Boxoffice-September.04.1978

'
ce
lifetime' Debut Wins
Applause, Laughter
SAN AMOMO—A thundering standing
ovation greeted "Only Once in a Lifetime"
as the film received its world premier.- here
Friday evening. August 25. it was reported
hy Ben K.ing jr., entertainment editor of
the Express-News.
The o\ation was given by slightly more
than 2.000 people who attended the film,
which has been billed as the first Hollywood
production directed and produced by Mexican-Americans.
The premiere, co-sponsored by the Express-News,
was considered the highlight of
the third annual Chicano Film Festival.
The film, which centers on the trials and
tribulations of an elderly Mexican-American
artist in East Los Angeles, won laughter
as the artist, played by Miguel Robelo. ran
into Anglo social workers who insisted on
speaking their broken Spanish to him. His
other problems entailed Mexican-American
fathers who were "dead set" on their daughters
getting married.
Hero's Faith Renewed
The crux of the situation faced by the
film's hero is that he begins to feel his life
is worthless because of the restrictions put
upon him by various local laws and the fact
that an art dealer no longer will display his
paintings. For a while, the artist considers
suicide, but in the end decides against it
after his faith in life is renewed as he meets
various people while he tries to find a home
for his alcoholic dog.
The main point of the film, aecording to
its co-producers Alcjadro Grattan and Moctcuma
Esparza, is to present a story about
contemporary Mexican-American life, but
to avoid the stereotypes usually associated
with the minority group in films.
Outside the Theatre for the Performing
Arts, where the film was premiered, the film
festival's organizers added a touch of Hollywood
in honor of the world premiere.
Several national and local dignitaries arrived
at the theatre as they were announced
over a public address system, with a squad
'I photographers snapping their pictures.
Among those attending were Jack Valenli.
president of the Motion Picture Ass'n of
America, Mayor Lila Cockrell and city
councilmen Hernardo Eureste and Rudy Ortiz.
Following the premiere, a reception and
dance honoring the co-producers and stars
of "Only Once in a Lifetime" was held at
the Hilton Palacio del Rio Hotel. Guests
were serenaded by strumming mariachis and
..veral other dunce ant! musical perlorm-
The two-day festival is sponsored by
Centro Video of the Oblate College of the
Southwest.
Jack Valenti Encourages
Chicano Film Creators
.San .\nlunlu—C'hieaiio filniniakers
look promising but, like all filmmakers,
they face rou);h going, says the president
of the .Motion Picture A.vs'n of
.America, according to Lamont Uood
of the Light.
"I was *er\ much impressed today
hy the intensity of the dedication and
comniitnient of these >oung filmmakers,"
commented Jack Valenti after
meeting with Hispanic motion picture
makers at the Chicano Film Festival
here.
"But my only honest advice to them
and all young filmmakers is to he prepared
for disappointment." noted the
MI'AA thief. "Out of e\ery hundred
young filmmakers, only a handful
make it to the big lime. Talent and
dedication doesn't mean you will succeed,
but without it you cannot succeed."
Valenti noted that making a successful
motion picture is difficult, requiring
the talents of an artist and a field
commander.
Tour of Farms, Drive-In
Part of Britons' Agenda
From Cenlnl
Ed:lron
NESS CITY, KAS.—A recent
Bo.xoffice
article concerning two British youths on
their first visit to an American drive-in
caught the attention of Paul Ricketts, Ricketts
Theatres, who says he also took some
English visitors on their first trip to an outdoor
theatre.
The Britons, who hail from the lake
coimtry of Northern England, stayed with
Ricketts while he showed them around local
farming and terracing operations.
The entourage saw "The Betsy" at the
Star Drive-In on a night during which,
Ricketts says, "Mother Nature gave us perfect
weather—but 'The Betsy' gave us less
than perfect business."
SUBSCRIPTION
Symposia Treat Financial
End of Chicano Filmmaking
(Continued from preceding page)
"The best way to get money from the Corporation
for Public Broadcasting is through
a tie-in to a television station or having a
big name like Bill Moyers who gels funded
year after year." As alternatives. Penichci
suggested that filmmakers seek private
sources such as banks or find a TV station
or film company to co-produce a movie.
Luis Terrazas. Corporation for Public
Broadcasting board member, told some 50
spectators that the corporation at times has
been "insensitive" to fund-seekers. But he
blamed independent filmmakers for some
of the problems. "A lot of independents
have not come through and rattled the
cage. he said. Terrazas, formerly of San
"
Antonio, said the corporation already has
begun to study ways of improving communications
with minority filmmakers.
Another independent film producer from
Los Angeles said the biggest problem encountered
by Mexican-American filmmakers
is knowing how to look for funding. "It is
a very difficult thing." he said. "We have a
lot of very creative Chicano and Latino
filmmakers, but they just don't know how
to get through the front door."
'Swarm' Hyped in Canada
With $500,000 Campaign
TORONTO— Promotion campaigns for
the Warner Bros, release "The Swarni"
added an estimated S500.000 to the Canadian
economy, according to the publication
Marketing.
Al Dubin, advertising and publicity director
for Warners in Canada, who supervised
the entire publicity drive and personally
created many elements of it, related:
"We took 104 billboards in the Toronto
area and put posters on both sides of 84
subway stations."
Attracting much response was the radio
ballyhoo, which continued for a month and
involved nine stations in cities across Canada.
The on-lhe-air publicity involved a
"I'd like to escape from the swarm with
" contest, in which the name of
the favorite local deejay was written on an
entry blank and sent to the radio station.
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In past years, the Chicaiu) Film Festiv.d
ii.is been held in the Sunken Garden Ihci-
•
in Brackcnridge Park. However, this
i'. premiere and festival marks a new
for Ihc event which gamers
le
publicity.
/ear wc were under the stars, hui
w '.; have come inside to stay," Furesic
!'l the cheering audience at the premiere.