UNM-Valencia To Host Film Festival that Honors New Mexico

Films, Filmmakers of New Mexico Featured

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Brent Morris

LOS LUNAS, NM (01/26/2012)(readMedia)-- A film festival featuring films made in New Mexico has been set for Friday, February 10, on the UNM-Valencia Campus. The festival is part of the campus's celebration of the New Mexico Centennial. The festival will be held from 12 noon to 7 p.m. in the Arts & Sciences Building, Room 101.

The featured film of the festival is a documentary about the film industry in New Mexico entitled Made in New Mexico. The film is by David Schweitzer and Brent Morris, and Morris is to be in attendance to participate in a panel discussion after the screening of his film.

Set against stunning landscapes, the filmmakers interviewed producers Stewart Lyons (Breaking Bad), Tony Mark (The Hurt Locker), Kenneth Topolsky (The Wonder Years) and Alton Walpole (The Book of Eli); studio management Rick Clemente (I-25 Studios), Jason Hool (Santa Fe Studios) and Wayne Rauschenberger (ABQ Studios); actors including Virginia Madsen, directors Aaron Shiver and Lawrence Blume, union leaders, industry veterans, educators and students. Some of the most revealing and honest points come from the backbone of the industry -- many hard-working technicians on film sets and at postproduction facilities.

Both directors work full time in the industry. Taos resident Schweitzer is also a cinematographer and long-time supporter of burgeoning talent, lending his expertise to such locally-produced films as Good Luck, Mr. Gorski and an upcoming documentary on Russell Means. Morris of Albuquerque is a producer and production manager of numerous New Mexico features.

Other films to be screened at the festival include The Black Hat Road: The Bullfighter by Phillip Leimbach; Bad Posture by Florian Brozek; a sneak preview of two films by David Lindblom and Cynthia Jeanette Gomez (yet to be titled); various short films by UNM Professor Brian Konefsky; De Anza by UNM-Valencia film instructor Jonathan Sims; and The Biker Chef in New Mexico by Christopher Coppola.

Coppola is the nephew of famed film directoir Frances Ford Coppola and brother of actor Nicolas Cage. His film was a TV pilot and is a comic tour of the foods and cultures of New Mexico. Coppola stars in his film as The Biker Chef, and he wanders about the state interviewing New Mexicans about the cuisine of the Land of Enchantment.

This film festival is part of the UNM-Valencia Spring 2012 Cultural Enrichment Series. The event is free and open to the public. UNM-Valencia Campus is located 30 miles south of Albuquerque. For more information about the event, call 505-925-8970.