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Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards
Renee Zellweger paid tribute to Austin director Richard Linklater, one of the founders of the Austin Film Society, as she was inducted into the Texas Film Hall of Fame Thursday evening.
After a rousing introduction from columnist Liz Smith, the Oscar winner said that the film society was merely a dream when she lived in Austin in the 1980s. “You cannot build a reputation on what you intend,” she said, and Linklater actually went beyond dreams and “did it.”
Zellweger’s acceptance of the annual honor capped off an evening of raucous Texas-style celebrations, which began with a rowdy electric guitar rendition of the National Anthem by Ted Nugent.
John Hawkes, who moved to Austin in 1978 and was a regular on the Austin arts scene, praised the city for helping him become an actor and musician. And he particularly thanked Joe Sears and Jaston Williams for “giving me my first acting gig” in “Greater Tuna.” Hawkes was nominated for an Oscar for his supporting actor role in the Ozarks drama “Winter’s Bone.”
Rip Torn, who was introduced via video by Sissy Spacek, gave the shortest acceptance speech of the evening, thanking his first cousin for “telling all those lies.”
Also inducted were the cast of the television series “Friday Night Lights” and the Austin band Spoon, which has contributed to numerous soundtracks.
Throughout the evening, various speakers made indirect references to the current battle in the Legislature over whether to continue film incentives. Director Robert Rodriguez, who introduced Hawkes, made the most direct statements, appealing to legislators in the audience to do what they can to foster a healthy film industry in Texas.
At the beginning of the ceremony, Austin Film Society president Catherine Robb, granddaughter of Lyndon and Lady Bird Johnson, also made note of the economic benefits that Texas has reaped from film production.
Because of the current budget shortfall, the Texas Legislature is considering drastic cuts for the film incentives program. But on Thursday night, at least, Texas filmmakers were ready to celebrate what they had achieved — and what they hope will continue.
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By tbrown17
March 11, 2011 11:50 AM | Link to this
OK, RZ is Hot!
By Geez
March 11, 2011 8:09 AM | Link to this
Great! Hollywood comes to Austin. We just hit another mark on the d-bag meter.