The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current, February 18, 1998, Image 3

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    ednesday • February 18, 1998
The Battalion r
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exas Film Festival Kicks Off
ISC Film Society helps bring in independent talents of the cinema world
By April Towery
Staff wr/ter
rent Troyan has a dream, and to
day’s event will bring him one
step closer to fulfilling it.
Troyan, chair of the MSC Film Soci-
and a senior English and speech
mmunications major, is set to kickoff
Film Society-sponsored Texas Film
jstival today.
‘ I’m looking forward to getting some
ight into the industry for myself,”
yan said. “A question I’m always ask-
g directors is, ‘Should I go to film
tool or just head out to L.A.?’ It’s an
pensive question.”
The Texas Film Festival is a five-day,
n-competitive independent film fes-
al directed by senior management
ajor Melissa Curtin,
ii is set to include seven feature
ns, 22 shorts {40 minutes of film
each) and three free workshops.
This year’s workshops are Music in
Film, Ethnicity in Film and The Work
of Tarantino.
“The film festival celebrates film as art
and the genius of independent filmmak
ers from across the world,” Troyan said.
This year is the first time a children’s
screening room will be a part of the fes
tival. This is a chance to involve the
community and faculty families. Chil
dren’s movies and pizza will be avail
able to younger movie critics.
This is the fifth year for the Film So
ciety to sponsor the event. The first year
was a tribute to Spike Lee, and in 1995
Oliver Stone was a guest speaker.
“That was a thrill ride for me, per
sonally,” Troyan said.
But last year, the festival took a dif
ferent turn. Festival directors decided it
was best to honor independent film
makers by not having a “big name” di
rector. Troyan said the change
the best.
“From a businessman’s
I ew, last year was the best
id. “We don’t need a big speaker to
draw attention. It generates its own
In fact, the festival has quite a track
record of drawing filmmakers who lat
er make a name for themselves.
Director William Gazecki was a
part of last year’s festival, and this
year his film VSfaco: The Rules of En
gagement, is an Oscar-nominated
best documentary.
Troyan emphasized that the selec
tion of movies in the festival holds
something for everyone, from roman
tic comedy to drama to animation.
Currin and Troyan each said the
highlight of the festival for passholders
is getting to know the filmmakers on an
individual basis. Students may pur
chase a pass to the festival for $17.50
and meet the film directors at an ex
clusive reception at Fox and Hound
Saturday afternoon.
“It’s a great opportunity for anyone
interested in film,” Troyan said. “We
give directors the V.LP. treatment here.
It’s very culturally oriented. We take
them to the Chicken or whatever, de
pending on what they want to do. Last
year, I took one of the directors to
Freebirds and he was like, ‘Wow, that’s
a really big burrito.’”
Currin said the festival is a unique
opportunity for students.
“You get the chance to see things
that you’re not getting to see at main
stream theaters around town, at least
for a while,” Currin said.
And, meanwhile, though Troyan
may still be wandering around Free
birds in College Station instead of the
movie studios in Hollywood, opportu
nities such as these are giving him a
little more insight to his dreams and
his future.
“It’s exciting meeting people still try
ing to make it who are interested in
helping people not that far behind
them,” Troyan said.
“They are real people. And because
of them, this is the most exciting time
of year, in my mind, for Film Society.
These are movies you will more than
likely never have the chance to see
aga i n, but someone has put a lot of time
into them. Take a chance on something
you haven’t seen before.”
Non-student passes are available for
$20, and individual screening tickets
may be purchased for $3.
Tickets are available at the MSC
Box Office from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 45
minutes prior to each screening. For
more information, call MSC Film So
ciety at 845-1234.
Norman Rockwell on Display
the tradition of showcasing great artists, the Stark Gallery presents famous lithographs
JAKE SCHRICKLING/The Battalion
ns Thomas, graduate assistant to the curator, looks at the
man Rockwell exhibit at the J. Wayne Stark Gallery.
By Travis Irby
Staff writer
I he J. Wayne Stark Gallery is showing some clas
sic American art in the form of 52 hand-signed
Norman Rockwell lithographs.
The exhibit will run through March 8.
The signed lithographs came into existence in the late
1960s after Rockwell was urged to turn some earlier
art into lithographs.
The lithographs were created by transferring Rock
well’s original images to plates and stones with a
painstaking and time-consuming process.
Catherine Hastedt, curator for the University Art
Collections and Exhibitions, said the Rockwell exhi
bition has received a terrific response.
“Norman Rockwell is so well-known and well
loved,” Hastedt said.
The collection of lithographs not only has well-
known Rockwell works like his Saturday Evening Post
covers, but several of his book illustrations.
Hastedt said while his book illustrations aren’t as
famous as the Post covers, they still personify the
Rockwell charm.
“Everyone knows about Rockwell’s work on the
Saturday Evening Post, but he also did illustrations for
Boy Scout publications, Tom Sawyer, Huckleberry
Finn and Poor Richard’s Almanac,” Hastedt said.
Rockwell was also a child prodigy. He was accepted
into the Chase School at age 14, the National Academy of
Design at age 15 and the Art Students League at age 16.
At 22, he first did his first Saturday Evening Post cover.
Llastedt said this was quite an accomplishment in
his time.
“It was a big deal for anybody to have a Post cov
er at any age,” Hastedt said. “But to have one at 22
was amazing.”
Hastedt said throughout his career Rockwell was
not only talented, but also prolific.
“He had a huge volume of work,” Hastedt said.
“Rockwell had 322 covers and about 2,600 pub
lished works of art.”
The collection is owned by Walt Powers, a profes
sor emeritus at Eastern Washington University. The
tour management is being provided by the College of
Fine Arts at Eastern Washington University.
Hastedt said she thinks the Rockwell exhibit has a
number of things to offer art lovers.
“It can tie into a number of curricula like sociology
and art,” Hastedt said.
Hastedt also said people enjoy Rockwell’s vision
of America.
“It is a very romanticized view of America,” Hast
edt said. “It is extremely accessible art and presents
defining visual images.”
Visitors seem to be getting the same feeling when
they view the works of Norman Rockwell.
“One woman came up to me and said she had
been walking around smiling the whole time, without
even realizing it,” Hastedt said.
The MSC Film Society of Texas A&M Presents
The Fifth Annual
Texas Film Festival
February 18-22,1998
Schedule of Events
Wednesday. February 18
7:00 Night of Shorts
- Man’s Best Friend
- Dust and Other Particles of Attraction
- Operation
- Americana: Forever a Rebel
- Italian Lessons
- My Body
10:00 Feature: Coventry
With additional short film:
Flying with the Angels
Thursday. February 19
7:00 Feature: First to Go
With additional short films:
- Cosmic Strings
- Anna in the Sky
10:00 Featured Film: Sweet Jane
With additional short film:
Tumbling After
Eridav. February 20
4:00 Workshop: “Music in Film”
7:00 Night of Shorts II
- Lunch with Louie
- The List
- Moving Prime
- The Little Things
Pu Ro Mi Su (The Promise)
Secrets
Friday. February 20 (cont’dl
10:00 Feature: Made Men
With additional short films:
- The Puzzle
- Fast Food
Saturday. February 21
1:00 Workshop: “Ethnicity in Film”
2:00 Children’s Screening Room
- Happy New Year
- Partners in Crime
- Big Bucks for Buddha
3:00 Workshop: “The Work of Tarantino”
7:00 Feature: Just Friends
With additional short films:
- Ah L’Amour
- Lily and Jim
10:00 Feature: Nude with Oranges
With additional short film:
El Artista
Sunday. February 22
2:00 Feature: The New Gods
With additional short film:
Six Months of Darkness, Six Months of Light
Ticket Information
Individual Tickets
$3.00
Festival Pass
$20.00
provides access to all screenings, special receptions,
workshops & hospitality room
Student Festival Pass
$17.50
Same access as festival pass.
Available to anyone with valid student I.D.
Tickets can be purchased at theMSC Box Office
(409)845-1234
Aggie Bucks Accepted
Persons with disabilities please call 845-1515 to inform
us of your special needs. We request notification three(3)^^y^
working days prior to the event to enable us to assist you
to the best of our ability.
Made Possible in Part by the Texas
Commission on the Arts and the Brazos Valley
Arts Council.
Movie Poster Sale!!!!
MSC Hallway
Monday-Friday, February 16'20, 1998
9 a.m.'5p.m.
Benefitting the MSC Film Society
and the 1998 Texas Film Festival