Latino Filmmaker Awarded for Excellence Now Calls San Antonio Home

SAN ANTONIO – In conjunction with Hispanic Heritage Month and the premiere of the highly anticipated film, Crush, the San Antonio Film Institute has selected A.J. Garces of CineOptima and PrimaDonna Productions fame as the best of the best.

On Friday, September 28 at the Aztec on the River, during the San Antonio Local (SAL) Film Festival, Darlene Miller of the San Antonio Film Institute (SAFI) will present Garces with his “Grand Jury Prize” and $600 in cash. Crush a short film that explores a young woman’s encounter with her soul mate, was written and directed by Garces, produced by PrimaDonna Productions, and stars local actors Laura Evans and Fred Parker. According to Miller, the Managing Director of the festival, “Crush is a beautiful production and a great example of the quality and excellence in film production happening in and around the city of San Antonio.”

“It is great to know that an organization like SAL has been created so that San Antonio can finally step out of the shadow of well-known film market giants like Austin and Dallas and put itself on the map,” says President of PrimaDonna Productions, Nikki Young. Jade Esteban Estrada, a Latino entertainer and an actor in the award-winning film couldn’t agree more, “San Antonio is a wonderful town full of exceptionally talented and gifted artists and it is time everyone knew it!” One of the many reasons Young, Garces, and Estrada love to live and work in San Antonio is as diverse are the people, is as how similar their passion is to put the city on the top of the filmmaking pyramid. “One of the advantages of residing in a city like San Antonio is its cultural offerings; I am proud that Crush, is now forever part of our city’s cultural fabric,” says Garces, a Columbian native, but devoted San Antonio resident.

Other Latino filmmakers to be showcased during the inaugural event include Mark Cantu, Bryan Ortiz, Ranferi Salguero, Bryan Anthony Ramirez, and Carlos Piña to name a few. Tickets to SAL are $10 at the door. Complimentary wine and beer will be served prior to the screenings and at intermission. Doors open at 6:15 PM and the screenings begin at 7:00 PM.

• For more information about the SAL Film Festival: www. salfilmfest .com or contact Darlene Miller directly at 210.394.3066

• For more information about Crush the movie: www. crushthemovie .net

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Nikki Young, Publicity, PrimaDonna Productions
6338 N. New Braunfels #328
San Antonio, TX 78209
Ph#: (210) 822-3552 * Fax: (210) 822-3488
nikki@primadonnaproductions.com

Background of A.J. Garces
A.J. Garces, a freelance illustrator by trade, was born and raised in Cali, Columbia and moved to Texas in 1987. Since then his work has appeared in such news and entertainment publications as Entertainment Weekly, National Geographic, Newsweek, and Playboy. For more information, please visit www.ajgaces.com or call 210.509.9943.

Background of PrimaDonna Productions
PrimaDonna Productions was formed almost a decade ago by Nikki Young and Chadd Green, both alumni of Southwest Texas State University. With rich backgrounds in the arts, Nikki and Chadd decided to help out local artists and theatres with their marketing and publicity. The firm’s services range from résumé designs for actors to entire marketing campaigns for playwrights. Other services include website design, logo creations, direct mailings, and more. Additionally, PrimaDonna Productions has also made a lasting impression with their film and video production work. For more information, please visit www.primadonnaproductions.com or call 210.822.3552.

This release was published on openPR.