“As one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States, there is an increasing demand for independent films in our community,” says Bo Parker, principal with Kinetiq HD and a champion of independent film in Fort Worth. “Coupled with that demand, is a growing need for film school scholarship opportunities for graduating high school students. We believe that by converging both, we can help build a thriving independent film community in Fort Worth.”

Kinetiq HD has been very supportive of the local film community. Parker served on the board of the Lone Star Film Society, and currently employs one of the region’s up-and-coming filmmakers, Andrew Disney. “Andrew is one of the great creative talents that our city has produced during the past decade,” says Parker. “His enthusiasm will be a guiding force for the series, and he hopes to mentor other aspiring filmmakers in the city.”

Disney recently won regional recognition for his short film Frank’s Last Shot, which has been shown at film festivals throughout the world. A Fort Worth native, Disney is a graduate of the prestigious New York University Tisch School of the Arts – the same training ground that launched the careers of Oliver Stone, Spike Lee and Martin Scorsese.

Parker adds, “American Fork is a great film and is the perfect choice to launch the series. It has had regional screenings this year at South by Southwest and AFI Dallas, but it has yet to grace a screen in Fort Worth. With such noted actors as William Baldwin and Kathleen Quinlan, there is already a built-in audience in Fort Worth. Unfortunately, the film has not seen wide release throughout the Metroplex.”

What: A screening of the film American Fork

Where: The Modern Art Museum Auditorium

When: April 30, 2008, at 7:30 PM

Description: At nearly 400 pounds, Tracy Orbison (Hubbel Palmer) is a wide target. When he sets out to pursue his dream of acting, the grocery clerk finds an assortment of people waiting to dash his dreams: his acting coach (William Baldwin), who has designs on his sister Peggy (24’s Mary Lynn Rajskub); his juvenile-delinquent friends, who suck him into their petty crimes; and his God-fearing, self-loathing mother (Academy Award nominee Kathleen Quinlan). Through it all, Tracy remains irrepressibly upbeat, convinced he’s destined for something big.

Rating: This film has not been rated.

Running time: 82 min.