Say Hey, Edward James
The Santa Fe International Film Festival announced last week that the 2025 recipient of its annual Lifetime Achievement Award (which has previously gone to the likes of Oliver Stone, Bryan Cranston and Stephanie Seymour) will go to Stand and Deliver legend Edward James Olmos. We are huge fans of his work on and off screen,” SFIFF Executive Director Liesette Bailey tells SFR. “He’s an incredible actor and activist, and he’s shot films here; he’s been in big blockbusters and small indies, too, so he represents what the festival is about.” Olmos will receive the award during a ceremony at the Lensic on Oct. 18. The fest itself runs Oct. 15-20, btw, and you can check out more at santafe.film.
Calling All Types
Director Shandiin Tome (whom, you may recall, just picked up a few grand in grant bucks from the Santa Fe Film Institute when it was doing granting stuff last month) has put out a casting call for their forthcoming short film Donuts. Described online as the tale of a Native father who begins “casting himself as an action hero in a bid to reclaim his masculinity and dignity in a world that refuses to fully see him,” Donuts needs all kinds of roles, from kids aged 4-12, teen-ish types aged 18-23 and an adult somewhere in his 30s-60s. Also notable? Tome’s film counts Indian Horse star Forest Goodluck as a producer. For more info, email [email protected], but know they’re looking to cast up ASAP.
Beat it, Unum!
Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul creator Vince Gilligan continues his long-running and, frankly, super-hot love affair with New Mexico with Pluribus, a new series slated for release on Apple TV+ this November. Why bring it up now in August? Well, a teaser’s been making the rounds online, and since Gilligan kind of employs more New Mexicans than almost anyone, it’s always Vince o’clock, baby! Word on the street (by which we mean from the New Mexico Film Office) is that Pluribus counts more than 1,400 folks from our state as workers, including 500 or so on the crew, 100 principal actors and more than 800 background actors. In your face, Georgia and wherever else!
Cartoonish
Sky Cinemas owner Bill Banowsky recently invited SFR to a screening of A Savage Art: The Life & Cartoons of Pat Oliphant. Banowsky wrote and directed the forthcoming doc about the most influential political cartoonist of our time. And while it’s certainly fascinating to get a glimpse into Aussie ex-pat Oliphant’s process and life—including that he calls Santa Fe home—the subtext about the power of journalism, even in cartoon form, unsurprisingly struck a chord with us. Banowsky also tells SFR that Magnolia Films (a company he founded but no longer works for) will handle distribution with a limited run beginning Sept. 5 in Santa Fe and New York City before later hitting Los Angeles, Washington, D.C. and elsewhere.
