Theater teacher Dona Dye has a role in “Blacktino,” a film that debuted at South by Southwest last week. The movie is directed by a former student of Dye, Aaron Burns.

“[Burns] is energetic, positive and driven to achieve his dream,” Dye said. “It was awesome to see a former student achieve that.”   

“Blacktino” is set in Austin, about a student named Stefan Daily – half Latino and half black, as the title suggests – who finds his place in high school with the theater department. The film was received well by viewers and critics.

“Blacktino is nothing short of revolutionary,” John Fink of thefilmstage.com said. “[Burns] crafted an offbeat masterpiece.”

It features several notable actors such as Danny Trejo(“Spy Kids”, “Anchorman”),Michelle Rodriguez(“Lost”, “The Fast and the Furious”), and of course, Dye, who plays the main character’s drama teacher. Seniors Emma Lynch, Anthony Ortega and Renee Rhodes were also featured as extras in the movie.

Though the movie was exclusive to South by Southwest, Dye thinks it could become mainstream.

“The hope is that a film company picks it up for distribution to either theaters or DVD,” Dye said.             

The film deals with relevant themes to today’s high school students: namely, stereotyping of students in theater and of mixed races, as the title implies.

“It has a powerful message, and is geared toward the students and young people of this generation,” Dye said. “No one can hold you back from achieving your dream if it is what you really want and go after it. Never give up.”

For more information, find “Blacktino” on Facebook, or on the film’s website, www.blacktinomovie.com.