‘The Last Butterflies’ to screen at Albuquerque’s Mindfield Film Festival

The award-winning drama, “The Last Butterflies” has been named an official selection for the Mindfield Film Festival in Albuquerque.

The annual Mindfield Film Festival showcases features, shorts and music videos from a global collective of filmmakers, according to a film news release. It is known for celebrating independent, new and alternative talent.

University of New Mexico alum Herb Jackson Jr. served as associate producer for the film and also has a role in the drama. The film also stars Cooper Andrews.

“The Last Butterflies” was written by Whitney Wegman-Wood and directed by Patrick Rea. It recently received eight award nominations at the San Diego Film Festival, according to the news release.

The film follows the journey of a young mother navigating survival with her family in the aftermath of multiple environmental disasters. It will be screened at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 24, at the Guild Cinema, 3405 Central Ave. NE, with filmmaker questions and answers to follow. More information on the Mindfield Film Festival can be found at mindfieldff.com.

“This screening hits home with me,” Jackson Jr. said in a statement. “When we screened in Los Angeles, it was the ‘local boy does good’ story. Albuquerque takes that to a new level.”

Jackson Jr. was part of UNM’s varsity track team. He said his experience at UNM shaped who he is today, according to the news release.

“Venturing out on your own while tackling intellectual and social challenges, and for me, competing as a member of the UNM track team, laid the groundwork for what lay ahead in life,” he said in a statement. “It’s important to note that it wasn’t all smooth sailing. I encountered numerous setbacks and heartaches in all aspects of my life then. Little did I know then that those very setbacks and disappointments would become the driving force behind my present success.”