Local “Oscar-style” event honors Harry Dean Stanton, Texas Indie Films & Mattress Mack
Houstonians will get a glimpse of awards season glamour on the evening of Saturday, January 6, when the Houston Film Critics Society presents its 11th annual awards ceremony. The event – the only one of its kind staged by a regional film critics’ organization in the US – will be hosted by CW 39/NewsFix personality Grego at the Midtown Arts and Theater Center Houston (MATCH) performance complex, located at 3400 Main St. in Downtown Houston.
The festivities, which are open to the public, will commence at 7:00 pm and will feature awards for excellence in motion pictures for 2017. Leading the list of HFCS nominated films are The Shape of Water, with nods in seven categories and Lady Bird with five.
“Each year, the Houston Film Critics Society follows a thorough screening process to identify the best of the year’s films,” says Joshua Starnes, president of the organization. “Our annual awards ceremony lets us honor the best as we invite the community to celebrate the magic of film.”
The evening’s agenda, which includes an Oscar-style presentation of movie clips and winners in multiple categories, will feature a salute to the career of the late Harry Dean Stanton in a tribute delivered by HFCS member and Variety magazine contributor Joe Leydon.
The Houston Film Critics’ Society will also present their annual Humanitarian Award to Jim McIngvale, whose tireless efforts for the victims of Hurricane Harvey captured the attention, admiration and appreciation of the world. In selecting “Mattress Mack” for this honor, the HFCS noted with fondness his production of the 1992 action film “Sidekicks”. The movie, filmed in Houston, starred Jonathan Brandis and Chuck Norris and featured cameos by legendary Houston radio personalities Mark Stevens and Jim Pruett.
A silent auction, featuring unique movie collectibles, will be staged in the lobby of the theatre. The list of items includes a now beautifully framed Sidekicks movie poster, originally uncovered by members of the HFCS during their inventory of over 8,000 posters found in storage on the second floor of the historic Evelyn Theatre in Dumas, Texas.
Tickets are $15 (plus a modest ticketing fee) and are available for online purchase.
A complete list of the 2017 films nominated the HFCS is provided attached with this communication.
The 11th Annual Houston Film Critics Society’s Movie Awards are underwritten by Leonard Courtright of Allied Siding and Windows, with promotional assistance from Gow Media’s ESPN 97.5 FM and SportsMap 94.1 FM, in cooperation with CW 39 and NewsFix.
ABOUT THE HFCS
The 34 members of the HFCS are working film journalists on television, radio, online and in traditional print. Together, they reach millions of people each week across the United States with their critiques and commentaries on film. The organization, which also actively promotes the advancement of film in the Houston community, hosts a weekly one-hour radio show and podcast series on Radio Brave, an international digital broadcast platform.