University of Texas Arlington

Filmmaker professor debuts at SXSW festival

A South by Southwest film with strong local ties, the excellent drama Wolf, had its world premiere at SXSW Sunday. Directed by University of Texas at Arlington film professor and San Antonio native Ya’Ke Smith, Wolf is an assured first feature loaded with performances of sustained intensity, The Dallas Morning News reported. The subject matter is thorny as can be: A high school student (Jordan Cooper) attempts suicide and leaves behind cell phone images that suggest the sexual predation of a popular local bishop (Eugene Lee). "They dug deep, and it’s really them who pulled this off. I love working with actors, and if there’s one thing I don’t put up with, it’s lazy acting. I’m constantly pushing people to go beyond what’s on the page," Smith said.