March in Austin means SXSW, and SXSW means figuring out one’s schedule to pack in as much cutting-edge programming as possible. At the Austin Film Society, we understand that it takes time to figure out what you’re going to (and how you’re getting there), so we want to make things as simple as we can for the people coming out to the events we’re helping throw.
Read on for the AFS Guide to SXSW, an easy digest of everything we’re doing to participate in this year’s festival, including filmmaker events, panels, meetups, and instructions for attending the screenings we’re hosting as a satellite venue.
AFS-Supported Filmmaker Events
We’re proud to have supported many filmmakers over the years, and several of them are exhibiting their work at SXSW 2023.
BREAKING SILENCE(pictured) March 10 | 5–6:50 PM | The Long Center March 14 | 11:30 AM–1:20 PM | The Long Center Amy Bench & Annie Silverstein (co-produced by Monique Walton)
WÜM March 10 | 5–6:50 PM | The Long Center March 14 | 11:30 AM–1:20 PM | The Long Center Anna Margaret Hollyman
WHEN YOU LEFT ME ON THAT BOULEVARD March 10 | 5–6:50 PM | The Long Center March 14 | 11:30 AM–1:20 PM | The Long Center Kayla Abuda Galang
In addition to film screenings, AFS staff, board members, and filmmakers are involved in community-building meetups and panel discussions this year.
Reimagining the Creative Workforce March 9 | 10–11 AM | Hilton Austin Downtown AFS Director of Community Education Rakeda Ervin and Program Manager of Community Education Jacob Ramon
While this is not an official SXSW event, it’s still a great way to meet filmmakers and see their work. The AFS ShortCase is an annual program of short films produced by our valued Austin Film Society MAKE members, and this year’s 89-minute program will show eight films by 10 filmmakers who will participate in a post-screening Q&A. This event is free and open to the public.
HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS Filmmaker: Meghan Ross
IT’S IN THE VOICES Filmmaker: Field Humphrey
GREEN WATER Filmmaker: Carlos Estrada
STYROFOAM JONES Filmmakers: Adan & Saulo Arriaga
NATURE’S BOUNTY Filmmaker: Chloe Linscomb
HONEY & MILK Filmmaker: Dash Donato
DOWN HOME Filmmakers: Liz Moskowitz & Riley Engemoen
AFS is also honored to host SXSW Film programming as a satellite venue this year. All screenings are General Admission, and seating is subject to capacity (and will occur on a priority basis approximately 30 minutes before the screening starts). Attendees are advised to arrive as early as 60 minutes prior to the screening.
Primary Access: Film & Platinum Badges with SXXpress Passes
Primary Access: Film & Platinum Badges
Secondary Access: Film Wristbands, Music & Interactive Badges, Advance Single Tickets
Day-of Single Tickets: sold 15 minutes before screenings, as capacity allows.
“Rumors of something remarkable have circled around AFTERSUN since its première … and guess what? The rumors are true.” —Anthony Lane, The New Yorker It’s rare that a nearly unknown filmmaker lands so squarely in the middle of the zeitgeist as director Charlotte Wells has with her arthouse smash AFTERSUN. Until recently, she was best known for her short films (“Laps” took home the Special Jury Recognition at SXSW 2017), but with the strong critical and commercial success of AFTERSUN by A24, we expect she’ll be known for features soon as well.
This searingly emotional debut film, produced by MOONLIGHT director Barry Jenkins, begins at a fading vacation resort where 11-year-old Sophie (sensational newcomer Frankie Corio) treasures rare time together with her loving and idealistic father, Calum (Normal People star Paul Mescal). As a world of adolescence creeps into view beyond her eye, Calum struggles under the weight of life outside of fatherhood. Twenty years later, Sophie’s tender recollections of their last holiday become a powerful and heartrending portrait of their relationship as she tries to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t.
“It’s deeply felt, a warm embodiment of a liminal time in life when our conceptions of ourselves and our loved ones come pinging into focus while also, somehow, drifting into new confusion.” —Richard Lawson, Vanity Fair
“It’s a memory piece and, as such, a rumination on the ways in which memories can be at once indelible and imprecise, how they can torment us and fail us and still be the most precious things — maybe even the only things — we have left.” —Justin Chang,LA Times
“A film to be experienced — just go with it — the full impact of AFTERSUN comes as the credits start to roll, and the processing begins.” —G. Allen Johnson, The San Fransisco Chronicle
“The performances here are quiet marvels … Mescal reveals without showing, communicating with us in a language that goes beyond words, or even a glance.” —Stephanie Zacharek, Time Magazine
“It’s about wanting to reach across time, and to meet a loved one in an impossible space where, for once, you’re both on the same level, and you can finally understand them for who they are — or who they were.” —Alison Willmore, Vulture
Today, AFS announced the 2022 recipients of the AFS Grant for Feature Films, the annually renewed fund for emerging Texas filmmakers. Eleven projects by fourteen director applicants were selected for awards: four narrative features, six documentaries, and one experimental feature. As with each group of grantees, this year’s roster is one you’ll want to keep an eye on as they develop and refine their feature films.
Funding from AFS Grants provides a vital resource to Texas-based independent filmmakers and a baseline of support for a growing and diversifying independent film scene. The grant is known for creating life-changing opportunities for artists based in Texas, who are often from underrepresented backgrounds, and working outside of the large coastal industry centers. Intended to support career leaps for emerging to mid-career artists in Texas, the AFS Grant often launches the careers of filmmakers who have yet to be recognized by national funders. This year’s group of grantees demonstrates the organization’s ongoing commitment to empowering Texas-based storytellers and creating more access and equity in the regional independent film sector. Read on below to find out more about the filmmakers.
Meet the 2022 AFS Grant for Feature Films Recipients
HUMMINGBIRDS
Directed by Estefanía Contreras and Silvia Castaños
Silvia Castaños and Estefanía Contreras are interdisciplinary artists and directors of HUMMINGBIRDS, a collaborative feature-length self-portrait about their friendship and formative experiences coming of age in Laredo, Texas. HUMMINGBIRDS has received support from Ford Foundation/JustFilms, Field of Vision, Doc Society/Threshold Fund, Sundance Documentary Fund, SFFILM, and Chicken & Egg Pictures. Estefanía and Silvia have represented the HUMMINGBIRDS team as 2021 Sundance/WIF Financing Intensive Fellows, 2021 NBCU Original Voices Fellows, 2022 BAVC fellows, and as participants in 2022 Visions du Reel’s Works in Progress. In addition to filmmaking, Estefanía is a musician, photographer, and tattoo artist who dreams of living in space. Silvia is a poet, community organizer, and a transit planner for the City of Boston. While in post-production on HUMMINGBIRDS, they are developing a new collaborative film portrait of women’s lives on both sides of the border.
LOST SOULZ
Directed by Katherine Propper
Katherine Propper is an Austin-based writer and director. Her short film BIRDS won a special jury prize at SXSW ’22 and at the International Competition at Clermont-Ferrand ’22. Her short films have screened at a variety of film festivals around the world including at BFI London, Tribeca, Palm Springs, Aspen, and have been selected to screen on The New Yorker, Short of the Week, PBS, and Omeleto. Her AFS-supported feature debut LOST SOULZ is participating in Gotham Week’s Narrative Feature Lab 2022.
PRECIOUS CARGO
Directed by Hammad Rizvi
Hammad Rizvi is an award-winning writer and director based in Texas. As a Pakistani-American and Third Culture Kid, his films often showcase stories that are as diverse as they are raw. He is best recognized for his films RANI (Hulu, NBCUniversal Short Film Festival), ROAD TO PESHAWAR (Palm Springs Shortfest), and SUNNY SQUARE (Houston Worldfest). Hammad received his MFA from UT-Austin, is currently developing his first feature film, and has yet to find a cure for the travel bug.
PROFESSIONAL TEXAN
Directed by Don Swaynos
Don Swaynos recently directed the dark comedy DON’T EVER CHANGE. The film was selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick, featured on Short of the Week and Birth.Movies.Death, and is currently distributed by Gunpowder & Sky. Don has also produced several feature films including Berndt Mader & Ben Steinbauer’s comedy doc CHOP & STEELE (Tribeca, Fantastic Fest), Brad Besser’s meta documentary about a documentary BEAVER TRILOGY PART IV (Sundance), and Travis Matthews’ experimental thriller DISCREET (Berlinale). As an editor, Don has cut films for Yen Tan, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Julio Quintana, The New York Times, and the American Genre Film Archive, he has also edited multiple television series including CNN’s Emmy-nominated High Profits.
STATE CHAMPS EAT FREE
Directed by Adriane McCray
Adriane McCray is a filmmaker, wandering native Texan and University of Pennsylvania graduate. She is a former Juanita J. Craft artist-in-residence at the South Dallas Cultural Center, in-house resident at The TX Studio, and fellow at BlackStar’s William and Louise Greaves Filmmaker Seminar. Adriane’s work has been recognized by publications Glasstire and The Guardian, exhibited at Austin’s W&TW and Art214 and currently lives in The Studio Museum of Harlem’s archive. Her films and multimedia work will presented in a solo show at SDCC later this year. After supporting various writers, filmmakers, and video artists, Adriane began writing and directing films of her own. Her latest short film, CHILD RUNAWAYS, premiered at SXSW 2022 as part of the Austin Film Society ShortCase. She’s currently developing feature film STATE CHAMPS EAT FREE, a 2021 Austin Film Festival Drama Semifinalist. As television staff writer, she will join Apple+ limited series, Firebug, based on the true crime podcast by the same name.
STEM ROOTS
Directed by LaTasha Taylor Starr & Dr. Ariel Leslie
Professor LaTasha Taylor Starr is the Executive Director of ESTe2M Dreamers, a non-profit organization that strives to improve the academic success rate of local youth by providing opportunities for STEM-focused summer camps, tutoring and after-school programs. Her latest project entitled STEM Roots, follows students through the genetic engineering process from a STEM, confidence building and family engagement perspective. In addition to project based learning activities in DNA collection and analysis, the actual scientific process as well as the student/family perspective will be highlighted as an innovative pathway for comparing information assumed about their heritage with the reality of their African Diaspora roots, discovered through STEM. LaTasha graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Aeronautics from Tennessee State University. At the University of Washington (Seattle), LaTasha earned her first Engineering Master’s degree followed by a second Master’s in Industrial, Manufacturing and Systems Engineering from the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA) in 2020. Her passion for STEM education is evident through her professorship at Dallas College, San Juan College and Texas A&M University, where she not only teaches Engineering, but also paves the way for student internship collaborations.
Dr. Ariel Leslie is a native of the DFW metroplex. Upon graduation from Plano East Senior High, she attended Texas Southern University in Houston, TX where she obtained a BS in Mathematics and Health Studies. Dr. Leslie then received her doctoral degree of University of Texas at Arlington in Arlington, TX in December of 2019. She studied and published in the area of computational/mathematical neuroscience. While in graduate school, she was one of eleven National Science Foundation Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation scholars. Dr. Leslie obtained awards for her research and teaching abilities. She is currently a Data and Metrics Analyst at Lockheed Martin, a defense company. Dr. Leslie enjoys spending time with her family and friends, volunteering, and teaching children all about STEM. Sharing crucial information about education and helping others is her true life passion.
THE CHRISTMAS CARD
Directed by Lucy Kerr
Lucy Kerr is a filmmaker and artist working through performance and video based in Houston and upstate New York. She received a dual MFA in Film/Video and Art from California Institute of the Arts on the Lillian Disney Scholarship. Kerr received a B.A in Philosophy and a B.A. in Dance and Choreography from The University of Texas at Austin and was the grand prize winner of the University Co-op / George H. Mitchell Awards for Academic Excellence. Her projects have been presented by FIDMarseille, San Sebastian International Film Festival, The San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, La Mama, REDCAT, Anthology Film Archives, The McEvoy Foundation for the Arts, The MATCH Houston, and others. She was selected to participate in FIDLab 2022, where she won the AirFrance Prize for her film, THE CHRISTMAS CARD, and she received a Travel Grant from Austin Film Society in 2021.
THE MOTION
Directed by Huay-Bing Law & Sam Mohney
Huay-Bing Law is a Taiwanese American director and cinematographer born and raised in Houston, TX. His narrative and documentary films often center on marginalized Asian American stories in the south, and have earned an HBO APA Visionary Award, Princess Grace Award, and played in festivals worldwide. Huay currently resides in Austin, where he lectures at the University of Texas at Austin and Texas State University while developing his first feature film.
Sam Mohney is a Chinese-American director and cinematographer based in Austin, TX. He holds a BA with Honors in Film Studies from Wesleyan University and an MFA in Film Production from the University of Texas at Austin, where he met collaborator and filmmaking partner Huay-Bing Law. He currently lectures at Texas State University.
TONKAWA: THEY ALL STAY TOGETHER
Directed by Andrew Richey
Andrew C. Richey has a long career both as a filmmaker and educator. His credits include Fig, directed by Ryan Coogler, a narrative short about human trafficking that was purchased and aired on HBO for two years and the critically-acclaimed documentary CODE BLACK, which was picked up by CBS as a fictional, hour-long drama that ran for three seasons. He also worked with the internationally- renowned director Terrance Malick helping finish the decades old documentary VOYAGE OF TIME reflecting on the entirety of natural history. He has worked in entertainment on three continents over two decades and continues to produce internationally. Andrew received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Theater Directing from Southwestern University and obtained his MFA at the University of Southern California’s prestigious school of Cinematic Arts. He has taught dramatic arts both in the United States and Taiwan. Presently, he is a Professor in Austin Community College’s RTF program and at Southwestern University. He lives in Austin where his wife and three daughters renew his inspiration daily.
UNTITLED PHILIPPINES PROJECT
Directed by PJ Raval
Named one of Out Magazine’s ‘OUT 100′, PJ Raval is a queer, first generation Filipinx American filmmaker whose work examines social justice issues through the voices of queer and marginalized subjects. PJ’s body of film work has been distributed widely on platforms such as Netflix, PBS and Showtime and has been supported by the Arcus Foundation, Bertha Foundation, Center for Asian-American Media, Firelight Media, Sundance, Tribeca Film Institute, and the Ford Foundation. PJ is a 2015 Guggenheim Fellow and a 2021 Soros Justice Fellow. He is a co-founder board member of the queer transmedia arts organization OUTsider, and is an Associate Professor at the University of Texas at Austin in the Department of Radio TV Film. He serves on the leadership team of the Asian American Documentary Network (A-Doc) and is a Producers Guild of America member, and a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences where he serves on the executive committee and the Academy Museum Inclusion Advisory Board.
WHERE THE TREES BEAR MEAT
Directed by Alexis Franco
Alexis Franco was born on November 21, 1975. He lives and works in the United States. In his two careers, Cinema and Architecture, he has participated in a selection of projects with worldwide recognition. He was involved in movies like: THE PASSAGE, LOW TIDE, STOP THE POUNDING HEART, THE OTHER SIDE, and WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE WORLD IS ON FIRE? where he worked with the renowned Film Director Roberto Minervini as his Assistant Director. All the films toured the world with premieres at important festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Argentina, New York, Germany, Spain, etc. He also worked on a documentary in CUBA: EL QUIJOTE DEL CARIBE and eventually was involved as Executive Producer of the film DIRTY FEATHERS which had its premiere at the Berlin Film Festival. He studied music at the American Musical Institute where he obtained the titles of Professor of Music. As an Architect in the United States, he became an international member of the American Institute of Architects. In Houston Texas he works at Collaborative Designworks. Alexis designed and participated in many projects that were awarded and recognized state and nationally. Now he is producing a film in Japan and working on his first two films as a director, WHERE THE TREES BEAR MEAT and PERMEABLE PRISONS, in Argentina, Spain, United States, and Portugal.
As always, our AFS Grant recipient projects were chosen by a panel of three esteemed film industry professionals. This year’s panelists included:
Emmy nominee Xan Aranda is an award-winning filmmaker and showrunner of AppleTV’s forthcoming OMNIVORE, directed by Cary Fukunaga. She is also showrunner of Netflix’s MY LOVE, which filmed in six countries. Xan has worked with HBO, Amazon, Focus Features, the Duplass Brothers, and others.
Malin Kan is a film programmer based in Los Angeles. She holds a BA in Film and Media Studies from the University of California, Berkeley and an MA from the University of California, Los Angeles in Moving Image Archive Studies. She is currently Senior Programmer, Feature Films, with AFI Festivals at the American Film Institute, where she has been since 2016.
Hailed by Filmmaker Magazine as one of 2018’s New Faces of Independent Film, Carey Williams is a director bringing a unique and visually striking cinematic eye to the exploration of the human condition. His first feature R#J, a modern-day retelling of Romeo and Juliet, premiered at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival and the feature version of his Sundance and SXSW Award-winning short film EMERGENCY, now available via Amazon.
During this period while the AFS Cinema is temporarily closed, we’ll be pulling select Q&As from our archives and sharing them here on AFS Viewfinders. Today, we’re releasing the full Q&A from the February 2020 screening of SMITHEREENS with director Susan Seidelman. If you haven’t seen Seidelman’s debut feature, you can watch it today via Criterion Channel.
This Sunday, April 26, marks the 40th anniversary of X’s landmark debut, Los Angeles. To celebrate, we asked our friend Tim Stegall of the Austin Chronicle to say a few things about the band and their seminal album. Plus, we’re now releasing our Q&A for X: THE UNHEARD MUSIC with X founder John Doe, director Bill Morgan, and producer Alizabeth Foley. Read, watch, and enjoy!
“She Had To Leave Los Angeles….”: X’s Debut Album At 40
An appreciation by The Austin Chronicle‘s Tim Stegall
As the world’s population hunkers down in their individual bunkers, garlic garlands surrounding the doors, warding off the evil viral invader COVID-19, X released their 1st album since 1993’s Hey Zeus! Even cooler, since Alphabetland features the prime lineup of L.A.’s premiere punk band – co-vocalist Exene Cervenka, bassist/co-vocalist (and latter-day Austin resident) John Doe, drummer DJ Bonebrake, and guitarist Billy Zoom. Then it gets cooler still: This is the first new material from classic X since 1985’s Ain’t Love Grand, and the first proper full-length since they reformed in the late ’90s to play their hits to throbbing live audiences once again. And wouldn’t you know it? It sounds like an X record! For the first time since 1983’s More Fun In The New World.
Isn’t it curious they chose to drop it digitally via Bandcamp 40 years to the day after Slash Records unleashed their 1st album, Los Angeles? No, no pressure at all, Alphabetland.Great as you are – you are instantlyas classic an X album as any of their 1st four – just compete with a game-changing motherfucker of a debut album….
No one expected, in the year The Clash’s London Calling and PiL’s Metal Box saw US release, for a band from LOS ANGELES, of all places (!!), to release a punk rock record that would completely field strip and dissipate those two titans of modern sound. I mean, wasn’t this the sun-and-fun entertainment capitol of the universe?! How could credible punk rock come from there?! What did Angelinos have to rebel against?!
Turned out Los Angeles succeeded on several levels. X were no musical slouches, for one. Doe was a veteran of Baltimore’s bar band scene. Bonebrake had played in symphonies. Zoom had played with rockabilly titan Gene Vincent, ferchrissakes! The latter factoid proved to be a potent secret weapon – he could link Johnny Burnett to Johnny Thunders! This was punk that did not reject rock ‘n’ roll roots, but revved up the original Fifties rebel spirit to pogo specs, with love and affection. This was an embrace of tradition that could peaceful co-exist with punk’s now-now-now modernity.Only Cervenka was a novice. And what she brought was a sense of harmony closer to Gregorian chants, or even Richard and Mimi Farina. Somehow, the discordant vocal blend with Doe worked.
But what was especially exciting was how this record served notice that a new school of punk songwriting had arrived. Doe and Cervenka’s lyrical sense owed more to L.A.-based writers like Charles Bukowski, Raymond Chandler, or Nathanael West than Chuck Berry. This was hard-bitten poetry about life in L.A.’s margins – more bohemian and hard-boiled and literary than the Sex Pistols. This was poetry without the pretensions of New Yorkers like Richard Hell or Patti Smith, a more down-to-earth way to be punk and artistic. This was Bukowski’s fictional alter ego Henry Chinaski in a punk band! Inadvertently, X was creating a new school of punk songwriters: The Flesh Eaters’ Chris D., The Gun Club’s Jefferey Lee Pierce, The Blasters’ Dave Alvin, The Germs’ Darby Crash, even The Dream Syndicate’s Steve Wynn. All Los Angeles-based, they benefitted from the door Doe and Cervenka opened. Coincidentally, all were also signed to Slash Records.
But the private nightmare Doe and Cervenka spun across Los Angeles could only have come from their eyes and their pens. Seeing heroin addiction grip friends they’d made in the cramped, toxic basement that was original Hollywood punk palace The Masque, they responded with despondent, pissed-off observations like “Your Phone’s Off The Hook, But You’re Not”: “And now all our money’s gone,” Exene moans with the despair of one jonesing for a fix, but whose partner scored and shot it all up without sharing. “Jonny Hit And Run Paulene” seemed to cross addiction with an ugly rape scenario: “She wasn’t what you call living, really/SHE WAS STILL AWAKE!!” Doe screamed in utter terror. The title track documented the escape of a toxic friend who apparently hated every race, creed and color, and found Hollywood too oppressive: “She gets confused/Flying over the dateline/Her hands turned red….” Grand finale “The World’s A Mess, It’s In My Kiss” appears to deal with some sorta infidelity: “No one is united/Everything is untied/Perhaps we’re boiling over inside/They’ve been telling lies.”
Yes, X’s Los Angeles was dizzying musically, aesthetically, lyrically, conceptually. No one expected it, and it was explosive in what it delivered. It served notice that one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest creative forces had arrived, even if only a fraction of the world would pay heed. Blame it on the fecklessness and willful ignorance of radio, bemoaned on “The Unheard Music”: “We’re locked out of the public eye/….No hard chords on the car radio.” And unlike some of the music made in the punk era, this record still sounds fresh and vital. Even as X release new music to rival it. Happy birthday, Los Angeles!
Back in October 2019, we were privileged to host director Agnieszka Holland for a screening of EUROPA, EUROPA (1990), her brilliant account of the absurdities of fascism and war. With Criterion Channel adding it to their lineup just last week, we thought you might want to follow up your viewing of that with this Q&A. Watch the Q&A below or listen to it as a podcast.
It’s been an incredible year for film and as 2019 comes to a close, we wanted to look back at some of the favorite films that screened at the AFS Cinema during the past twelve months. We showed over 400 films this year—ranging from new to newly restored, cult to classic—so there is plenty to choose from. For our end of year wrap up, we asked the AFS staff about which films struck them the most this past year and why.
SHOPLIFTERS
Ellie Kotapish, Development Manager
SHOPLIFTERS (2018)
A movie I saw really early in the year, and I am still eating way too many noodles since watching this at AFS Cinema. Such an emotional movie with outstanding performances.
THE FAREWELL (2019)
This was a community experience. The whole theater was laughing, and the Q&A after with Lulu Wang was such a treat!
EUROPA, EUROPA (1990)
Such an honor to have Agnieszka Holland visit us at AFS and present this spectacular film. So funny despite the backdrop of an infamous time in European history.
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON
Cassie Craig, Austin Studios Coordinator
THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON (2019)
This moving film was the perfect mixture of heart-warming and funny. A touching story with excellent writing and acting. You leave this movie feeling warm and fuzzy. Shia Labeouf and Zack Gottsagen are an awesome pair.
THE AMAZING JONATHAN DOCUMENTARY (2019)
Probably my favorite movie I saw all year long. HILARIOUS and SHOCKING. You really don’t know what is coming next in this movie. Every twist and turn is funnier than the last. The first documentary I have ever seen structured like this – when it begins, you really have no idea where it will end up going.
PARASITE
Yolanda Gamble, Youth Media Specialist
CHAN IS MISSING (1982)
Jewels in the Wasteland continues to be one of my favorite AFS series. It’s always full of gems and this year I watched CHAN IS MISSING. I first heard about it on a podcast and was searching for this film, it’s known to be difficult to come by and I was thrilled to discover that Richard Linklater selected it for this series. It’s filled with great characters and I was smiling ear to ear while watching it!
BIRDS OF PASSAGE (2018)
The film was mesmerizing and learning about the indigenous Wayuu culture in Colombia framed around one family’s story was compelling. The costuming and setting are a total feast for the eyes.
PARASITE (2019)
This. Film. Director Bong Joon-ho continues to captivate through his layered storytelling that speaks volumes to modern culture and elitism. He does it with humor, love, fear, and every other human emotion and it took me on a crazy ride!
HAUSU (1977)
I still can’t believe I had never seen this movie before! I heard about the wackiness of this film, but it was definitely something I needed to see for myself! I’m glad I did.
QUEEN OF DIAMONDS
Lisa Dreyer, Programming Coordinator
THE QUEEN (1968)
This beautiful restoration of the rare documentary covering the 1967 Miss All-American Camp Beauty Pageant was such a highlight of my year in film. An amazing snapshot of early drag culture in NYC, with a scene-stealing Crystal LaBeija (who later starred in PARIS IS BURNING) showing us she was already ICONIC in the 60s. Live performances by local drag legends Mandy Quinn and Colleen DeForest before the film made this a night to remember at AFS.
FLAMING CREATURES with Contrast Fest (1963)
Guest programmers for our monthly Homo Arigato series, Tish Sparks and Jeremy Stilb have brought Contrast Fest, their festival featuring boundary-pushing film to AFS Cinema for two years now. Their screening of the previously banned and rarely screened FLAMING CREATURES, paired with a live score from Austin’s own Thor & Friends was transcendent.
QUEEN OF DIAMONDS (1991)
Great example of a film that must be seen on the big screen to fully appreciate—a burning palm tree makes a lot more impact at 10 feet tall rather than 10 inches. Director Nina Menkes makes real ART that is beautiful and boundary-breaking, and her calling in after the screening to share her filmmaking philosophy with the AFS audience was illuminating and inspiring.
FANTASTIC FUNGI
Martin Jones, Austin Studios Director
FANTASTIC FUNGI (2019)
A glorious exploration into the amazing world that helps sustain our very existence. We trample upon these amazing bionetworks, and we eat its delicious fruit—MUSHROOMS. The amazing contribution fungi make to our daily lives, the mysteries and healing deeply embedded are revealed in this glorious film. I have never cried tears of joy watching a science documentary until now. This is a delightful must-see film!
PAHOKEE
Taylor Whritner, Executive Assistant
SHOPLIFTERS (2018)
My first (and favorite) film of the year. Yet another gift from Kore-eda that left me equal parts hopeful and devastated.
PAHOKEE (2018)
An absolute masterpiece of observational documentary filmmaking! See it as soon as you have the chance.
AUDITION (1999)
Not a new one for me, but it was a treat to see it in a theater (and to learn what moments make an audience uncomfortably laugh)!
And of course, PARASITE (2019) and THE FAREWELL (2019), because they are perfect.
