‘Santa’s Cousin’ showcases Las Cruces talent

When filmmaker Ross Marks drove Oscar-nominated and Golden Globe-winning actor Eric Roberts to the set of “Santa’s Cousin” last year and told him more than 30 members of the crew for the feature film shooting in Las Cruces would be Marks’ students from the Creative Media Institute at New Mexico State, Roberts was “nervous and a little reluctant,” Marks said, and told him, “That will be interesting.”

But after three days of filming, Roberts told the crew, “You are one of the best groups in the 700 appearances on film that I’ve ever had, and I mean that from the bottom of my honest heart.”

“Students really had the responsibility of bringing this film to life,” said Marks, who directed “Santa’s Cousin” and was also one of its producers.

The film set was “a classroom” for his students, Marks said, and more than half of them are now employed in the film industry because of “the major film credit … the real work experience” they got on the movie.

“I am more proud of ‘Santa’s Cousin’ than any movie I’ve ever made,” he said. “The student part is the thing that’s most rewarding.”

Marks said he is also proud that a number of its cast members are from Las Cruces, including Knut Brekke, Natali Jones, Jessica Jimenez and Nick Check. Albuquerque filmmaker Keagan Karnes, a Las Cruces native and CMI graduate, was another of the film’s producers. CMI associate professor Mitch Fowler was the cinematographer.

The story of “Santa’s Cousin” “revolves around Colton (Jonathan Stoddard), a shy and reluctant cousin of Santa Claus (Eric Roberts), who is assigned a mission to help save the Christmas Jubilee in the small town of Ruidoso, New Mexico,” according to a news release from Inspirado Films, NMSU and Heartstrings Media. “Colton feels more at home tending to horses than talking to people but accepts the assignment. Assisted by his sidekick, Gilbert ‘The Elf’ (Jamey Maurice Clay), Colton soon meets Natalie (Alexandra Harris), a loving but hard-headed woman who is desperate to make this holiday season memorable for her son, Zach (Malcolm Engel). Together, they create Christmas magic to give Ruidoso an extraordinary miracle... and discover love along the way.”

“Santa’s Cousin” is the latest in a string of feature film projects for Marks, 57, who received the New Mexico Governor’s Award for Excellence in the Arts in October and is executive director of the Las Cruces International Film Festival. In addition to his producing and screenwriting credits, Marks has directed 16 films, including “The Twilight of the Golds,” “Homage” and “Walking With Herb.” He has worked with Oscar winners Al Pacino, Faye Dunaway and Brendan Frasier and TV star and Grammy award nominee George Lopez.

“Things have really started to come my way as a director and producer,” Marks said.

After 37 years in the film industry, “I really understand the medium,” he said. “I understand how to get movies made – that’s the hardest part of the business. Now, if there is a script I’m excited about, I know I can get it made.”

Marks began his film career as an acting student at UCLA. With mentors like his late father-in-law, Tony-winning playwright Mark Medoff, and TV’s “Happy Days” creator Garry Marshall, Marks segued into directing. He earned an master’s degree from the AFI Conservatory film school in Los Angeles and became a film professor at NMSU in 2012.

Marks said Las Cruces continues to receive attention from filmmakers across the country as a great place to make movies. The support he received for “Santa’s Cousin” “made me feel so supported and valued,” Marks said. “Everybody always says ‘yes.’”

“Santa’s Cousin” premieres Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Allen Theatres Cineport, located at Mesilla Valley Mall. The film will be available on DirecTV, Dish, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play, Vubiquity and Fandango.