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Boleros Concert Translated Into a Romantic Night
Rosalinda Risso:
San Antonio’s Newest Celebrity
Latino's Die Too
Radio Air Jesus
The Gateway to San Antonio’s Westside
LITTLE JOE:
“I’M
DIABETIC!
ARE YOU?”
Patio Andaluz
Reunion Stirs Memories
Rubén Ramos
Celebrated his 50th
From Mexico With
Love
Hollywood Comes
to the Alamo City
by: Ramon Hernandez
The Greater San Antonio
Film Council is on a mission and that’s
to bring Hollywood’s big bucks to the
Alamo City.
In 1927, a silent movie about World War I was
filmed in San Antonio and it went on to become
the first film to win the Academy Award for
“Best Picture.” Furthermore, “Wings,”
also won a second Academy Award for “Engineering
Effects.”
Since then, numerous other movies have been
produced in the River City, but not as many
as Austin. The state’s Capitol City boosts
a total of four film organizations and this
accounts why Austin gets so many of Tinseltown’s
productions.
“All that is about to change because we
have a great film community,”
Al Frakes
said during an interview at the Lion and Rose
pub. Frakes is the chairman of the board of
the S.A. Film Council. Minerva Nadler, vice
president of Nadler’s Bakery and Delicatessen,
plus also a member of the council’s board
of director echoed his remark.
“We have actors, directors, producers,
entertainment attorneys, film editors and scriptwriters,”
Frakes continues.
“Minerva owns a bakery, but the bottom
line is that everyone is part of the film industry
because crews have to eat, dress, sleep and
drive. This means they spend for restaurants,
hotels, car rentals and gas. This is why the
film industry is so important to San Antonio.
“Mayor Julian Castro is a strong supporter.
Furthermore, his brother Joaquin
and Councilman
John Clamp serve on our board. The reason is
because there’s money to be made.” Tejano singing superstar Rubén Ramos
is another board member.
In fact, some of the celebrities present at
the Northside pub were songbird
Patsy Torres,
Rita Verreos (“Survivor Fiji”),
Brandy López (“General Hospital”)
and Ricardo Lentini. The Italian actor was once
Roberto DeNiro’s bodyguard and also appeared
in “The Untouchables,” “Crime
Stories” and “Good Fellas.”
Now a local resident, he and
Joel Sauceda are
the co-owners of two New Forces Fitness Juice
Bars.
Frakes and
Nadler -- who were once part of the
Convention and Visitor’s Bureau over six
and a half years and oversaw the film commission
-- decided the film-makers community needed
a civilian side because the S.A. Film Commission
was so limited.
“It is only allowed so much because of
their budget,” Frakes continued. “So
in a way, their hands are tied. Meanwhile we
have strong connections in Los Angeles.”
The result of these connections is that their
first venture, “From Mexico With Love”
starring Kuno Becker, Steven Bauer, Bruce McGill
plus others will hold its Texas premiere here
on September 29th.
“Therefore our
priority is to bring more movie productions,
to get more work for our city and that translates
to more money for the city,”
Frakes stated.
The S.A. Film Council’s motto is “Bringing
the passion of filming back to San Antonio,
Texas.” A tag line on their Web site also
reads: “Remember when making movies was
fun? Then come to San Antonio and find that
magic again.”
For more information, go to www.safstudiosinc.com.
And if you’re looking for the perfect
location for those exterior shots, check out
www.safstudiosinc.com.
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