Silver Screen

Hill Country Film Festival's must-see movies for 2017

Hill Country Film Festival runs April 27-30.

The eighth annual Hill Country Film Festival will light up Fredericksburg April 27-30 with screenings of a host of feature and short films. Brainchild of executive director Chad Mathews and programming director Gary Weeks, HCFF was created to celebrate and showcase filmmakers from Texas and around the world.

The duo created the beloved Hill Country festival as an atmosphere where filmmakers can not only showcase their project, but also build lasting relationships and find an audience for their film. Mathews' sister, Amy Miskovsky, is the festival director largely responsible for executing the event.

“I love working with my family and friends to bring this festival to the Texas Hill Country, a place that holds so many great memories of summers and holidays," Miskovsky says. "The more I learn about independent film, the more certain I am that HCFF is the perfect complement to Fredericksburg’s rich cultural and artistic community.”

One special event for this year's festival is A Conversation with Robert Walden. Louis Black, co-founder of Austin Chronicle and co-founder and director of SXSW, will host the intimate conversation about the actor’s career, work process, and passion for character development. It takes place Saturday, April 29, at 6 pm at Fritztown Cinema.

In addition to conversations and high-profile screenings, this year's short films include some that are fully produced and directed by high school or college filmmakers. The festival will also showcase a screenplay competition with five feature finalists and five short finalists, as well as the Coen Brothers' No Country For Old Men, which will be screening out of competition.

All-access festival badges and individual tickets are currently available for purchase online. The complete schedule can be found at the HCFF website.

Our five picks for can't-miss screenings are:

As Far As The Eye Can See
This Texas-made feature film tells the story of Jack Ridge, a 40-year-old former piano prodigy, who has withdrawn to a North Texas farm after his wife left him. The story revolves around the annual piano competition and corporate pressure to sell his land. Written by Paden Fallis, directed by David Franklin, and starring Jason London.
Thursday, April 27, 7 pm

What Children Do
Filmed in upstate New York, this comedy is about two estranged sisters who are thrust back into each other's lives by the impending death of their grandmother. It is directed and written by Dean Peterson and stars Janna Emig and Kate Hoffman.
Friday, April 28, 4:15 pm

Victor
Based on the true story of Victor Torres (adapted from his inspiring autobiography Son of Evil Street), this film tells the story of Torres' experience migrating to Brooklyn as a teenager, where he fell victim to gangs and heroin. His remarkable journey of faith and recovery led to a lifetime of helping others in need. Brandon Dickerson directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Thomas Ward; starring Patrick Davis.
Friday, April 28, 6:30 pm

Dealt
This fascinating documentary showcases Richard Turner, one of the world's greatest card magicians, who is completely blind. This is an in-depth look at a complex character who is one of magic’s greatest hidden treasures. Written by Bradley Jackson and directed by Luke Korem.
Saturday, April 29, 4 pm

La Barracuda
Another family film, this sinister yet musical story is about a young British woman who comes to Texas to stake her claim to the family's music legacy — and to meet her half-sister. Directed by Jason Cortlund and Julia Halperin, the film stars Sophie Reid and Alison Tolman.
Saturday, April 29, 7:15 pm

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News for campers

Lake Palestine in East Texas will be home to new 650-acre state park

Photo courtesy of Texas Land

Lake Palestine will be the site of a new state park.

East Texas is gaining a new state park at Lake Palestine that will include amenities like hike-and-bike trails, campsites, and lakefront access.

The Texas Parks and Wildlife Foundation has paid more than $10 million for a 650-acre ranch at Lake Palestine that will be converted into a state park, the agency says. If the park opened today, it would be the 90th state park in Texas.

The ranch, roughly 100 miles southeast of Dallas, had been on the market for a little less than $10 million. Roughly 60 percent of the ranch is wooded, and about 40 percent is pastureland.

The foundation will make improvements to the site, about 18 miles west of Tyler, before handing it over to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department in late 2027. That’s when funding from the Centennial Parks Conservation Fund will become available for the department to acquire the property.

The deal preserves one of the last large habitat sites in that part of East Texas and will ultimately expand public access to Lake Palestine. The lake encompasses more than 25,500 acres and touches four counties. White-tailed deer, bobcats, and waterfowl are among the creatures that populate the habitat.

“Opportunities to protect a property like this don’t come along very often, and when they do, timing is critical,” Anne Brown, the foundation’s executive director, said in a release. She said the land will “ultimately become a place where generations of Texans can enjoy the outdoors.”

The Pollard family had owned the ranch, which housed their pecan farm, since 1940. Aside from the pecan orchard, the property includes pine forests, ponds, a seven-acre lake, and Lake Palestine frontage.

Sam Pollard, president of Texas Pecan Nursery, said the property “is part of my soul. It means a lot to me that we can leave a legacy for people to enjoy.”

The foundation says visitors to the future park will be able to enjoy blufftop views of the lake, watch wildlife and birds, and walk around the pecan orchard. They’ll also be able to take advantage of boating, paddling, swimming, and fishing at Lake Palestine.

Rodney Franklin, director of the state park system, called the site an “East Texas gem” and thanked the Pollards for enabling “this special slice of the Pineywoods to be accessible for generations of Texans.”

The parks and wildlife agency plans to create the park in phases, starting with guided access, followed by daytime access and then full-day and overnight access. The agency will invite public input about the park’s development.

Planned amenities include hike-and-bike trails, traditional and primitive campsites, day-use areas and lakefront access.

The NextEra Energy Foundation, a philanthropic arm of NextEra Energy and NextEra Energy Resources, chipped in $100,000 to support the future park. NextEra supplies electricity to about one million customers in Texas, mostly through its Gexa Energy subsidiary.

In addition, the wildlife foundation tapped into the state’s Land Conservation Loan Fund for the ranch purchase. The voter-approved, donor-supported fund aids land conservation efforts. Dallas-based Lyda Hill Philanthropies was an inaugural backer of the loan fund.

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