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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1994)
Page 4 • The Battalion Ass ieli f e Thursday • October; sday • 0< 'Action!' — Film Society prepares to bring back Texas Film Festival By Haley Stavinoha The Battalion M ovie lovers — prepare to be thrilled. The MSC Film Society of Texas A&M is busy at work preparing for the Texas Film Festival. The festival will feature independent movies by minority, regional and independent directors, and is scheduled for February 22-26. Two years ago the film society brought director Spike Lee to A&M for the first Texas Film Festival. Lee talked to students interested in films and the filmmaking business. Lee’s films were shown at the festival as a career retrospective. Even though the society did not hold a festival last year, they hope to make up for that with a big festival this year. “This year we will have a film festival, no matter what,” said MSC Student Program Advisor Penny Ditton. Danny King, chief of staff of the film society, said the main reason for the festival is to pro mote awareness of independent filmland their directors. “They’re not just for enter tainment, they can be a real his tory lesson or learning experi ence,” King said. The society’s main focus right now is to find a big name film maker for the feature speaker and one for the closing ceremonies. Film society Chairman Joe Leih went to the Telurride Film Festival in Colorado and the South by Southwest festival in Austin. At the festivals, Leih talked to some independent film makers about coming to A&M. Leih is now busy sending out invi tations. Ditton said at the first festival, several independent filmmakers came and some of their films were picked up by large movie studios and produced nationwide. “The film festival is to educate the communi ty about other films besides the big blockbuster ones,” Leih said. “We want people to see movies in a different light and to have a special appreciation.” Ditton said she is hoping to know all the plans of who is coming to speak at the festival by the end of November. She also said the problem isn’t finding someone interested in coming to preview their own movies, it’s raising enough money. Ditton estimates $10,000 dollars is needed to have a productive and successful festival. The film society pays for food, lodging and trav el expenses of the speaker. “Our motive is not to make money,” King said. “If we break even, we’ll be happy.” The society has applied for a grant, and has asked the Brazos Valley Arts Council to help sponsor the event. By the first of December, Ditton hopes to have the majority of the money collected. Nick Rodnicki / The Battalion Joe Leih, MSC Film Society chairman, is planning to bring back the Texas Film Festival to feature independent filmmakers The film society is also in charge of Aggie Cine ma, which shows blockbuster and alternative movies to students in Rudder Auditorium on weekends. They also sponsor the Film on Video, which is held biweekly in the LRD (sixth floor of Evans li brary). The movies, shown every other Tuesday, are musicals and action films. Knox's prints show A&M influei it me ick Geo ■jati ai ion By Constance Parten The Battalion F ormer A&M student Benjamin Knox is known for his pencil, pen and ink representations of Aggie traditions, and he unveiled his latest ex hibit at the Benjamin Knox Gallery last Friday. Knox’s new exhibit features nine watercolor paint ings including ‘March Through Time,” a commemo rative piece celebrating the Texas Aggie Band Cen tennial, two San Antonio Riverwalk paintings and two watercolors capturing the spirit of Baylor Univer sity and the University of Texas. “I try to capture feelings for people,” Knox said about his artwork. “I think that’s why my A&M prints have been so successful.” Knox began his art career during his sophomore year at A&M. He was running out of money, so he decided to approach his Corps outfit, Squadron Three, to see if they were interested in a drawing for the outfit. The print was so popular Knox decided to start his own graphic arts business during his senior year in the Corps. “I produced four new outfit prints, which included colored inks for the first time and ‘Campus Collage’ depicting the Texas A&M campus,” Knox said. “After that I started doing prints for other outfits.” Knox’s business grew, and after completing four years in the Corps, Knox moved to Colorado where he expanded his market by drawing prints for Texas Tech University and the University of Texas. When Knox returned to College Station, he pro duced two of his most popular A&M prints, 7es Cravei ghtmare” arring Ro •ather Lai es Craven [rected by Lted R faying at C ★★ (out o Benjamin Knox’s “Bonded Aggie took a fu mediocre ors of th on Elm ly made a riginal. hs Crav |e” re-inve eddy Krueg a de audiei Tim Moog / The Batt alion Benjamin Knox’s “It’s Bonfire Weather” “Founders of Tradition” and “Miss Reveille.’ fttry shud Another of Knox’s popular prints, “Aggieb jig, the fi In was the first print Debbie and Dr. Chariest: |rre twists purchased. The Bivonas first saw Knox’sp::;l[ r ejuvenat< pre-game exhibits in the Memorial Student^ licing on tb when they were students at A&M. ihe story h “We both really liked his work Debt I and one t said, “so I decided to buy ‘Aggie Rings’as aso if sing as tc for Charlie. The funny thing was, hebouj^li It is just a print to surprise me with also.” Ihe plot re’ The Bivonas own several Knox prints,audli I lives of also purchased them as presents for friends. Igenkamp “We bought the t.u. print for a friend of wn] Id (the glo Bivona said. “We didn’t keep it in the houseta R director long since it was t.u., but we liked it." lee, plus a< Claire Ochoa, Knox’s fiancee and executiiti langenkan tor of Knox’s Gallery, said she is in aweofKaai 1, play th ability to turn ideas into beauty on canvas, lie, set in “It amazes me how he can turn whathestsi Ihe 10-yee mind’s eye into something tangible,” Ochoa si: e release Ochoa and Knox met when Knox wasfmifrBghtmare.” degree in environmental design and Ochoa re mange n k a rr graduate school studying exercise physiology l|n Dylan, p Knox said he needed someone to handleth iil! by Miko ness end of his new gallery, and Ochoa had alsMeriencing for that sort of thing. So she took charge of tlAing Fredd ness end and their relationship grew from tli( Bayed by fa “Claire is a vital part of my life andmywoii'lnd, Knox said. “We laugh a lot and do reallysfflymhis Fred< here at the gallery. We probably drive the strfi Ik and s crazy.” Ripped with Knox and Ochoa are planning on marryingse the one 1 summer, and Ochoa will join Knox at his home: Ined by La Colorado. The gallery in College Station,whidl pd, a speci designed, will remain, and they will rely onto \ New Lin to maintain it. le it seem Ochoa credits the gallery staff with itssuccaBted by Cri the wonderful rapport Knox has with hiscustol nightmar “There’s not a day I don’t count those blessfii Ochoa said. “If it weren’t for them, runningtL-1 gallery from Colorado would be almost impossiti Knox said although he is expanding hissabjej matter, he will continue to do A&M pieces, “I pioneered the idea of fine art prints for A and I will continue to work on new Aggie prin Knox said. “This is where it all started for mtl gallery will always be here.” Acros ATTENTION AGGIES Bring in your JC Penney XPenney 123 W 0 ^ imjweh* saem« or fill a|3|3l icration amd receive off purchase. O/ /o your If you already have a JCPenney charge account, you can still cash in on 25% savings with your shopping spree certificate. But hurry, offer expires October 31. See your Sales Associate for details. Discount applies only to regular-priced merchandise and is limited to JCPenney in-store stock on hand. Not for use in Cosmetic Department, on Smart Value merchandise, Gucci® watches, Marquis™ by Waterford® Crystal, Fieldcrest® Royal Velvet® towels and rugs, Levi® Jeans; Catalog or Catalog Outlet Store merchandise or in combination with any other coupon. Discount can apply to one or more items purchased. As always, credit purchases are subject to review. © 1994, J.C. Penney Company, Inc.