2008 Woodie Awards
UST alumni host film showcase
Lauren Weiner
Issue date: 1/29/08 Section: A & E
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The Jack-Al Film Festival III, named for creators Jack Tomas and Albert Vara, began in 2003 through the Aurora Picture Show, a local non-profit cinema. Vara and Tomas were both communication majors on the TV/radio/film track and had often shown their films on campus, and the festival has since expanded to include Josh Bass and Jake Millwee, also University alumni.
The festival exists as a place for Houston filmmakers to get exposure, according to Vara. "There's good Houston talent right under your nose," he said. "You might not see it at the megaplex, but they are out there. And Jack-Al is a place to find them."
Tomas added that when people think of the film industry in Texas, they typically think of Austin. "They have a bigger film industry than here, and there's no disputing that," he said. "But people elsewhere have something to say and good stories to tell. We want to create something here to give them the opportunity to do that."
Perhaps the most professionally made film was Millwee's "The Long Apology." The film follows a hit man through his experiences in the Mafia, from the opening scene, in which the audience realizes he has just stabbed a close friend, to the end, where he faces the choice between the life he knows and a life of self-respect. This film marks Millwee's first appearance in the Jack-Al festival.
Vara's "Hot Tamales" is a sports-comedy in the style of "Dodgeball" and "Balls of Fury" and kept the crowd laughing. This mockumentary is about the timeless playground game of hand slaps, and the main character's speed is put to the test for him to retain custody of his child.
Tomas's "Memuneh" was another prominent film about a guardian angel whose charge suffers a violent death, prompting the angel to seek vengeance.
Another standout piece was Bass's 30-minute short, "Joey and Jerome's Deep Artistic Meaningful Independent Film." The movie parodies low-budget independent films, as two friends decide to make their own extremely indie movie. Using an old video camera and a friend to sing the soundtrack, the duo write and star in an entertaining and crowd-pleasing spoof.