Were not shy about our love for the Museum of Contemporary Arts annual showcase of video art, the Optic Nerve Film Festival. Heck, New Times even voted it Best Film Festival in Miami this year. From Coral Morphologics glowing sea creatures to Christy Gasts tap dancing on the rim of Lake Okeechobee, our city is the fertile crescent of arted-up moving images. And Optic Nerve really highlights our best side. But this year, in honor of the museums 15th anniversary, MOCA opened the fest to artists from across the nation.
Of the 18 short films selected, four are South Florida creations. Jillian Mayers I Am Your Grandma made the cut, as did videos by Karlo Andrei Ibarra, Zachary Ordonez, and collaborators Ruben Millares and Antonia Wright. The video subjects range from amateur YouTube reactions to Psycho to watercolor animations of suburban bridal showers. As usual, MOCA will purchase one winning video for its permanent collection. (Although last year, the lineup was so rich that the museum bought three.)
Optic Nerve XIII will also expand beyond the typical one-night-only screening. The De La Cruz Collection will loop all of the 18 finalists from September 10 through October 8. See the 305s most inspired video freaks compete with artists from all over the U.S. this Saturday at MOCA.
Sat., Aug. 27, 7 p.m., 2011