By james art 
January 26 – “Santa’s cousin”, a film made with students from the Institute of Creative Media at the State University of New Mexico, will debut this week in Santa Fe.
The special screening will take place at 14:00, Friday, January 31, at the Violet Crown Cinema in Santa Fe. The event is organized by the NMSU Foundation and is part of the NMSU days in Santa Fe, which aims to promote the University and the Las Cructions University, according to a NMSU news message.
The movie is a “touching story” about Grandpa Colton’s reluctant cousin, Colton, who works to save a Christmas anniversary in Ruidoso and finds love along the way, according to a news message. The production, which was filmed in Las Cruisez and Ruidozo, stars Eric Roberts, Jonathan Stodard and Alexandra Harris.
Santa’s Cousin is the fourth feature film created by NMSU students in the CMI program. Students received a full semester loans, between 15 and 18 credits, for work on the movie. The production is made with a 50-member team that includes 34 students.
NMSU director and professor Ross Marx and Mitch Fowler, a resulting and operator, worked with students to develop their movie -making skills.
“We asked the students,” What would you like to do in this movie? ” , instead of hiring professionals (to be departments), which was our original plan, we would actually allow students to be heads of departments. “
One of Marx’s former students, Kigan Carns, who has a production company based in Albakari, called Inspirato, calls Marx and offers him a script for Santa Cousin.
“(He) said,” I have this charming scenario and I have funding, would you direct it? “Marx said. “What was a real thrill that one of my ex -students would offer me a job, unlike the ordinary hiring of ex -students. And I said, “Yes, but let’s do it through the CMI program in NMSU and students work on it. ‘ “
Carns agreed and supported the idea.
“I knew it would be a special movie, and it was my greatest pleasure to make a movie as a director as a director,” Marx said. “This is the most fun I have ever had because the students were so excited and enthusiastic about attending the set every day compared to what happens quite often and happened to me in many cases. You have been working with an experienced team and they have been in the business for 20-30 years and are a little tired. “
The students’ enthusiasm has created a “wonderful” work environment, Marx said.
“This is translated into the final product and what is on the screen,” Marx said. “The enthusiasm and the excitement of the students is what you see on the screen.”
When CMI students do not shoot, they help organize the Las Cructions International Film Festival, which Marx runs. The Film Festival is one of the largest in the country organized by a university.
Marx teaches a class in the fall where students learn to organize the festival.
“They are actually the program coordinators who are reviewing, I think we have over 800 proposals this year,” Marx said. “And then in the spring, which is now, students organize the festival. They make marketing and promotion. They deal with celebrities. “
The Film Festival brought some big names, including Brandon Fraser, Edward James Olmos, George Lopez, Giancarlo Espozito and William H. Mace, according to Marks. This year wears Oscar and Emmy Helen Hunt’s winner.
The film festival attracts about 10,000 people each year, according to Marx.
“Instead of making a trip to City Park, (Utah,) to Sundance every year, I thought, let’s just bring Sundance to the campus (nmsu),” Marx said. “… This is really my teaching philosophy that is to learn through doing. I think this is the best way to learn movies and entertainment is like you really do them. “
Rosana M. Martinez is an editor for the arts and entertainment of Albuquerque Journal. You can contact it at [email protected].