Pop Cultural District

24-hour video people

It has taken me a while to get -- and even longer to post about -- the winners of the Dallas Video Association's recent 24-hour Video Race. But we've received a list of the winners, and here's who did the best job of representing points west of Texas 360:

--Arlington-based Manamal Productions' Schadenfreude took first place in the "Futurevision" category. The 5-minute film, embedded below, features an actress named "Kristen Cambell" -- not to be confused with the Star-Telegram.com's own Kristin Campbell -- who happened to be one of the competition's judges and says the film was the judges' unanimous favorite of all the entries. Fort Worth-based comedy troupe Curtis Needs a Ride's Lost & Found took second in the Futurevision category.

--Colleyville-based Ramrod's Water Falls took third in the "Pixelvision" category. I'm sure there's a clip to link to somewhere, but darned if I can find it.

--Here's Schadenfreude, below. -- Robert Philpot

More things to do with cameras in Dallas

Local publicist extraordinaire Lisa Taylor sends along a reminder that the Video Association of Dallas' 7th Annual 24-Hour Video Race takes place next Friday -- and the deadline to register is tomorrow, as in May 10. Details on the link; Taylor points out that aspiring filmmakers can also register in person from from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday at the Magnolia Lounge in Fair Park, 1121 First Avenue in Dallas. -- Robert Philpot

Local boy's book leads to a gay ol' time in Miami

This just in: according to the miamiherald.com, A-list actors Ewan McGregor and Jim Carey were recently spotted at a Miami gay bar. Together.

But before reaching for your smelling salts, just know that the "Star Wars" and "Dumb and Dumber" stars were doing research for a new movie, "I Love You Phillip Morris," which is based on a book by Fort Worth native Steve McVicker.

Published in 2003, McVicker's book recounts the story of former Florida police officer Steven Russell, who left his family, went on a crime spree, fell in love in prison and then escaped repeatedly — each time on Friday the 13th.

McGregor and Carey were at the Miami gay bar Halo for "Martini Tuesday," according to the Miami Herald. McVicker was born in Fort Worth and grew up in Cleburne.

-- R.A. Dyer

AFI announces its 2008 schedule

The AFI Dallas Film Festival (March 27 to April 6) released a complete list of titles Wednesday for its second edition, March 27 to April 6. The lineup includes 119 features and 91 short films, an increase of about 10 percent over last year. The festival will open with Then She Found Me, the directorial debut of Oscar-winning actress Helen Hunt, left. Other highlights include a screening of Barry Levinson’s What Just Happened?, a comedy starring Robert De Niro that recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; a sneak preview of Forgetting Sarah Marshall, the latest comedy from producer Judd Apatow (Superbad, Knocked Up); and the area premiere of The Black List, a documentary in which former Star-Telegram and New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell profiles a group of famous African-Americans. Celebrities scheduled to be honored include Charlize Theron, whose new film Battle in Seattle will close the festival; Mickey Rooney, who will attend a 70th anniversary showing of Boy’s Town; and Jack Lemmon, whose widow Felicia Farr will attend a screening of Some Like It Hot. Tickets will go on sale Friday at www.afidallas.com or at the festival’s box office at Victory Park.

-- Christopher Kelly

These Gates are Heavenly

Avant-garde, landscape artist, Christo's The Gates were truly a sight to behold if one happened to wander into New York's Central Park back in February of 2005. If you weren't that fortunate to frolic amongst these ocher panels, then try to catch one of the screenings of The Gates -- the surprisingly poignant documentary reviewed here, premiering at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth tonight and on Saturday. If you somehow miss these screenings, above is an awfully good taste of what it was like three years ago in a park far, far away...Andrew Marton