Inside the MFAH Posts by Marian Luntz
Marian Luntz is curator of film.
A Cinematic Look at Mexican History: Chatting with “Tales of Mexico” Producer Luis Salinas September 11, 2017
Luis Salinas, a Houstonian who produced the film “Tales of Mexico,” discusses the unique project with film curator Marian Luntz.
A Summer Salute to Legendary Actor Alec Guinness July 5, 2017
Revisiting the career highlights of Alec Guinness is a treat! Learn more about the actor before you join us for a summer series celebrating some of his most memorable roles.
Hong Kong Cinema Meets MFAH Films for “Chicken and Duck Talk” January 30, 2017
It’s always special when members of the Museum’s subcommittees share their areas of expertise with our audiences. On February 11, Karen Fang, a film scholar and member of our film committee, stops by to present a brief overview of her latest book, Arresting Cinema: Surveillance in Hong Kong Film, followed by a screening of the classic Hong Kong comedy Chicken and Duck Talk. She spoke with me about …
Celebrate Kirk Douglas’s Centennial with MFAH Films! December 7, 2016
Happy birthday to legendary actor Kirk Douglas, who turns 100 on December 9! To celebrate his centennial, we’re screening Lonely Are the Brave, a 1962 Western he cites as one of his personal favorites. Here’s a nice bit of trivia: This movie had its world premiere at a theater in Houston! With a screenplay adapted by legendary writer Dalton Trumbo—a friend Douglas had just collaborated with …
Happy Birthday! MFAH Films Celebrates Robert Frank November 1, 2016
Happy birthday to Robert Frank! He turns 92 on November 9 and is still one of the coolest guys I know. Our Museum has had the privilege of working with this venerable photographer and filmmaker for years. He is well represented in our permanent collection, and we’ve distributed his films since the 1980s. His birthday has inspired us to screen two films you won’t see anywhere else in town: a new …
Following the Road to “Aferim!” June 1, 2016
The films we show at the Museum give audiences the opportunity to see movies on the big screen, and we work with many film distributors who share that goal.
Latin Wave Celebrates 11 Great Years April 21, 2016
Latin Wave, our biggest annual film festival, returns from April 28 to May 1 with 11 new films from Latin America. Every year is a little different: The 2016 selection has a strong theme of young protagonists coming of age. The teens in Absence, From Afar, I Promise You Anarchy, Ixcanul, and The Second Motherall encounter unique challenges. We get absorbed in their lives, and come to sympathize …
Photography and Film Intersections: Laura Israel Presents Robert Frank March 23, 2016
Houston film and photography aficionados have something exciting to look forward to: the visit of Laura Israelon April 8 and 9. The go-to editor for New York’s film and music-video producers for years, Israel has maintained an active, parallel career working closely with Robert Frank, the legendary photographer and filmmaker. Frank, 91, initially recruited her to edit music videos he directed for …
The Art of the Short Film September 14, 2015
Short films have always been part of the Museum's year-round offerings, and our audiences enjoy them very much. Since we have several shorts programs coming up, I've been thinking about short-form filmmaking lately. Many artists, students, and novice filmmakers start out creating shorts. Martin Scorsese memorably interviewed his parents early in his career for a short film, Italianamerican. …
A Weekend of Tantalizing Turkish Cinema March 16, 2015
It’s an exciting time for Turkish cinema! At the 2014 Cannes Film Festival, Turkey's Winter Sleep won the prestigious Palme d’Or, and the centennial of Turkish filmmaking has been celebrated widely with retrospectives and events. Four years ago, we were approached about holding an annual Turkish Film Festivalat the Museum. Given Houston’s vibrant Turkish community, and knowing that local movie …
