Serenity Falls on Dallas, Bringing With It Familiar Faces

Spent a few minutes touring the Serenity Falls Web site this morning, curious to see what Dallas-based dreamFLY Productions has in mind for its first full-length feature -- which, says this week's Variety film production chart, is scheduled to start shooting in the area come April 14. What's the movie about? Guy spends 10 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, then returns home to his small town (Vista, Texas) to kill the men who framed him ... but can he, will he? Guess we'll find out, one way or another.

Most intriguing thing about the movie, which is being backed by all locals on the bidness side, is the announced cast: House M.D.'s Omar Epps, Happiness' Dylan Baker, Spanglish's Paz Vega, the great Burton Gilliam and ... and Sam Shepard, who'll show up in some great movies and in some of the worst. From the looks of the investors' shindigs, it'll be done with mostly local dough -- and with Pleasant Grove on the soundtrack, if the Web site and party were any indication.

In other local film news, Fort Worth's favorite son Bill Paxton is severing his ties with The Lone Star International Film Festival, following the ouster (or close to) of its artistic director, a good pal o' Paxton's. Good thing there are other local fests at which he can spend every waking hour. --Robert Wilonsky