The inaugural year of the Las Cruces International Film Festival hosted by NMSU College Of Arts & Sciences is ready to make new independent film shine and bring outstanding learning opportunities and experiences to film and theatre students.
This year's selections feature outstanding short and feature length films, documentaries, student shorts and narratives of all genres from around the world, kicking off the four days of festivities, workshops, after-parties and film screenings March 2 to 6. The festival is multifaceted to attract film lovers, film makers, film students and the public in general. There is something for everyone.
March 2
Opening Night Feature Film: “The Night is Young.”
This is the first screening of the film following its world premiere in October at the Austin Film Festival. The film’s stars, director/writer and producer will attend the screening, including David Hill (writer/director and star), Eloise Mumford (most recently “Kate” in Fifty Shades of Grey), Kelen Coleman and producer Brian Ferrantino.
Panel discussion at Creative Media Institute Theatre; Time TBA
March 3
Actor Danny Trejo, star of the film "Machete," (as well as starring as “Marcia” in the Brady Bunch Snickers commercial) will attend the screening of "Machete," followed by a question and answer session.
March 4
Screenwriters Workshop with Tony-award winning "Children of a Lesser God" author Mark Medoff, “Machete” screenwriter Al Rodriguez and Bill True will from at 10 a.m. to noon at the NMSU CMI Theatre.
Make-up and Special Effects Workshop will be at 1 p.m.
Filmmakers Panel Discussion at 4 p.m. with a question and answer session on independent filmmaking at the Allen Theatres Cineport 10.
March 5
Casting Workshop will be at 11 a.m. at the Mark and Stephanie Medoff Theatre with Faith Hibbs-Clark, C.S.A.
“Car Casting” will be held at 1 p.m. at the Allen Theatres Cineport 10. Have a car you’d like to see in movies? Get a picture of your car for the Film New Mexico database for the possibility.
“Doing Business with Show Business” will be held at 3 p.m. at Allen Theatres Cineport 10.
TV Pilot Contest “Shoot Las Cruces” and Festival Awards Ceremony will be at 6:30 p.m. at the Rio Grande Theatre with the After Awards Party at 9:30 p.m. at the Main Street Bistro & Ale House.
Film screenings will be held March 2 to 6 at Allen Theatres Cineport 10.
A student film pass is $25 and includes access to all screenings and workshops and Saturday Awards Reception. The Danny Trejo Film Screening is $30 and includes access to the Danny Trejo film screening of "Machete," followed by question and answer session with Danny Trejo and screenwriter Alvaro Rodriguez.
The VIP All Access Pass is $150 and includes access to all screenings and workshops as well as all after-parties, along with exclusive access to opening night red carpet after-party with the film celebrities and exclusive access to the Danny Trejo Awards Reception.
For tickets and more information, visit www.lciffest.com.
Information from NMSU