Once again, the Texas Film Commission wowed Hollywood with its annual Film Texas Brunch at Wolfgang Puck’s famed Spago Restaurant in Beverly Hills.
More than 200 location professions, producers, directors, actors, studio executives and Texas natives enjoyed the culinary delights of Spago’s signature pizza’s, truffle raviolis and chocolate decadence. The luncheon is a relaxed and delicious networking opportunity for all of the Texas Film Commissioners to convene with Hollywood to discuss their incentives and what their areas have to offer. Attending LMGA members were Nancy Haecker, Kim Crabb, Robin Citrin, Leslie Thorson, John Panzarella, Veronique Vowell, and Pat Parrish.
The luncheon was followed by the Houston Filmmaker’s 2014 Showcase held on Sunday at the Directors Guild of America. The showcase is sponsored by the Houston Film Commission and features Texas filmmakers. This year’s films were exceptional and diverse. The graduate film project, “Skunk,” by Annie Silverstein, won the top prize at this year’s Cannes Film Festival’s Cinefoundation. Funded through a Kickstarter campaign, the film follows a young girl as she searches for her stolen dog set against a desolate suburban landscape. Other films included “Anything Made of Paper,” a stunning stop motion music video using paper cutout characters from the team of Brandon Ray and Pat Kondelis. The humorous documentary “The Trouble with Ray,” by Travis Johns, spans the 30+ year career of legendary Texas GBLT activist – Ray Hill. One of the more intriguing entries was the short film by Todd Rohal, ” Rat Pack,” about a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator who is called upon to deliver last rites to one of his fans.