IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival announces new screenings and special guests joining the lineup for the second annual film festival dedicated to showcasing movies made primarily in Texas. IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival will take place September 13-15, 2024, at the downtown Plaza Theatre in Garland, TX, located at 521 W. State Street. As with last year’s inaugural edition of this fest, IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival is proudly sponsored by the City of Garland and Garland Cultural Arts.
In addition to securing the Western-adjacent classic films, TENDER MERCIES, GIANT and THE LAST PICTURE SHOW, festival director Kelly Kitchens has added titles to the ICFTX 2024 lineup, which add nuance and depth to the fest. One such title, the 2020 documentary HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME (screening as a double feature with TENDER MERCIES on Friday night), will celebrate its North Texas premiere at ICFTX 2024.
“When the idea of the Western genre blossomed into an Independent Texas Spirit theme, that broadened our horizons to a lot of possibilities in films we could showcase with our Oscar-winners: TENDER MERCIES, GIANT and THE LAST PICTURE SHOW. It opened the doors to the rarely seen Spencer Williams’ all-Black film, THE BLOOD OF JESUS, from 1941, the first Texas film honored with being on the coveted Library of Congress’s National Registry List in 1991. And, yes, we’re also showing a couple of Classic Westerns with Gene Autry and Roy Rogers!” said Kitchens.
ICFTX 2024 welcomes Oscar-nominated Jeannine Oppewall, art director of TENDER MERCIES
Jeannine Oppewall, who served as art director on TENDER MERCIES, will do a little show-and-tell about her experiences working on the film. TENDER MERCIES was the first film that Ms. Oppewall designed.
Of her experience working on TENDER MERCIES, Ms. Oppewall states, “I remember the last morning of filming: I set out before dawn and, coming up over a rise in the bare black fields of Waxahachie, I saw a huge orange sunrise through the mist, behind a tall leafless tree. A strange feeling of intense calm and quiet happiness overcame me: I saw clearly that I was doing what I was meant to do. The setting was the perfect visual metaphor for the emotion.”
Ms. Oppewall has also received Academy Award nominations for her work on LA CONFIDENTIAL, PLEASANTVILLE, SEABISCUIT, and THE GOOD SHEPHERD.
When asked about her upcoming trip to Texas to help celebrate TENDER MERCIES, Ms. Oppewall said, “[I]n some sense, part of me grew up in Texas. And now I return: to see how I have changed, to see how the place has changed, and to see what emotions I will have to revisit.”
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FILM FESTIVAL SCHEDULE:
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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 13
7:00 pm – Double Feature – Documentary and Feature ($20 individual tickets)
HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME (2020)
North Texas Premiere
Director: Anne Rapp (in attendance)
Filmed in Wharton, TX; New York City, NY; and Hartford, CT
Chronicles the creative journey of acclaimed Texas writer Horton Foote – a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and winner of two Academy Awards for screenwriting – through his own eyes and voice at the end of his life. (IMDb)
HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME Trailer
9:00 pm –
TENDER MERCIES (1983)
Director: Bruce Beresford
In attendance: Jeannie Oppewall (Art Director); Anne Rapp (Script Supervisor)
Filmed in Palmer, Waxahachie, and Arlington, TX
Featuring an Oscar-winning screenplay by Horton Foote, TENDER MERCIES tells the story of a broken-down, middle-aged country singer who gets a new wife, reaches out to his long-lost daughter, and tries to put his troubled life back together. (IMDb)
It stars Robert Duvall in his Best-Actor Oscar-winning performance. (Rated PG)
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SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 14
11:00 am – Feature ($15 individual tickets)
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
Director: Peter Bogdanovich
Filmed in Archer City and Holliday, TX
In attendance: Angie Bolling (Actress in TLPS’s sequel TEXASVILLE)
In 1951, a group of high schoolers come of age in a bleak, isolated, atrophied North Texas town that is slowly dying, both culturally and economically. (IMDb)
Two-time Oscar winner; stars Jeff Bridges and Cybill Shepherd. (Rated R for sexuality, nudity and language.)
