In 2000, the iconic Plaza Theatre began restoration setting up the 2008 creation of a film festival named, The Movies Return To The Plaza Theatre. This was the inception the Plaza Classic Film Festival. The PCFF has drawn over 400,000 film fanatics in its eleven year existence featuring appearances from legends of film such as Al Pacino, Debbie Reynolds, Rita Moreno, Richard Dreyfuss, Eva Marie Saint, Kathleen Turner, Tippi Hedren, Robert Wagner, Cindy Williams, Don Bluth, among others.
The film festival is unique because it focuses not only classic films that generations will continue to hold dear in their hearts, but because it also highlights a community that tends to be overlooked: El Paso.
Debbie Reynolds and Don Bluth are among the El Paso natives that have participated in the festival. It also features films that were shot in or near El Paso. This year featured the the 1984 film, Amadeus, which won El Paso High School alumnus F. Murray Abraham an Oscar.
This year will also feature a reading and book signing by Ron Stallworth for his book, Black Klansman. Stallworth is originally from El Paso and his book is hitting the big screen later this month as the latest Spike Lee film.
Sam Elliott’s new film, The Man Who Killed Hitler and Then the Bigfoot, is also premiering including a Q&A with Elliott himself and director Robert Krzykowski.
Video was produced by Andrea Garcia (IG: @velveteendays) and Elliott Hinojos.