Movie and culture aficionados celebrated Houston creatives at the 9th annual Houston Cinema Arts Festival, a five-day marathon of screenings and performances, beginning with opening-night festivities at the MFAH and the Rice Cinema. The latter featured a panel discussion with Bun B and a rap battle between Houston’s Scotty Raps and Liven Learn. The fest also included the NASA-endorsed CineSpace short-film competition, which was judged by Richard Linklater, and a performance-laden event at White Oak Music Hall. Houston artists performed renditions of hit songs from Singin’ in the Rain as a tribute to the city’s rainy fall.