Lunch Break
2:00 pm – Short, Feature and Panel ($10 individual tickets)
“The Making of a Classic” (Short film, 2024)
Director: Stephen Robinson (in attendance)
Filmed in Bastrop, TX
Also in attendance: Martin C Jones (producer)
“The Making of a Classic,” part of the Forging Texas video series, offers an intimate look into the production of Spencer Williams Jr.’s THE BLOOD OF JESUS. Set during the 1941 classic movie’s filming, it explores the behind-the-scenes journey of filming a pivotal scene.
“The Making of a Classic” illuminates Williams’ unwavering commitment and humility as he skillfully maneuvers through the emotional intricacies of the production process. Screenwriter A.J. Edwards masterfully captures the story based on true events. With standout performances by Marcus Henderson (Jordan Peele’s GET OUT) and Erica Ash (Starz’s “Survivor’s Remorse”), the short film honors the enduring legacy of Spencer Williams, Jr.
THE BLOOD OF JESUS (1941)
Director: Spencer Williams
Filmed in Dallas, TX
Housed at the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection, Southern Methodist University
In attendance: Dr. Rick Worland (SMU Film Professor; Film Historian)
THE BLOOD OF JESUS is among Spencer Williams’ notable works, where he served as director, writer, and star, pioneering independent cinema and impacting the industry. Rediscovered in the 1980s, THE BLOOD OF JESUS was unearthed from a warehouse in Tyler, TX, alongside a collection of film prints. It was the first Texas-made film entered into the Library of Congress’s National Film Registry in 1991. Twenty-five films are selected each year to showcase the range and diversity of American film heritage and increase awareness for its preservation.
THE BLOOD OF JESUS tells the story of an atheist who accidentally shoots his godly wife. When she dies, she ends up at the fabled crossroads of Hell or Zion, where the devil tries to lead her astray. (IMDb)
Special Film Archives and Preservation Panel Discussion
A panel discussion will feature SMU film studies head Dr. Rick Worland delves into the historical and artistic significance of THE BLOOD OF JESUS. Dr. Worland will also detail how its last-known film reels were found in a warehouse in Tyler, TX, and how the film came to the SMU Film Archives in the late 1980s for preservation.
Additionally, Dr. Worland and Elizabeth Hansen of the Texas Archives of the Moving Image (TAMI – http://texasarchives.org) will talk about the importance of film preservation and archiving.
4:30 pm – Documentary with GHS Student Short Films ($10 individual tickets)
CHILDREN OF GIANT (2015)
Director: Hector Galan (in attendance)
Filmed in Marfa, TX
A documentary that unearths deeply wrought emotions in the small West Texas town of Marfa before, during and after the month-long production of George Stevens’s 1956 feature film, GIANT. (Galan Productions)
This block includes student films from Garland High School’s ‘Reel Owl Cinema.’
Dinner Break
7:30 pm – Feature film ($15 individual tickets)
GIANT (1956)
Director: George Stevens
Filmed in Marfa and Valentine, TX; Charlottesville, VA; and Los Angeles, CA
This Oscar-Award-winning sprawling epic covers the life of a Texas cattle rancher and his family and associates. (IMDb)
Stars James Dean, Elizabeth Taylor, and Rock Hudson. (Rated G)
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SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15
1:00 pm – Feature and cartoon ($10 individual tickets)
UNDER WESTERN STARS (1938)/TEX AVERY “The First Bad Man” CARTOON (1950s)
Director: Joseph Kane (UNDER WESTERN STARS); Tex Avery (“The First Bad Man”)
Filmed in California
Introduced by Sean Griffin (SMU Film History Professor)
Roy Rogers is elected to Congress to bring the misery of the 1930s “Dustbowl” to the attention of Washington politicians. (IMDb)
Although not filmed in Texas, the star of UNDER WESTERN STARS, Roy Rogers, came to Garland to promote the film and was photographed on the square during the trip. UNDER WESTERN STARS will be followed by “The First Bad Man” cartoon from famous Texas animator, Tex Avery. See what Dallas, Texas, looked like in 1 Million B.C.
