DENTON (UNT), Texas — Smokey Binion Jr. spends most of his days mowing lawns, driving tractors and doing handyman jobs for the small city of Stinnett in the Texas Panhandle.

Come evening, however, he trades his work clothes for a red sequined jumpsuit and gold rimmed sunglasses, and transforms into Elvis Presley, eager to entertain and connect with young and old audiences across the Panhandle.

Binion is the subject of “Smokey,” a short documentary directed by University of North Texas graduate student Scott Thurman. It is one of three films directed by students in UNT’s Department of Radio, Television and Film that will be shown at the AFI Dallas International Film Festival, which takes place March 26-April 2.

“Smokey” will be screened March 29 (Sunday) as part of the festival’s Documentary Shorts Competition. The screening begins at 7 p.m. at The Magnolia theater, 3699 E. McKinney Ave., in Dallas. All Documentary Shorts films will be screened again at 10 p.m. March 30 (Monday) at the same location.

Thurman, who will receive his master of fine arts degree in documentary film in 2010, said he learned about Binion from Billy Loftin, the director of photography for “Smokey.” Loftin grew up near Stinnett and, as a child, first saw Binion perform as Elvis.

After Thurman and Loftin saw Spike Jonze’s 1997 documentary “Amarillo by Morning” — an afternoon in the lives of two suburban teenagers and aspiring cowboys whom Jones met while filming a commercial in Houston — Thurman knew that Binion would make a great subject for a documentary.   

“He’s been an Elvis impersonator for 30 years, but Elvis impersonators are a dime a dozen,” Thurman said. “I knew that I needed to develop Smokey’s character a little more and give an explanation of who he is and why he does what he does. When the film opens, you see that he looks nothing like Elvis, but he knows how to cater to each audience and connect with the people. Great characters make great films.”

“Smokey” has played at several other film festivals, including last October at the Indie Memphis and Hot Springs film festivals, and last November at the Dallas Video Festival. Thurman said he plans to submit it to other festivals.

Two other UNT students’ films will be shown at AFI Dallas as part of the North Texas College Showcase. The College Showcase, which will include films from other Dallas-Fort Worth universities, begins at 9:45 p.m. at the AMC Northpark 15, 8687 N. Central Expressway.

“A Tale for Shmuli,” directed by Omar Milano, tells the story of David and Angela, whose happiness as an engaged couple was marred two months before their wedding date when David was diagnosed with breast cancer. He declined to postpone the wedding, which took place between rounds of chemotherapy. Three months after the wedding, while David was beginning to recover, Angela was also diagnosed with breast cancer.

Milano, who will receive his master of fine arts degree in documentary film from UNT this December, calls his film “a story of courage and determination to survive.” He learned about David and Angela’s story after he volunteered to do a public service announcement for The Bridge Breast Network, a nonprofit organization that provides financial assistance to uninsured men and women who need treatment for breast cancer. Through The Bridge, Milano learned that males can also get breast cancer. About 2,000 new cases in men are diagnosed each year, according to the American Cancer Society.

“I had never heard of a case of male breast cancer,” Milano said. “My film was originally only going to be about male breast cancer, so I asked for volunteers to interview. David was one of three men who contacted me. I thought it was incredible what he and his wife had gone through.”

 “Shmuli” in the film’s title is the nickname of couple’s 6-year-old son, who was conceived even after David was told his cancer treatments would make him sterile. Milano said David and Angela tell their story directly to the film’s audience, including their son.

“The challenge of making this film was to be sensitive enough to ask the right questions of them. They had both gone through so much pain, suffering and uncertainty,” he said. “But they’re such great individuals — full of life, funny and witty.”

“A Tale for Shmuli” was previously screened last September at the Thin Line Film Festival in Denton, where it was named Best Student Short. It also played at the Dallas Video Festival.

“Vinyl,” a Super 16 millimeter film created for UNT’s Advanced Film Production class last year, will also be shown during the College Showcase. In the 16-minute film, two country boys travel into a city to pick up the newest Michael Jackson record. Their encounters along the way lead to one of the most eventful days in their young lives.

Casey Barteau, the film’s producer, said the class used the Super 16 format because of the mix of quality and cost.

“For our budget, we were still able to get enough film while retaining a more professionally cinematic look,” said Barteau, who received his degree in radio/television/film in May 2008 and is working as an assistant production editor for a film production company in Flower Mound. “The look and the music of the film were especially unique and demanding. We got a chance to really create an entirely different time and place. Period pieces are always interesting.”

For more information about the AFI Dallas International Film Festival, go to www.afidallas.com.