Short Cuts

Badges? We Don't Need No Stinking Badges (Oh, Wait, Yeah, We Do -- Sorry, Dude) Dept.: Wondering what to do this Father's Day weekend? Is the temperature in your home climbing hellward thanks to shoddy A/C coils? Is the sweat from your molten forehead drenching your computer keyboard and creating an electrical hazard? (You must be me.) Why not get away from it all and take in the only film festival in South Texas that comes complete with a pristine coastline, plenty of Sisqó-esque thong action, and -- if you're lucky -- one of those ever-collectible festival laminates? Yo, dawg, I'm talking about the Ninth Annual CineSol Latino Film Festival, which kicks off this Friday, June 14, and runs through Sunday, June 16 (with screenings continuing through July 17), on sun-soaked South Padre Island. The fest opens with director Betty Kaplan's screen adaptation of Esmerelda Santiago's memoir Almost a Woman, followed on Saturday evening by Jesüs Nebot's No Turning Back, and continues its run with a series of shorts, experimental films, and documentaries. Saturday and Sunday the fest will also sponsor a series of panel discussions and workshops, not to mention the requisite parties and wacky festival shenanigans (always the best part of any filmmaker gathering). Festival passes are $30 for three days/$20 for two days/$10 for one day. Call 327-1333 x10 for more information, or check out their exhaustive Web presence at www.cinesol.com/Cinesol2002/... In other fest news, the Eighth Annual San Antonio Underground Film Festival has announced this year's winners, among whom ranks Austinite Yvette Pita, whose documentary short "Pan y Libertad-- nailed the bronze prize. (The film has already screened at several fests, including the 2002 South by Southwest Film Festival.) Pita was also nominated for the Director's Guild of America East's "Best Latino Student Filmmaker Award." The festival itself is happening this weekend, oddly enough, and features a total of 62 films screening from noon, Friday, June 14, through Sunday evening at the Alameda Theatre in downtown S.A. Admission is a paltry $8/day at the door. For more info call 210/977-9004 or hit their site at www.safilm.com... Local writer/director Sidney Brammer has started up her popular Alleywood Auteurs workshop again, which runs Thursdays for six weeks, June 13-July 25, 7-10pm, at Alleywood Studios (1902 S. Congress, behind Twin Oaks Hardware). The workshop is "intended for those who want to learn the basics of screenwriting as they develop basic directing skills," and includes everything from action breakdowns, blocking, and making shooting lists. Registration is still open at $225 for the six three-hour classes. To register or to get more info, call 916-0001 or e-mail [email protected].