UNDER WESTERN STARS Trailer
“The First Bad Man” Tex Avery cartoon (1955)
3:30 pm – Double Feature – Feature and Documentary ($15 individual tickets)
THE BIG SHOW (1936)
Director: Mack V. Wright and Joseph Kane
Filmed in Fair Park, Dallas, TX
Housed at the G. William Jones Film and Video Collection, Southern Methodist University
Introduced by Sean Griffin (SMU Film History Professor)
At the Texas Centennial in Dallas (the precursor to the State Fair of Texas), Gene Autry confuses two girls by being himself and his own stunt double. (IMDb)
A FAIR TO REMEMBER (2008)
Directors: Allen Mondell, Cynthia Salzman Mondell, and Phil Allen
Filmed in Fair Park, Dallas, TX
In attendance: Allen Mondell and Cynthia Salzman Mondell
A documentary about the rich history of the Great State Fair of Texas.
A FAIR TO REMEMBER Trailer and Website
Dinner Break
7 pm – Comedy troupe live riffs on Campy Classic with GHS Student Short Films ($15 individual tickets)
Mocky Horror Picture Show live riffing of ROCK BABY – ROCK IT (1957)
Director: Murray Douglas Sporup
Filmed in Dallas, TX
Mocked by comedians Danny Gallagher, Liz Barksdale and Albie Robles
A live-riffing movie comedy show! This campy classic follows local Dallas teenagers as they resist attempts by shady underworld types to take over their beloved rock ‘n’ roll club. This rock ‘n’ roll-themed movie features top-notch rockabilly performances by Don Coates and The Bon-Aires, Preacher Smith and the Deacons, The Five Stars, The Belew Twins, Johnny Carroll and Roscoe Gordon. (IMDb)
Featuring the Texas’ version of 1957’s Elvis, The Everly Brothers, among others – Black and white acts alike.
This block includes student films from Garland High School’s ‘Reel Owl Cinema.’
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IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival
The Second Annual Fest for Films Made in Texas
WHAT:
City of Garland’s Cultural Arts presents It Came From Texas Film Festival
Films exhibiting the Independent Texas Spirit: Classic Texas-sized Oscar-winners, Library of Congress’s National Registry Honoree, Documentaries, Student Films, and a Film Preservation and Archive panel—10 Texas-made films return to the Big Screen.
ADMISSION – PASSES and TICKETS:
Available online at http://GarlandArts.com
Direct link to tickets and passes:
https://www.prekindle.com/event/65896-2023-it-came-from-texas-film-festival-all-access-pass-garland
All-Access Festival Pass: $65 (increases to $75 on Sept 1)
Individual Tickets: $10-$20
Student Individual Tickets: $10
(Full value of individual tickets is $125)
Festival Pass Perks:
Limited Availability
Early admission
Commemorative Poster
Discounts from participating businesses
WHEN and WHERE:
Sep 13-15, 2024
The Plaza Theatre on the Downtown Square
521 W. State Street
Garland, TX 75040
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About IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival:
IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival is a three-day film experience that celebrates Texas’ contribution to cinema history.
IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival is a first-of-its-kind visual-arts forum in Garland, TX, dedicated to raising community appreciation for films of all sorts. It hopes to unite the community and create a spirited appreciation of film.
The second annual IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival is a collaboration with the City of Garland and Garland Cultural Arts and will be held on September 13-15, 2024, at the Plaza Theatre (521 W. State St., Garland) in the renovated Downtown Square.
To view the film schedule, purchase tickets or get more information, visit http://GarlandArts.com.
About Garland High School’s IB Film Program:
The Garland High School IB Film Program, also known as Reel Owl Cinema, is a unique four-year high school narrative International Baccalaureate (IB) film program, which has been producing films at Garland High School since 2005.
This program began in the IB program as a part of the pilot program for film. It is the first Fine Arts film class offered in a public school in Texas and is now the only public high school in Texas offering a four-year narrative film program.
As of the fall of 2024, Reel Owl Cinema has been educating, inspiring and celebrating students and the stories they tell through film for 20 years.
