“What sets Reel Poetry/Houston TX apart from other concurrent filmic poetics is an abounding embrace of all literary and artistic practices, rather than an impulse to respond to one literary trajectory.”
REELpoetry, curated by Toni Holland, is Public Poetry’s first poetry film event, featuring documentaries, workshops, panels, poetry performances, and cinepoetry.
What is cinepoetry? Public Poetry director Fran Sanders says cinepoetry takes the poet as departure: The poet is the beginning. Chosen from submissions from all over the world, the cinepoems that will screen include everything from silent films, narratives, the experimental, the traditional, and more.
Holland told Arts & Culture Texas, “What sets Reel Poetry/Houston TX apart from other concurrent filmic poetics is an abounding embrace of all literary and artistic practices, rather than an impulse to respond to one literary trajectory.” Holland will be teaching a Cinepoetry workshop on March 23, at 9:30 a.m. at UH-Downtown.
Saturday night features a screening of BaddDDD Sonia Sanchez, a documentary about poet, educator, dramatist, and activist Sonia Sanchez, known for being one of the leaders of the Black Arts Movement.
BaddDDD is a thorough portrait of Sanchez’s journey as a writer, legacy within the world of poetry, and impact as an activist. Surrounding its narrative core are readings and performances by Sanchez and others, accompanied by jazz. BaddDDD screens Saturday, March 23 at 7 p.m. at UH-Downtown and Sunday, March 24 at 4:25 p.m. at MATCH.
REELpoetry will feature two short Robert Frank films centered around the Beats, Pull my Daisy (1959) and This Song for Jack (1983). After the films, REELpoetry will feature a Writers in the Schools (WITS) video, and a poetry performance featuring poet Stalina Villareal and vocalist Ivette Roman. Outspoken Bean will premiere #midweekstanzas Season 3.
Public Poetry has put on regular and special programming since 2011, including a Monthly Library Reading series, an open mic hosted by Outspoken Bean, the PM Show, and a “Poetry Ride” to and from the Round Top Poetry Festival.
