| Film
Irish Lass Loves ‘Hot Town, Cool City’
By Stephen Hintz
Irish American Maureen McNamara is making a Hot Splash with her upcoming
documentary
Hot Town, Cool City, an insider’s guide to the eclectic
cultural underbelly of Houston’s super-sized reputation. NASA and Enron
aren’t the only things happening in the biggest city in Texas.
Mcnamara, the third of four children, is a third generation County Clare-ite.
Although she hasn’t been to Ireland like her sister and dad, she still
feels the rush of Irish blood through her veins every time she touches
a camera. Her father, Dr. John McNamara, actually teaches Irish Literature
at St. Thomas University in Houston.
McNamara moved to Houston shortly after being born in Milwaukee and
grew up infatuated with the many neighborhoods and international flavor
that the city had to offer. After graduating with a bachelor’s in studio
arts from St. Thomas University, McNamara went to work as operations director-central
for Landmark Theatres, the nation’s largest art house chain of movie outlets.
She was also in charge of the firm’s business development, responsible
for half of Landmark’s 72 theaters in new markets across the country. McNamara
also developed nine20-minute video projects with the National Association
of Theatre Owners (NATO).
It was in the back of a dark theater that the producer bug would first
bite. It would be almost 30 years later before she acted on that urge.
After working for Landmark for 22 years in locations throughout the United
States, McNamara had finally settled in beautiful San Francisco. However,
Houston was calling and when she told friends that it was time to leave;
they all asked "Why Houston?" "This project is the answer to that question,"
she explained.
In 2002, McNamara left Landmark and she and her husband had a baby girl,
Isabella Josephine. Her Irish heritage reared its fiery red head when the
baby emerged with sea-blue eyes and Irish flag orange hair.
McNamara decided to go back to school to continue her studies and ended
up abroad in Italy for a year. While overseas, she took the road less traveled
and found a culture that seemed hidden to the average tourist. She thought,
"This is what Houston needs."
After returning to the States, an uncle, Peter Lancelot, came to visit
McNamara and she showed him around town. Living between Vermont and Florida
throughout the year, Uncle Lancelot never dreamed that he would fall in
love with Houston, but that’s exactly what happened. Getting the experience
from McNamara allowed him to see the city that only Houstonians are normally
privy to and he’s now contemplating moving.
Between McNamara’s tenure at Landmark, her off-the-beaten path adventures
in Italy and Uncle Lancelot’s conversion from wary skeptic to enthusiastic
fan, McNnamara decided that she would finally get behind the camera and
show the world the Houston that she knows best.
McNamara raised $4,000 in seed money from the Cultural Arts Council
of Houston and realized that she was on her way. Through fundraisers and
other grant applications, she’s raised most of the money needed for a June/July
release of her world premiere documentary, Hot Town, Cool City.
McNamara is currently securing the last of her funding to finish with the
editing and sound.
She’s already received a commitment from PBS to air the entire feature
and her user-driven website has organically grown to include 150 Houston
experiences from people who love the city as much as she does. McNamara
says that a visit to Houston has to include "a trip to the Aurora Picture
Show, the Glass Brothers Watermelon Stand and the Menil Campus…they’re
all really amazing places that you people don’t always associate with Houston."
She advises urban fans to find out more on her website www.hottowncoolcity.org.
In addition to her work on Hot Town, Cool City, McNamara is now
on the film committee for the Museum of Fine Arts-Houston, is board vice
president for a local nonprofit theatre group and works with her architect
hub on development projects.
Asked where one might find a good pint in town and she paused. "I’d
say Griff’s," she said. "My father would know better, but I’d go with Griffs."
A good pint, some watermelon and a movie? She just might have converted
me.
 
|
