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Ready for their close up: Las Cruces International Film Festival hosts fives days of independent movies
The work will get harder in the coming days 鈥� but Ross Marks is ready.
Each year, Marks pulls double duty as a professor at the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State University and as executive director of the Las Cruces International Film Festival.
鈥淭here鈥檚 always a lot to be done,鈥� Marks says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 worth it in the end.鈥�
Ready for their close up: Las Cruces International Film Festival hosts fives days of independent movies
The Las Cruces International Film Festival kicks off on Wednesday, April 3, and runs through Sunday, April 7, in Las Cruces.
The festival will screen more than 100 films 鈥� ranging from feature length to documentary and short films.
Marks is at the helm of the ninth festival, though he鈥檚 been putting on film festivals in southern New Mexico for 12 years.
鈥淚 did White Sands International Film Festival for three years before this,鈥� he says. 鈥淲e鈥檝e been building this festival as a destination for independent film.鈥�
The festival received more than 1,000 submissions and organizers, including Marks, had to whittle it down to more than 100 films.
鈥淥ur festival by design is an independent film festival,鈥� Marks says. 鈥淪undance, Tribeca and South by Southwest used to be programmed for small independent films. They don鈥檛 do that anymore. We aim to make the festival the place for independent film.鈥�
Over the course of nearly a decade, the festival has partnered with 近距离内射合集 in creating a program where students get real-world training.
Marks says it鈥檚 the students that run the festival.
鈥淲e have a class that we teach each semester and it鈥檚 about 24 students,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hen around festival time, we get 60-70 students as volunteers. It鈥檚 really about training the next generation of filmmakers and film lovers.鈥�
近距离内射合集 has two classes through CMI. The fall semester is film fest prep and the students program the festival.
During the spring semester, students taking film fest production are there to tie up all the loose ends and actually run the April festival.
鈥淚t鈥檚 the best way to get experience,鈥� Marks says.
The festival will also honor two actors this year.
Ron Perlman, the 73-year-old actor, is set to receive the 鈥淥utstanding Achievement in Entertainment鈥� award from the festival.
The event will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 4.
鈥淢r. Perlman will screen his iconic film, 鈥楬ellboy,鈥� at the Allen Theatres Cineport,鈥� Marks says. 鈥�(Ron) will also host a question-and-answer session with the audience.鈥�
Earlier in the day, Perlman is scheduled to speak at New Mexico State University about his long and esteemed career.
Perlman will join a growing list of past recipients which includes Giancarlo Esposito, William H. Macy, Danny Trejo, Brendan Fraser, George Lopez, Cybill Shepherd, Richard Dreyfuss and Edward James Olmos.
In its nine-year run, Marks says the quality of filmmaking is getting better because it鈥檚 more accessible.
鈥淚鈥檝e been making movies for 30 years and it鈥檚 costly,鈥� he says. 鈥淵ou can shoot a film on an iPhone and use After Effects to get it done. What it comes down to is storytelling is important. That鈥檚 what makes a film better.鈥�
Marks looks forward most to is the transformation of students during the festival.
鈥淭he students are actually pull it off,鈥� he says. 鈥淏y the last day, each student says it changes their life. To give them that experience, it can鈥檛 be quantified.鈥�
The festival will kick off with the feature film, 鈥淟ittle Brother,鈥� on Wednesday, April 3.
Since its release in 2023, 鈥淟ittle Brother鈥� has received several award nominations.
The film won honors for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor at the Next Generation Indie Film Awards.
Four showings of the film are scheduled at 6:15 p.m., 6:45 p.m., 7 p.m. and 7:15 p.m. Wednesday, April 3, at the Allen Theatres Cineport 10, 700 S. Telshor Blvd. in Las Cruces.
The film follows Jake and Pete, estranged brothers who embark on a road trip together from Albuquerque to Seattle.
Starring Daniel Diemer as Jake, Philip Ettinger as Pete and J.K. Simmons and Polly Draper as their overbearing parents, the story explores the strained relationship between the two brothers as they travel for 1,400 miles following Pete鈥檚 attempted suicide.
The majority of production took place in New Mexico.
The film is written and directed by Sheridan O鈥橠onnell and executive produced by Keagan Karnes.
鈥淜eagan was a student of mine,鈥� Marks says. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going on and doing great things. Sheridan is also an alum of CMI. They are examples of how great the program is and it鈥檚 an honor to open the festival with this powerful film.鈥�
Karnes is looking forward to kicking off the festival with the film because it鈥檚 a night of celebrating.
鈥淪ince Sheridan and I both grew up in Las Cruces, we are so excited to screen the film for our family and friends, old teachers and professors,鈥� Karnes says. 鈥淚t鈥檚 going to be a special night. And my parents are finally going to be proud of me.鈥�
Marks says the festival is collaborating with Film Las Cruces for a film scout during the festival.
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to rent some big vans and take the filmmakers around southern New Mexico and Las Cruces,鈥� he says. 鈥淭his is to showcase how film friendly the area is and that we have all the tools needed to make a great film.鈥�
