Entertainment

SOME ENCHANTED ‘EVENING’ IN SW TEXAS

JUDGING by the lovely “Au gust Evening,” writer/ director/editor Chris Eska’s first feature, his name is worth remembering.

Eska uses a minimum of dialogue and a maximum of ambiance to tell the tender story – set in southwest Texas – of an undocumented Mexican farmworker and his widowed

daughter-in-law as they face life after the elderly man’s wife dies unexpectedly.

Pedro Castaneda, a nonprofessional appearing in his first film, and Veronica Loren tug at your heartstrings with their portrayals of the lead characters.

Yasu Tanida’s lensing is worthy of note – his wordless shot of a partly eaten watermelon speaks volumes.

Eska grew up in a Texas town with a population (not counting farm animals) of 98. He obviously has a feel for the people and landscape pictured in “August Evening. ”

Now I want to track down Eska’s previous movie, “Doki-Doki,” a 34-minute work set in Tokyo. (Tanida is the co-

cinematographer.)

According to chriseska.com, there are two versions, one “uplifting,” the other “bittersweet.” I’ll take the latter.

In Spanish and English, with English subtitles. Running time: 127 minutes. Rated PG-13 (mature themes). At the Village East, Second Avenue and 12th Street.

vam@nypost.com