a community art project. *Animator Karen Aqua is available for interviews: Contact her by calling 617-492-1970 or email [email protected].

About ArtsUnion: A Spotlight on the Culture and Diversity of Union Square
The Somerville Arts Council’s ArtsUnion Project is an initiative designed to boost the cultural economic development of Union Square, Somerville. Now in its fifth year, ArtsUnion has been instrumental in reinvigorating the artistic and business landscape of the area. ArtsUnion presents numerous events and markets, and leads cultural tours. In 2007, ArtsUnion commissioned local artisans to design streetscape furniture and, in 2008, began to implement the work surrounding a zoning/regulation review to further support the arts and the distinct character of the square. The Somerville Arts Council and the Mayor’s Office of Strategic Planning and Community Development created ArtsUnion, in partnership with ArtSomerville, Brickbottom Artists Association, Washington Street Art Center, the Somerville Historic Preservation Commission, the Somerville Chamber of Commerce, Somerville Open Studios and Union Square Main Streets. Generous funding for the initiative is provided by the Massachusetts Cultural Council’s John and Abigail Adams Program and the City of Somerville.