Film festival season kicks off at the Kravis, FAU celebrates America’s 250th birthday through the arts, and the Symphonia premieres a major collaboration. Plus, a women’s art showcase at the Cornell and more in your week ahead.
THURSDAY
What: Opening night of “America 250: We Hold These Truths: We Walk These Grounds”
When: 4:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Schmidt Center Gallery at FAU, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton
Cost: Free
Contact: fau.edu/galleries
As the United States celebrates the 250th anniversary of its founding, exhibitions such as this one, organized by FAU Galleries and FAU’s Department of History, prompt reflection on the ideals on which the country was founded and the complexities of its conception. Patriotism takes myriad forms through the voices of the six artists selected to participate in “We Hold These Truths,” whose work reimagines iconic American symbols, from the apple tree to the presidential portrait. They include Doug Mills, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential photographer; John Hitchcock, a Robert Rauschenberg Foundation grantee; Yves Gabriel, a local artist with an international reach; and award-winning artists Daesha Devón Harris, Carlos Betancourt and Melissa Sclafani. The exhibition runs through March 29.
FRIDAY
What: Opening night of “The Art of Her”
When: 6 to 8 p.m.
Where: Cornell Art Museum, 51 N. Swinton Avenue, Delray Beach
Cost: Free, with suggested $5 donation
Contact: 561/654-2220, delrayoldschoolsquare.com/cornell
Opening Friday and running through the entirety of Women’s History Month in March, “The Art of Her” celebrates the diverse ways women are represented through the lens of art. Comprising some 45 pieces from members of the Painted Ladies of Palm Beach County—a collective of professional and emerging artists who meet monthly for art tours and workshops—this juried exhibition features work that is both abstract and figural, realist and fantastical. Visit Friday evening for live music, refreshments and the opportunity to confab with the artists. Otherwise, the show runs through May 3.
SATURDAY
What: Boca Beer Wine & Spirits Fest
When: 6 to 9:30 p.m.
Where: Mizner Park Amphitheater, 590 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
Cost: $68.58 ($18.39 for designated drivers)
Contact: beerwinespiritsfest.com
The capacious grounds of Mizner Park Amphitheater will once again provide the ideal backdrop for a merry evening of drinking, eating, socializing and enjoying live entertainment. The parent company of the Beer, Wine and Spirits Fest hosts similar events around the country, from New York to Los Angeles, but the 30+ drink vendors here are locally driven, from Funky Buddha Brewing and Prosperity Brewing to Trendsetters Spirits, South Beach Brewing and Mangrove Bay Rum. Enjoy unlimited samples of their creative libations, and supplement with food prepared on site and available for purchase. Interactive games, entertainment and nonfood vendors complete the experience.
SATURDAY AND SUNDAY
What: The Symphonia: “EBENUS”
When: 7 p.m. Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday
Where: The Studio at Mizner Park, 201 Plaza Real, Boca Raton
Cost: $58-$95
Contact: 954/910-5826, thestudioatmiznerpark.com
The thrill of the unknown drives this special program from the Symphonia. A world-premiere concerto for clarinet and orchestra, “EBENUS” is a rare cross-continental collaboration between two composers of global renown: Kinan Azmeh of Syria and Christophe Chagnard of France. Of Azmeh’s work, the Los Angeles Times offered praise that bordered on the carnal—“[his] clarinet [is] able to seduce with a rare intimacy and explode in ecstasy”—while the award-winning Chagnard addresses themes such as racism, climate change and social injustice through his original works. “EBENUS” will support the artists’ belief in music as a universal language that can provide hope in troubled times. It joins a program that also includes Dvorak’s “New World Symphony.”
SUNDAY
What: Opening night of the Donald M. Ephraim Sun & Stars International Film Festival
When: 7:30 p.m.
Where: Kravis Center, 701 Okeechobee Blvd., West Palm Beach
Cost: $90 (includes cocktails and audience discussion); later screenings $15
Contact: 561/832-7469, kravis.org
We are entering peak film festival season in the Palm Beaches, with this selection of curated international titles, now entering its fourth year, leading the way. The festival opens with “Ethan Bloom,” a coming-of-age comedy, set in Coconut Grove, about a 13-year-old boy navigating the effects of puberty while studying for a bar mitzvah he’d rather avoid. Actors Hank Greenspan and Rachel Lefevre will be in attendance for an audience Q&A following the screening. The festival continues at the Kravis through Jan. 31, then switches to Hooky Entertainment in west Delray Beach Feb. 1-5. Its highlights include “Islands” (7 p.m. Jan. 26), a German neo-noir in the style of Patricia Highsmith’s Tom Ripley stories; and “Andy Kaufman is Me” (7 p.m. Jan. 27), a documentary about the trailblazing comedy subversive, featuring classic clips of his short-lived career and reflections from fans such as David Letterman and Carol Kane. Visit sasiff.org for the full schedule.
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