LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) and the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (AMFA) have teamed up for a weekend of special screenings, conversations, workshops, and puppet shows.
On July 8 and 9, puppet fabricators, puppeteers, animators, and directors will be at the Performing Arts Theater at AMFA, located at 501 E 9th St. in Little Rock.
The weekend will kick off on Saturday with Big Emotions! A Puppet Show + Conversation, a family-friendly puppetry sing-along performance.
Afterward, guests can join in a conversation with director Tiffany Kimmel, animator Carrie Hawks, puppet fabricator Becky Van Cleve and puppeteer Ginger Duncan on puppet fabrication.
“Puppets (or puppet films) are often seen as niche pastimes. It's easy to forget how puppetry has endured across millennia telling stories considered too dangerous to share openly,” said Kimmel. “In an age where technology is changing storytelling and the notion of work, this weekend-long program showcases a collection of films that are undeniably handmade, human-centric, and deeply cathartic.”
Doors will open at 1:30 p.m., with the performance starting at 2:00 p.m. Admission is $5. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online here.
The event will be open to anyone interested in storytelling with puppets.
That evening, ACS will screen a sneak preview of a Blueberry’s Clubhouse short “My Summer Vacation” and the Oscar-nominated, stop motion/live-action feature film Marcel the Shell with Shoes On.
The screenings will be followed by a Q+A with the film’s Head Puppet Fabricator Becky Van Cleve.
Admission is $15. Doors will open at 6:00 p.m., and the show starts at 6:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online here.
On Sunday, July 9, director Carrie Hawks will screen their film, “Inner Wound Real”, which tells the story of three BIPOC folks who self-injure before finding new ways to cope.
Afterward, they will lead a workshop aimed at eliminating stigma around self-harm, and how to start a conversation about mental wellness.
The screening and workshop begin at 1:00 p.m. Admission is $10. Limited tickets will be available. This screening and workshop are suggested for high school-age youth and older. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online here.
"I'm excited to be talking about mental wellness and utilizing the magic of animation to explore intense emotions," said Hawks.
Finally, later that afternoon, adult audiences can enjoy the Big Emotions! Shorts Block and Q+A— featuring stories such as, “Somebody Take the Wheel” by Kenzie Sutton, “Everybody Goes to the Hospital” by Tiffany Kimmel, “A Puff Before Dying” by Michael Reich and Mike Pinkney, and “Puppet Man” by Andrew Fuchs.
Doors will open at 2:30 p.m., and the show will start at 3:00 p.m. Admission is $10. Tickets can be purchased at the door or online here.
