Out of This World Films
Out-of-this-world films with a space-age theme and the Wilson brothers boost Houston Cinema Arts Fest lineup
The 2015 Houston Cinema Arts Festival (HCAF) is shaping up to be out of this world.
In addition to showcasing two films with Oscar buzz, officials announced Thursday that the local film fest will feature an abundance of space-related programming with celebrity attendees, including Luke Wilson (The Royal Tenenbaums, Old School) and older brother Andrew Wilson (Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums).
The Wilson brothers, who are Dallas natives, will present Satellite Beach, which they co-directed and was written by Luke. He also stars in the short film as a man who follows the journey of the Endeavour space shuttle as it travels through Los Angeles to the California Science Center and the final move of the historic spacecraft Atlantis to the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.
Along with presenting more than 20 space-themed films and programs, the HCAF, which runs November 12 through 19, has teamed up with NASA to launch the inaugural CineSpace competition.
The top 16 space-themed short films, whittled down from 194 submissions, will be presented throughout the day on November 13 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Astronaut Don Pettit will award five winners, selected by Houston-born director Richard Linklater and members of NASA, with $26,000 in cash prizes.
The festival will also feature a screening of Time magazine’s A Year in Space, a documentary series that follows astronaut Scott Kelly on the International Space Station, and the acclaimed 1995 movie Apollo 13. The film's screenwriters William Broyles, Jr. and Al Reinert, along with Jeffrey Kluger who co-authored the book Lost Moon: The Perilous Voyage of Apollo 13 on which the movie was based, will be on-hand to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the hit film.
For more information on The Houston Cinema Arts Festival and other space-related programming, visit the HCAS website.