News items

John Beifuss at The Commercial Appeal has a few random film items:

• Memphis moviemaker Craig Brewer will fill the shoes (if not much else) of Elvira on Oct. 27 when he serves as grand marshal of the nationally televised NASCAR Busch Series Sam's Town 250 at Memphis Motorsports Park.
• "The Importance of Being Russell" won the Audience Award for Best Feature at the Secret City Film Festival in Oak Ridge, Tenn. Also, star John Pickle earned the Best Actor award at the second annual Southern Appalachian International Film Festival in Johnson City, Tenn., an event co-sponsored by East Tennessee State University. The movie also won the award for Best Comedy.
• Los Angeles casting director Linda Phillips-Palo will conduct acting workshops for kids, teenagers and adults Nov. 2-4 at the Lisa Lax Actors Studio at 174 Leif Cove in Cordova.

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