UTRGV CHAPS film entered in South Texas International Film Festival

By Amanda Alaniz

UTRGV’s Community Historical Archaeology Project with Schools, known as the CHAPS Program, has earned recognition for its exploration of the geologic history of the Rio Grande Valley.

The CHAPS documentary film, “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight,” is an official film selection for the 2024 South Texas International Film Festival (STXIFF). The film was entered in the South Texas Cinematography category.

STXIFF is an annual, multi-day celebration of cinema open to the public. It shows a variety of films from around the world, and hosts workshops and a screenplay pitch competition. As a competitive, international film festival, it accepts works in the categories of RGV Film, Short Film, Feature Length Film, Documentary Film, Music Video, Animated Film and Student Film.

The CHAPS documentary explores the Valley’s 50 million years of geologic history, featuring ancient beaches, salt lakes, a cataclysmic volcanic eruption, Pleistocene megafauna and the impacts of a large river. It also shows how prehistoric people benefited from the area’s resources, and how it is being reshaped by human occupants.

THE FILM TEAM

The following professors and filmmakers made up the multidisciplinary team for “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas: Hiding in Plain Sight.”

• Juan L. González, professor of Geology for UTRGV College of Science, School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (SEEMS); CHAPS Program Co-Director; documentary film executive producer.
• Christopher L. Miller, professor of History for UTRGV College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Associate Director; documentary film associate producer.
• Russell K. Skowronek – professor of History and Anthropology for UTRGV College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Director; documentary film associate producer.
• Roseann Bacha-Garza – Lecturer II Anthropology for College of Liberal Arts; CHAPS Program Manager; documentary film associate producer.
• Gerardo “Bull” Sanchez – Little Tex Productions film company; documentary film director.

NOT JUST A FILM

Accompanying the film is “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas,” a traveling exhibit put together by UTRGV students enrolled in the “Discovering the Rio Grande Valley” class, and UTRGV faculty involved with CHAPS.

The exhibit displays artifacts and information about natural landscapes discovered around the Valley.

Bacha-Garza said the team was excited to find out they were an “Official Selection” for the festival, especially in a competitive field of 75 entries chosen to be shown during the festival.

She said she hopes people who see the film and exhibit come away with an appreciation for the history surrounding them in the Valley.

“We would like people to not only enjoy the beauty of the Rio Grande Valley, but also to consider how development is removing our valuable natural resources and reshaping our natural landscapes,” she said. “The Ancient Landscapes of South Texas project shows the world that we can put our best foot forward by revealing the natural beauty of this borderland region we call home.”

HOW TO SEE THE FILM & EXHIBIT

• The “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas” documentary film will showcase at the STXIFF in Edinburg on Friday, Sept. 13, at the Edinburg Arts, Culture & Events Center, 315 W. McIntyre St. Doors open at 4 p.m.; “Ancient Landscapes” to be shown at 4:30 p.m.
• The “Ancient Landscapes of South Texas” traveling exhibit currently is on display at the Museums of Port Isabel through the middle of December.
• The film currently is being showcased at the Port Isabel Lighthouse Boutique Hotel from Wednesday – Friday, 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.