Author Archives: Scott

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About Scott

A cultural thinker with a life long interest in the arts and humanities: theatre, music, architecture, photography, history, urban planning, etc.

LR Film Fest: Heifer Social Impact and World Shorts Awards

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TheseBirdsWalkA new award was presented at the 2013 Little Rock Film Festival Arkansas Times Awards Gala.  The Heifer Social Impact Award recognized a film that best promotes awareness and advocacy of global problems and solutions.  The funding for the award came from the National Park Service through the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

The award was actually presented first on Saturday night at an event sponsored by Heifer and presented again at the Sunday evening gala.  The award went to These Birds Walk which was directed by Omar Mullick and Bassam Tariq.

The World Shorts Award went to Amy Seimetz’s “When We Lived in Miami.” It was shown in the “Sore Times” block of films.

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LR Film Fest Awards: Arkansas Times Audience Choice

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bridegroomThe Little Rock Film Festival concluded on Sunday evening with the Arkansas Times Awards Gala.  There were thirteen awards presented that evening. A fourteenth award – the Diamond Award for Excellence in filmmaking – was presented earlier in the festival to Harry Thomason and Linda Bloodworth-Thomason.

The Arkansas Times Audience Award went to Bloodworth-Thomason’s Bridegroom.  This documentary had previously won an audience award at the 2013 Tribeca Film Festival where the film was introduced by President Bill Clinton.

Because the filmmakers were unavailable to attend on Sunday and accept the award, Shane Bitney Crone, one of the subjects of the documentary, accepted the award.

May 21 Architeaser

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Today’s architeaser looks at the unique water spouts on the Museum Center building.  Built as a railroad terminal in 1927, it later served as the press building for the Arkansas Democrat. In 1998, a $12 million adaptive reuse was completed. The building is now home to restaurants, offices and the namesake Museum of Discovery.

One of the other occupants of the building is Riverfest.  The staff and volunteers are busy at this time getting ready for the three day festival this weekend.

“One Mind for Research” at Clinton School tonight

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clinton-school-logoTonight at the Clinton School Speaker Series, General Peter Chiarelli will give a presentation entitled “One Mind for Research” at 6pm at Sturgis Hall.

The former vice chief of staff of the U.S. Army, retired General Peter Chiarelli has 40 years of experience designing and implementing American defense policy for the army and Department of Defense in peace and during combat operations. After retiring from the army in 2012, he was named CEO of One Mind for Research, a non-profit organization dedicated to curing the diseases of the brain and eliminating the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness and brain injuries.

At the Clinton School, Chiarelli discusses his advocacy for eliminating the stigma associated with service members and Veterans seeking and receiving assistance for the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress and Traumatic Brain Injury.

QQA Preservation Conversation: Tour of Woodruff House

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woodruff houseThe latest Quapaw Quarter Association Preservation Conversation is this evening.  Instead of being at Curran Hall, this one is a tour of the William Woodruff House, located at 1017 East 8th Street. The program will begin at 5pm this evening.  This tour is one of the QQA’s activities for Arkansas Heritage Month.

The William E. Woodruff House was built in 1852-3 and placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. In 2007, the Historic Preservation Alliance of Arkansas place the Woodruff House on its Most Endangered List.

Woodruff was the founder of the Arkansas Gazette. The two and one-half story house sits on three lots just two blocks east of I-30, near the MacArthur Park Historic District and the rapidly developing River Market District. Originally built in the Greek Revival Style, the house has many Colonial Revival elements, dating from an early 20th century remodeling. The footprints of outbuildings are still evident on the property, and the original cistern is located nearby.

The Quapaw Quarter Association’s mission is to promote the preservation of Little Rock’s architectural heritage through advocacy, marketing and education.

Incorporated in 1968, the QQA grew out of an effort to identify and protect significant historic structures in Little Rock during the urban renewal projects of the early 1960s. Throughout its existence, the QQA has been a driving force behind historic preservation in Greater Little Rock.

 

LR Look Back: Mayor Dan T. Sprick

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SprickFuture Little Rock Mayor Dan T. Sprick was born on May 19, 1902.  He served three terms on the Little Rock City Council (from 1935 to 1941).  In 1945, he was elected Mayor of Little Rock and served one term.

Sprick later served for ten years in the Arkansas State Senate (from 1961 to 1970).  During his tenure in the Senate, Sprick was closely aligned with Gov. Orval Faubus.  When the Little Rock high schools had been closed a year to ensure segregation, Sprick had served on the board of a private school set up by some of the leaders of the segregation movement.

His time in the Senate was also marked by controversy.  He was one of three Senators to opposed Muhammad Ali’s speaking at the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville.  After an Arkansas Gazette editorial lambasted him, Sprick sued the paper for libel. The Gazette settled with him out of court because his health was poor.

Sprick died in January 1972.

 

Sunday Food Trucks at LR Film Festival

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IMG_5408Along with an amazing line-up of films, music and parties at the 7th Annual Little Rock Film Festival this year, the LRFF in association with FOOD XING has a mouth watering line-up of Little Rock’s finest mobile eateries (a.k.a. FOOD TRUCKS!) open and available from during the festival weekend Friday  through Sunday -10:30 a.m. until 10 p.m.

Take your pick from a variety of options as you stroll down downtown Little Rock this year, while waiting on your next screening/event or are simply just hungry and want a taste of Little Rock’s finest. Eat you heart away!

Sunday, May 19 at 6th and Main at the BEST Day Parking lot (across from The Rep). Open from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

1. Blackhound BBQ– pit smoked meats and sides, turkey legs, lemonade, sausage sandwiches

2. Bryant’s BBQ– fresh cut fries, smoked pork and beef, jerk chicken and Cajun beans and rice, hand squeezed lemonade

3. Trott’s Place– burgers, gizzards, wings and fries

4. Roxie’s Hot Dogs– hot dogs, nacho’s and Frito pies

Some of the vendors will stay from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.