The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) continues its search for Texas films by bringing its Texas Film Round-Up to Sul Ross State University (SRSU) in Alpine July 6-8. TAMI will be collecting Texas-related films and videos for its free digitization program and screening vintage films of the region. Local residents can drop off their films and videos for free digitization at the Bryan Wildenthal Memorial Library on the SRSU campus in Alpine Thursday, July 6 through Saturday, July 8 between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.
Films can also be dropped off at Marfa’s El Cosmico on Friday, July 7. Pre-show footage from TAMI set to a soundtrack provided by Little Danny of Marfa Public Radio’s “Lost Frequencies” will be presented before the feature film, Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean. Bar opens at 6:00 pm, show starts at 8:30 pm.
The Texas Film Round-Up programming includes screenings of films from the region and a traveling exhibit. SRSU’s Bryan Wildenthal Memorial Library will host TAMI’s traveling exhibit, which features films from the region dating back to 1936. The SRSU Library and the Archives of the Big Bend will also partner with TAMI on the Friday night screening of Come Back to the 5 & Dime, Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean at El Cosmico. Students and community members are encouraged to return to El Cosmico on Saturday evening at 6:00 pm for a Film Salon where a moderated discussion of the previous night’s feature film will take place.
“By traveling the state with the Texas Film Round-Up, we are building a collection of films and videos that represent the landscape and culture of Texas, and we need more representation of the Trans Pecos region,” said TAMI’s Managing Director Madeline Moya. “Although many people think their films might not be of interest, we urge them to still contribute their materials. Home movies are particularly important as documents of the social history of the 20th and 21st century, telling the story of Texas from the citizen’s perspective.”
Through a partnership with the Texas Film Commission, the Texas Film Round-Up provides free digitization for Texas films and videotapes, including home movies, industrial films, educational films, advertisements, local television, and other films and videos in an effort to preserve Texas media heritage. To qualify for free digitization, films must be Texas related, and participants must be willing to donate a digital copy of their materials to the project. A curated collection of more than 4,000 previous film and video contributions is available to view at www.texasarchive.org.
The Texas Archive of the Moving Image (TAMI) is an independent non-profit organization founded in 2002 to discover, preserve, make accessible, and serve community interest in Texas’ moving image heritage. By partnering with institutions and individuals across the state, TAMI digitizes and provides web access to thousands of moving images that offer insight to Texas history and culture. To learn more about TAMI, visit www.texasarchive.org.
