'Better Call Saul' actor shows film at Centre Film Festival

PHILIPSBURG, Pa. (WJAC) — Film lovers have had a lot to love in Centre County the past few days. The Centre Film Festival held another day of screenings Saturday.

Best known for his role as Howard on the "Breaking Bad" spinoff show "Better Call Saul" — actor Patrick Fabian is flexing his indie chops.

Fabian returned to his homestate Saturday to screen the film "Driver X" — which he stars in. The Penn State alum plays a middle-aged man in Los Angeles who becomes a rideshare driver after his decades-long record shop shuts down to make ends meet for his wife and kids. The indie film originally came out in 2018.

"Driver X" was screened at the Rowland Theater in Philipsburg, which holds a good deal of significance for Fabian.

"It's a real honor to come back to the Rowland. Actually — thinking back — it's my first time at the Rowland, even though my mother was born here. I used to come up here to visit my grandma, but we never came to the theater, unfortunately. So, I'm so glad to see it's still standing, and I'm glad to be part of the Centre Film Festival to help make sure it continues standing," Fabian told 6 News.

In its third year, the Centre Film Festival has moved between places throughout Centre County. A number of college students attended Fabian's screening.

Having the festival at an historic site like Rowland gave it extra meaning.

"The kicker is that my mom actually was an usher when she was a girl — and when I told her that the film was going to show here, she said 'oh yeah, I was an usher there.' And I was like, 'You didn't tell me that.' But it's great to be here, and she walked into the theater, and I think she was trying to figure out exactly, 'Wow, how long has it been since I've been here?'" Fabian said.

A sweet story of Hollywood coming home.

"And it's intergenerational. Like, in addition to loving historic spaces and being in historic spaces, we want high school kids — together with college students — together with award-winning industry professionals. That's our commitment, at every stage," Pearl Gluck, the festival's artistic director, told 6 News.

For her, it's all about quality experience and having a fun time.

"Where people find an inroad through film, for any reason whatsoever. It doesn't even need to be about film itself. It can be about the content or it can just be about socializing while being in a beautiful theater," Gluck said.

Sunday, the festival will give actor and comedian Keegan Michael-Key from the sketch show "Key & Peele" a lifetime achievement award in a pre-recorded ceremony.

The final day of the film festival will be Sunday at the Rowland Theater — a nice way to spend a Sunday.

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