Variety Review of Men Who Stare at Goats

Filmed partially in New Mexico, The Men Who Stare at Goats has already hit the screen in limited release. Good, thoughtful review from Variety.

"A serendipitous marriage of talent in which all hearts seem to beat as one, "The Men Who Stare at Goats" takes Jon Ronson's book about "the apparent madness at the heart of U.S. military intelligence" and fashions a superbly written loony-tunes satire, played by a tony cast at the top of its game. Recalling many similar pics, from "Dr. Strangelove" to "Three Kings," and the screwy so-insane-it-could-be-true illogic of "Catch-22," this is upscale liberal movie-making with a populist touch, in Coen brothers style. Enthusiastic welcome at Venice, likely to be echoed at Toronto, should translate into friendly biz Stateside in November."

To read the entire article, click here.

Native American Filmmakers Wanted

The Second Annual Creative Spirit New Mexico program is seeking American Indian applicants, 18 and older, who are passionate about film, to participate in an intensive two-day movie-making workshop in preparation for the production of the short film “Indios Primeros,” written by Roberto A. Jackson, this year’s Creative Spirit short-script contest winner.

The free workshop is limited to 10 participants and takes place 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 19, and Sunday, Sept. 20, at the VSA North Fourth Art Center, 4904 Fourth St. N.W. in Albuquerque. Participants who successfully complete the workshop will be eligible for paid positions as apprentices or production assistants in the making of “Indios Primeros,” which will take place at Albuquerque area locations Friday-Sunday, Sept. 25-27.

The film will have its world premiere screening Oct. 9 and 10 at the North Fourth Art Center’s Two Worlds program of short films by Native American filmmakers.

Workshop applicants should send a short bio, including tribal affiliation, resume and letter of interest to –

Creative Spirit Film Workshop
c/o Ollie Reed Jr.
VSA North Fourth Art Center
4904 Fourth St. N.W.
Albuquerque, N.M. 87107

OR

via e-mail to oreedjr@gmail.com

For more information, contact Ollie Reed Jr. at the e-mail above or 345-2872 (Ext. 26)

Great New Class at Santa Fe Community College

We at crewnewmexico.com love the Santa Fe Community College Media Arts Department. They're helping create the next generation of talented New Mexico film professionals - and here's their next upcoming class!

FILM 205, CRN 21068, Making a Documentary – Dates: 9/12 – 9/20; Times: Saturday/Sunday 9:00 am – 6:00 pm; 2 credits. Instructor: TBA

Award winning filmmaker Erin Hudson will be teaching what it takes to make a documentary film. Two intensive weekends in September. Learn about building a project, shooting and distributing a documentary film! Hands-on training in HDV equipment!

Space is limited so sign up now!

You must be a registered credit student (not continuing education) at SFCC which can be done with no application fee at www.sfccnm.edu (just follow the new student links). For more information: http://www.sfccnm.edu, e-mail filminfo@sfccnm.edu or call Sandra at 428-1421

"Made in New Mexico" Films to Show at New Mexico State Fair

The 2009 New Mexico State Fair in association with the New Mexico Film Museum will present a free-to-fairgoers, made-in-New Mexico film series during this year’s 17-day run of the fair.

“Filmmaking has been a part of New Mexico’s history for longer than most people know,” said State Fair General Manager Craig Swagerty. “The last six or seven years have seen exponential growth in our state’s film industry, and we thought a great way to celebrate our present success in movie-making would be to revisit a history of filmmaking in New Mexico.”

The inaugural New Mexico State Fair Film Retrospective will feature 33 films filmed in the state over the past 100 years. There will be no charge for the films, which are scheduled for three showings per day, 10:30 a.m., 2 p.m. and 7 p.m., during the 17-day fair which runs September 11-27, 2009. All films will be shown in the 300-seat auditorium in the African American Performing Arts Center.

“The State Fair offers the perfect audience for a film series dedicated to New Mexico films,” said Film Museum Director Sharon Maloof. “These are films that many New Mexicans have probably never seen and maybe did not know they were filmed in our state.” Among films scheduled for the made-in-New Mexico retrospective are “Salt of the Earth,” “Red Dawn,” “The Man Who Fell to Earth,” “Young Guns,” “Silverado,” “City Slickers,” “The Milagro Beanfield War,” “Independence Day,” “3:10 to Yuma” and “No Country for Old Men.” Sponsors for the film program, in addition to the State Fair and the Film Museum, are the Carlsbad Caverns Guadalupe Mountain Association; the Albuquerque Film Office; and IATSE Local 480, Film and Television Technicians of New Mexico. Programming for the series is through courtesy of Julesworks Releasing.

Visit www.nmfilmmuseum.org or www.exponm.com for the film schedule.