UTRGV works featured at STXIFF

Coming back for its ninth anniversary, the City of Edinburg will host the annual South Texas International Film Festival in the efforts to promote the growing industry in the Rio Grande Valley. 

The festival will feature films in categories such as Short Film, Animated Film and Music Video.

A total of  206 submissions from 19 countries have been submitted. Films nominated range from countries such as Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Taiwan, Germany, Republic of Korea, Mexico and the U.S.

Ferenc Moldovanyi, associate professor at the College of Fine Arts in UTRGV and film industry representative, said the university’s representation of this year’s film students at the festival is a huge success, having three current and one former student nominated and competing for different awards.

Theater senior Jared Palomares and theater alumn Andrew Perez directed the short film “Hit Astray,” which earned 14 honors at international and national film festivals and is currently nominated for Best RGV Short Film. Perez is also nominated for Best South Texas Cinematography.

“Phantom Pain,” directed by Joseph Balderas, who has a master’s degree in fine arts, is nominated for Best South Texas Sound and RGV Short Film. Theater senior Emiliano Tamez, who worked on the film, is nominated for Best South Texas Actor.

Theater senior Armando Ramirez Cardenas directed “3:00 am The Graveyard Shift” and is nominated for Best South Texas Director.

Communication Professor Dustin Pruitt directed the film “Errors and Trials” and is part of the Official Selection under RGV Short Film.

Magdiel Castle, assistant director of Cultural Arts for the City of Edinburg, said the main goal of hosting the event is giving filmmakers a chance to network, connect the world film industry with the RGV and the Valley to the world.

 “Bring to the people in the Valley films from outside our region but also for us to propel, or help propel, our filmmakers from our region out into the world, help them get noticed, get their stories shared and get them to network with filmmakers from outside the Valley so that they can find opportunities to promote themselves,” Castle said.

He said the films are not rated and encouraged viewers to read the descriptions before walking into the screening rooms. Castle said the films are not meant to entertain but to trigger thoughts.

“Some of them are cute and quirky films,” he said. “Some of them have some deeper, deeper topics. These are a film as a form of art, and just like any art, it’s meant to move you in some sort of way, whether it makes you happy or angry or it just makes you think about something.”

Opening day starts with Student Day from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday in the Edinburg Municipal Auditorium on 200 N. 7th Ave. A series of presentations and workshops will be available for college and high school students.

A red carpet will  take place from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. The viewing of nine independent RGV short films will begin at 6:30 p.m. and will feature “3:00 am The Graveyard Shift,” “Phantom Pain” and “Hit Astray.”

The night will end with the Opening Night Mixer at 11:30 p.m. on the Edinburg City Hall Courtyard.

The following day will start at 2 p.m. with showings of short films until 5 p.m. The Screen Actors Guild and the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists panel will take place from 4 to 5 p.m. The panel will feature celebrity guests, such as Valente Rodriguez and Carlos Gallardo. 

The following day will showcase stunt and makeup workshops moderated by  Jane Austin, stunts and managing partner at Hollywood Stuntworks, and John Caglione, Jr., Academy and Emmy Award-Winning makeup artist. 

The red carpet will take place from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. and the award ceremony and dinner from 7:3o to 9:30 p.m. on 118 Paseo Del Prado. Tickets for the ceremony can be purchased online for $60.For the STXIFF full schedule, visit stxiff.com/2023schedule.