In a world often tangled in chaos, there exists a profound force capable of unraveling knots of despair and fostering hope in even the darkest of moments: Love. It’s not merely a sentiment confined to romantic ballads or fairy tales; rather, it’s a dynamic energy that permeates every aspect of existence, transcending barriers and binding us together. What makes love truly extraordinary is its remarkable ability to heal, mend broken spirits, and ignite the flames of resilience within us. In this remarkable journey of healing, storytelling emerges as a potent catalyst, weaving threads of love into the fabric of our lives.
#OpenTVTonight Trailer
About the Event
Audience from #OTVTonight: A Return to Fellowship, hosted at MCA Chicago, 2023
Photo: Jaclyn Rivas
On May 28, 2024, Open Television (OTV) returns to the MCA with #OTVTonight: A Window into Love, a night dedicated to unlocking our humanity and celebrating the nuance needed to dismantle division and nourish empathy. For the sixth year, we're presented with the huge responsibility and expansive opportunity to unveil the storytelling magic of artists from all over the United States who are reimagining the role that media plays in healing ourselves and each other.
Explore the four selected titles and featured artists below. Through storytelling, we embark on a voyage of awareness, stepping into the shoes of characters who mirror our own joys and sorrows. We witness their triumphs and tribulations, their laughter and tears, and in doing so, we discover fragments of ourselves reflected in the narrative; it’s a profound reminder that beneath our differences lie common threads of humanity, woven together by the timeless thread of love.
Featured Works
How to Carry Water
SHORT FILM / HYBRID DOCUMENTARY / 15 MINUTES
This punk-rock fairy tale doubles as a portrait of fat, queer, disabled photographer Shoog McDaniel.
Work
SHORT FILM / NARRATIVE / 13 MINUTES
Unable to move on from a breakup, Gabriela impulsively drops into an old job, where she unexpectedly runs into a friend from her past.
A Real One
SHORT FILM / NARRATIVE / 15 MINUTES
A bright teenager learns the power of true friendship when a closely held secret is discovered.
Mooncake
SHORT FILM / EXPERIMENTAL DOCUMENTARY / 12 MINUTES
A meditation on genderqueerness and the blurred lines between influence, desire, and obsession.
Featured Artists
Featured artists from left to right: Shoog McDaniel, April Maxey, McKenzie Chinn, and Rraine Hanson
Courtesy of Open Television
SHOOG MCDANIEL (THEY/THEM)
FROM HOW TO CARRY WATER
Shoog McDaniel is a Southern, queer, non-binary, fat photographer and artist living in Tallahassee, Florida. Their work focuses primarily on fat bodies and nature. Learn more at shoogmcdaniel.com/.
APRIL MAXEY (SHE/HER)
FROM WORK
Los Angeles-based director from San Antonio, Texas, by way of New York City, April Maxey is most interested in working on stories that center underrepresented perspectives and explore the complexities of queer intimacy, grief, healing, and belonging in a way that is grounded and cathartic. Learn more at www.aprilmaxey.com.
MCKENZIE CHINN (SHE/HER)
FROM A REAL ONE
McKenzie Chinn is an award-winning writer, director, and actor based in Chicago. Driven by a revolutionary sensibility, her work uses rich imagery and an intimate lens to explore complex characters and stories of personal transformation, with a style rooted in sensuality and everyday magic. Learn more at www.mckenziechinn.com/.
RRAINE HANSON (THEY/HE)
FROM MOONCAKE
Jamaican-born, Los Angeles-based transdisciplinary artist Rraine Hanson is most interested in utilizing design and mixed media to tell stories that center the experiences and imaginations of queer and trans people of color. Learn more at www.rrainehanson.com/.
Conclusion
As we navigate the twists and turns of our own stories, let us remember the transformative power of love and the healing balm of storytelling. For in a world hungering for transformation, repair, and hope, these timeless treasures stand as beacons of light. We invite you to open a window into love during #OTVTonight, our beloved intersectional, late show-styled program featuring the premieres of How to Carry Water, Work, A Real One, and Mooncake; dynamic interviews with artists Shoog McDaniel, April Maxey, McKenzie Chinn, and Rraine Hanson; and the divine, sonic stylings of Chicago-based performance artist and DJ Mister Wallace—all hosted by yours truly. Make sure to grab a free ticket, available while supplies last.
