New monthly series brings seldom seen films to San Marcos

A new film series, First Tuesday SMTX, debuts Tuesday in San Marcos, the vision of Jeffrey Brown, filmmaker and documentarian, offering cinema devotees the opportunity to see films that seldom reach Hays County.

For Brown, the timing is perfect for this regular approach to screening films. He said the film concentration courses at Texas State University is growing and there is the prospect of a new studio to be created here.

“We’re just getting going,” he said. “We’re going to find out way. …. It’s definitely going to be a community event.”

He said the Price Center is a prefect venue and he said there is no political agenda to any of the films selected. Brown is a filmmaker himself, with roots in the Czech film scene, especially. He has done both fiction and documentary productions. He also runs Big Day Pictures. The first film is “Honky Tonk Heaven, the Legend of the Broken Spoke.” The film screening is at 7 p.m. at The Price Center, 222 W. San Antonio. Beer and pizza will be served. Tickets are $5.

“Honky Tonk Heaven” features George Strait, the now 90-year-old Willie Nelson, Ernest Tubb, Bob Wills and George Jones. According to Brown, this film gives “audiences a nostalgic glimpse inside a world of cowboy boots, two-step dancing and cold longneck beers in an ever-changing Austin.” This film received the SXSW Music Doc Prize. The Broken Spoke recently was honored with an historical marker documenting its importance to Central Texas.

Attending the screening is Sam Wainwright Douglas.

Brown said the $5 price is a fair, symbolic one to allow more people to seek out and attend the screenings. A monthly meeting is also reasonable, he said.

Brown said the tradition that will happen is the meeting place every month. The choice of Tuesday was to accommodate Concert in the Park and other regularly scheduled events in San Marcos. The addition of the film series gives style and substance to summer activities.

Each first Tuesday of the month through December, a documentary will be screened.

On June 6, “No, No,” which tells the story of Dock Ellis’ no hitter in 1970. June is the anniversary of the controversial game looking at this ball player. Music is by Beastie Boys’ Ad Rock. It was an official selection of the Sundance Film Festival. Filmmakers are planned to be in attendance.

On July 11, the film to be screened is “Yakona,” which is translated to “water rising.” This film is a “visual journey through the crystal clear waters of the San Marcos River from its headwaters down to the sea,” Brown said. The film narrative begins in prehistoric ties offering more impressionistic appreciation of the river. It was an official selection of SXSW. Filmmakers will be in attendance as they are local to San Marcos.

On Aug. 1, audiences will be treated to a screening of “Cowboys,” winner of the Audience Award at the Austin Film Festival. Filmmakers are expected to attend the screening. The film following the lives of modern working cowboys on 10 of the country’s large and remote cattle ranches.

“The film is beautifully shot,” Brown said.

Sponsors include the San Marcos Arts Commission, Big Day Pictures, PolkaWorks, Lost River Film Fest, Center: Texas Music History, Middleton Brewing, Pie Society, the Greater San Marcos Partnership, HEB and the Philosophy Dialogue Series.