Berkshire Short Film Festival to span two venues
Pittsfield — The Berkshire Short Film Festival will take place Saturday, Sept. 28, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Berkshire Community College’s Robert Boland Theatre and the Berkshire Museum.
The festival will include 43 short films from local and global filmmakers in the genres of comedy, drama, documentary, animation, horror, science fiction and more. All films are under 22 minutes in length, including some mini-shorts that tell a full story in under five minutes. Films will be shown in 90-minute blocks at both locations. An awards ceremony will take place at the end of the day at BCC.
Tickets are $10 for one 90-minute block, $25 for a full day that includes both screening, and $12 for seniors. For more information plus a full schedule of screenings, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Berkshire Short Film Festival at berkshireshortfilmfestival@gmail.com.
–E.E.
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Music & More to welcome Berkshire Children’s Chorus
New Marlborough — The New Marlborough Village Association’s Music & More series will present the Berkshire Children’s Chorus Saturday, Sept. 28, at 4:30 p.m. at the New Marlborough Meeting House, 154 Hartsville-New Marlborough Road.
The Berkshire Children’s Chorus is comprised of three choral ensembles involving nearly 50 children in grades 1-12 who travel from 18 different towns throughout the tristate area. The songs in Saturday’s performance are highlights from the chorus’ current program, “Choral Classics Through the Ages,” in which the choirs perform J. S. Bach, American folk, South African folk songs, Shaker hymns, contemporary choral and traditional spirituals. Founded in 1990 by Nancy Loder, the chorus is currently under the artistic direction of Julie Bickford.
The performance is free and open to the public. Donations are welcome. For more information, contact the New Marlborough Village Association at (413) 229-2785 or contact@newmarlborough.org.
–E.E.
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Illustrator Wendell Minor to discuss new children’s book
Stockbridge — On Saturday, Sept. 28, at 5 p.m., the Norman Rockwell Museum will welcome award-winning artist Wendell Minor, whose illustrated story “Hi, I’m Norman” employs a first-person narrative that engages young readers with Norman Rockwell’s life and career. Original artworks will be on view, and refreshments and book signing will follow.
The release of the book coincides well with NRM’s 50th anniversary, and its special exhibition, “Norman Rockwell: Private Moments for the Masses,” as well as the recent launch of Rockwell’s updated autobiography, “My Adventures as an Illustrator.” The original art for “Hi, I’m Norman” will become a part of NRM’s permanent collection via generous gift of the artist.
Trustee emeritus and a longtime friend of NRM, Minor was the 2018 recipient of the Norman Rockwell Museum Artist Laureate Award. His recent publication “Hi, I’m Norman” explores Rockwell’s life in episodes based on important moments in American history. Minor has illustrated dozens of picture books, and his work has won many awards and is in permanent collections of such institutions as the Norman Rockwell Museum, the Museum of American Illustration and the Library of Congress. His cover illustrations have graced novels by authors such as Toni Morrison, David McCullough and James Michener. He lives in Washington, Connecticut.
Tickets are $15 for museum members, $15 for nonmembers, and free for youth up to age 18. For tickets and more information, see the Berkshire Edge calendar or contact the Norman Rockwell Museum at (413) 298-4100.
–E.E.
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Fairview Commons to hold ‘Caring for the Caregiver’ presentation
Great Barrington — Fairview Commons Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, in collaboration with HospiceCare of the Berkshires, will host a “Caring for the Caregiver” presentation Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. Sarah Miller MSW, LCSW will address the topic of caregiver burnout and share tips on how to avoid it and promote positive relationships with those being cared for. As attendees participate in the informative presentation, their loved ones can create watercolor masterpieces at a free “Memories in the Making” workshop, sponsored by Fairview’s Adult Day Health program.
The presentation is free and open to the public. Light refreshments will be served. Pre-registration is requested. For more information or to register, call (413) 341-1474.
–E.E.
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Area writers honored at State House ceremony
Boston — With attendees including legislators, writers, librarians and the book community, Massachusetts Center for the Book presented the 2019 Library of Congress/Massachusetts Literacy Award and the Massachusetts Book Awards Sept. 17 at a State House ceremony.
Rep. Paul McMurtry, D-Dedham, chair of the Joint Committee on Tourism, Arts and Cultural Development, and Rep. Natalie Higgins, D-Leominster, House co-chair of the Library Caucus, provided the legislative welcome. Rep. William “Smitty” Pignatelli, D-Lenox, presented citations to Michelle Cuevas of Great Barrington, winner of the 18th annual Massachusetts Book Award in Middle Grade/Young Adult Literature for “The Care and Feeding of a Pet Black Hole”; and Brendan Mathews of Lenox, author of “The World of Tomorrow,” 18th annual Honors Book in Fiction.
The Massachusetts Center for the Book, chartered as the Commonwealth Affiliate of the Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, is a public-private partnership charged with developing, supporting and promoting cultural programming that advances the cause of books and reading and enhances the outreach potential of Massachusetts public libraries.
–E.E.
