Coming Soon to Screens Near You: Art, Sex and Passion
Documentaries explore a variety of topics.
If you could use more passion and art in your life, you’ll have the chance to find it this coming week at a pair of unusual movie screenings.
First up is “Second Nature,” a documentary billed as “everything you didn’t learn in high school biology.” The folks at Velo Cats Collective will host screenings of the movie Sunday, November 15 at 3 p.m. and again at 6 p.m. Tickets are generally $20, while those who need a break can purchase them at a reduced price by phoning Velo Cats at 360-344-2448.
The bike shop, on the roundabout at 1929 W. Sims Way, is not only a place where you can have your wheels fixed or even buy new wheels. It’s also a couch-furnished joint where you can hang out and enjoy a sense of community, co-owner Jonathan Arp has said. “We welcome all who welcome all” is a motto.
“Second Nature,” narrated by Elliot Page, is all about the diversity of gender and sexuality in the animal kingdom, from big cats to monkeys to giraffes. The 81-minute film premiered at the NewFest LGBTQ Film Festival in New York City; director Drew Denny reported that the first screening sold out. Then came the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas.
“Our SXSW screening was at 9 a.m. on the first day of the film festival and scheduled in the EDU section, so I was worried that no one would come. But our screening was full,” Denny writes on social media. She noted, too, that Reel Wild, a nature film festival in New York City, gave “Second Nature” its Special Jury Award.
Next comes a lineup of short films, presented by the Port Townsend Film Festival and Jefferson County Historical Society, at 7 p.m. Tuesday, November 17. Titled “Meraki,” after the Greek word for “passion to create,” this evening brings together a quartet of movies directed by Ward Serrill of Woody Creek Pictures in Port Townsend. Alongside producer Rocky Friedman, whom many know as the retired owner of the Rose Theatre, Serrill will show short films spotlighting local artists working in a variety of disciplines. The place is the Wheeler Theater at Fort Worden State Park, and tickets are $12. It’s a good idea to reserve them in advance at jchsmuseum.org.
The shorts range from about 16 to 19 minutes in length. First on the list is “Andrea Animates: A Wooly Love Story,” featuring animator Andrea Love and her stop-motion creatures. Then, “You and I Are Earth” reveals the art—made of grass, kelp, cedar and willow woven around the human form—of Jeanne K. Simmons. The film focuses on the creative work that carried her through the loss of her son Corbin, who died at age 23 in 2022.
“Wings for Ships” delves into the life of the sailmaking Chimenti family. And the world premiere of “Steve and Finn Ride Trains,” with poet Finn Wilcox and photographer Steve Johnson, completes the itinerary. Serrill and Friedman will conduct a question-and-answer session, with Simmons, Wilcox, Johnson and the Chimenti family on hand. This is a rare opportunity to look behind the scenes of documentary filmmaking and hear new insights straight from the subjects’ lips.
"It should be a pretty special night. Not only will we show four films starring local artists, but also four short original video essays or meditations, kind of like shorts before the shorts. Plus: a surprise we will unveil that night,” Serrill promised.
In each of his short films, Serrill seeks the essence of the artist’s endeavor. These makers are mixing soul, creativity and love, he says, and they are having a powerful impact on the world.
