Inside Movies

• The Galaxy Highland 10 is the first Austin theater and only the second in Texas to get a Digital Light Processing digital projector, just in time for the digitally shot "Star Wars III: Revenge of the Sith," which opens at midnight May 19 at the Galaxy and scads of other theaters. The system is officially called the Christie CP2000 2K Digital Cinema Projector and it "delivers a spectacular presentation with exceptionally crisp and clean images and perfect color saturation ... exactly as George Lucas wants fans to experience it," says Galaxy general manager Travis Wampler. -- Chris Garcia

• I've always said that last year's Criterion DVD packaging of Richard Linklater's "Slacker" is a masterstroke of design and graphics, embodying the film's grungy, discursive universe with flare and beauty and elegance. But I didn't realize the box was designed by Austin's own Marc English Design, whose edgy artwork can be seen all over, particularly on posters and programs for local movie events. Others adore the "Slacker" package, too: It was featured in Step Inside Design magazine last fall and has won an award from HOW magazine, announced in the mag's April International Design Annual. Hats off. -- C.G.

• The still-untitled supernatural thriller starring Sarah Michelle Gellar (it was formerly called "Revolver" and producers are fighting to retain the name) wrapped last week in Austin, but not before some happy personal news on the set. First, leading man Peter O'Brien became a father when actress wife Miranda Otto (this summer's 'War of the Worlds') gave birth to a girl April 1. Then, on April 23, the production's head of craft services, Austinite Joe Fiske, very publicly proposed to hair and make-up artist (and fellow Austinite) Chelsea Carpenter. Gellar lured Carpenter to the set for the big surprise. Grips handed her roses and cameras rolled as Fiske got on one knee and popped the question. She said yes. And that's a wrap. -- C.G.

• Updates on the production slate for the University of Texas Film Institute and its for-profit arm Burnt Orange Productions: "The Quiet" -- the thriller shot in Austin last year and formerly known as "Dot" -- is going to the Cannes Film Festival next week, though it's not on the official Cannes program. Buyers will be shown the movie's trailer for foreign pre-sales. ... Comic mystery "The Cassidy Kids" will start production in July with Jacob Vaughan directing and Bryan Poyser co-writing. (Vaughan and Poyser made festival fave "Dear Pillow.") ... Hundreds of child actors nationwide have been looked at to fill roles in "A West Texas Children's Story," which could start shooting this summer. Casting continues. -- C.G.

• Get your chunk of the money when the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund begins bestowing $75,000 in grants to aspiring regional moviemakers in September. Start by attending the TFPF informational workshop at 7 tonight at Austin Studios, 1901 E. 51st St. Grant applications are available at www.austinfilm.org and are due June 1. 322-0145. -- C.G.

• Winners from last month's Cine Las Americas International Film Festival were recently announced, and highlights include: Guadalupe Miranda's "Relatos Desde el Encierro," Jury Award for Best Documentary Feature; Martin Boege Pare's "La Requisa," Jury Award for Best Documentary Short; Marilú Mallet's "La Cueca Sola," Audience Award for Documentary Feature; Matias Bize's "Sábado," Jury Award for Best First Feature Film; Gabriela Monroy's "Un Viaje," Jury Award for Best Dramatic Short; David Fabelo's "Test Day," Jury Award for Best Film Made in Texas; and Artemio Espinoza's "Residencia," Audience Award for First Feature Film. www.cinelasamericas.org. -- C.G.

• The South by Southwest Film Festival had its annual run in March, but it continues online during its second multimedia summer festival called SXSWclick Festival. Submissions are being accepted now and all variety of graphic storytelling, from flash animation to music videos, is welcome. Get the details at www.sxsw.com. -- C.G.

• UT's College of Communication buildings will be turned into massive movie screens from sunset to 10 p.m. Saturday, when art, design, film, theater, dance and architecture students project large-scale video installations outdoors. The show is called LightSwitch and was initiated by radio-TV-film professor Samantha Krukowski as an "investigation of the projection and reception of moving images." The show is free. Visit www.cinemaspace.net.

• Filmmakers coming to town: Dante James, producer of the recent PBS series "Slavery and the Making of America," will lecture about native Texan and civil rights titan James Farmer at 7 p.m. May 12 at the Austin Film Society Screening Room. www.austinfilm.org. ... Auteur and raconteur Peter Bogdanovich will be at the Alamo Downtown and Alamo South Lamar May 13 through 15 to screen and talk about his best films, "The Last Picture Show," "Paper Moon" and the director's cut (his) of "Mask." Details and tickets: www.drafthouse.com. -- C.G.