Awakening in Taos (2015), directed by Mark Gorden
A big thank you to everyone who attended this summer's "Movies at SAAM"! With over 700 visitors, the program was a huge success. The summer may be over, but not our film series. This fall get ready for three extraordinary films, and some special guests.
September 10, SAAM will kick-off the fall season with a special Washington D.C. premiere of the documentary Awakening in Taos. This hour-long film focuses on the life of Mabel Dodge Luhan, an early 20th-century influential and progressive writer, salon hostess, art patron, and social activist. Director Mark Gordon and producers Katie Peters and Pat Hall will join us on stage after the show for a Q&A. Soon to be on PBS this winter, this special screening is not to be missed. And it's only at SAAM.
On October 1, "Movies at SAAM" will show Werner Herzog's award-winning documentary, Cave of Forgotten Dreams. This film follows scientists into France's Chauvet Cave, where some of the world's oldest paintings have been preserved. Since new rules only allow researchers two-weeks per-year restricted access, this is a rare opportunity to see these 30,000 year old paintings.
In honor of the opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, we are showing the 1995 documentary Conjure Women on October 15. In this film, four extraordinary female artists attempt to reclaim their "Africanisms" through performance, song, and art. Conjure Women, directed by Demetria Royals, has been screened on PBS, at the American Film Institute, and won best Cultural Affairs Documentary at the Prized Pieces International Film and Video Festival.
Join us this fall on our journey through art history as we explore 30,000 year old cave-paintings, learn how Mabel Dodge Luhan used the land of Taos, New Mexico to influence many early 20th-century artists, and enjoy the thought-provoking performances of four African American artists.
All showings begin at 3 p.m. at McEvoy Auditorium, and are free to the public.