DIAMANTINO
Chris Engberg, Austin Studios Manager
HAIL THE NEW PURITAN (1987)
A bit of a “grail” for me personally to view in a theater, or really at all. Incredibly hard to find, especially in quality, this bizarre made-for-British-TV avant-garde dance troupe “biopic” features music and a brief appearance from Mark E. Smith, the leader my favorite band of all time: THE FALL (not to mention Glenn Branca, Bruce Gilbert, and more). Everyone called me nuts for going both nights and I get it. It’s not for everyone but it IS for me. Thank you, Lates!
CHAN IS MISSING (1982)
From Richard Linklater’s series, this one is truly living up to the “Jewels In The Wasteland” moniker. I’d never heard of it before walking in and witnessing a criminally underseen, hard to find “jewel” of indie film. Track it down like it owes you $4000.
DIAMANTINO (2018)
Hitting you over the head with commentary on the EU and fascism but still somehow knee-slappingly hilarious and inventive. This is my Forrest Gump.
VAGABOND
Conner Smith, Development Coordinator
COLD WAR (2018)
One of my favorite films of the past few years. The music, the drama, the longing, and that ending! And all of that beauty in only an hour and a half. Such a masterpiece!
VAGABOND (1985)
I had the chance to experience this treasure by Agnès Varda at the cinema as part of Richard Linklater’s Jewels in the Wasteland series. It was incredibly special to watch it by myself but then get to hear other peoples’ perspectives on the film in the discussion that followed.
MY OWN PRIVATE IDAHO (1991)
The Homo Arigato series is one of my favorite at AFS, and I loved watching another beautiful screening on 35mm.
Julien Elie is a Montreal-based filmmaker who has spent more than 20 years getting to know the people and culture of Mexico. During that time, his shock at reading about killings of women in northern Mexico got him thinking about making a film. The result is the monochrome documentary Dark Suns chronicling the devastation of decades of murders and disappearances perpetrated by drug cartels in that country. The film closed the 2019 edition of Doc Days. The following is an edited transcript of an interview by festival co-programmer Todd Savage.
What led you to this subject matter?
It’s a really long process. About 20 years ago I read in newspapers about the killings of women in northern Mexico, and I was, of course, shocked by it. It was shocking but also mysterious. But in those years I didn’t have the relationship that I have now with Mexico. So I thought there were people in better positions than I to do the film so the years passed but I kept really digging on the subject. About 10 years I started travelling a lot in Mexico, doing photos, and the country really inspired me. Five years ago I read a book by [investigative journalist] Sergio González Rodríguez, who we quote as the opening of the movie about the violence in Mexico. He wrote an incredible book, Bones in the Desert, the first portrait and investigation about the femicides. I was completely blown away by the book. Sergio [who passed away in 2017] believed to be a foreigner was probably a good idea because he said Mexicans did not do it yet because they were too close to it.
How did you gain the trust of people and get them to speak to openly despite the potential risk to their safety?
I’ve been there many, many years before shooting I met the people again and again. I went to visit everyone in their hometowns and in their houses. I can say I have so many friends in Mexico because all those people now are friends. They trusted me, but it was a lot of work. Of course they live in fear, but what can happen to them worse than what happened? So they are free to talk. I was surprised how much they opened their hearts and their stories to me in the end. I think they consider that the movie gives voice to them completely.
How long were you working on this film and what what kind of research was involved?
It was probably five years of work. I was working only on this and had no other jobs and I just sacrificed everything to make it happen. I went to Mexico many times. I investigated many stories. We read almost everything that was written about the situation in Mexico.
How did you choose to photograph the environment in which these events happened and capture a sense of place?
At first I visited all of the places alone and took a lot of photos. We asked each other a lot of questions about how we are doing to do the work. It is a long process of patience and reflection about how to show Mexico. It was important for me as I love Mexico very much. Despite what is happening it was important to me for me to show in all that sadness that there’s—I don’t know if it’s hope—but some light in all the darkness.
What do you hope the audience takes away from the film? And how is the film being received in Mexico?
I don’t make films to change the world. I don’t see myself as an activist. I really try to do the best movie that I can, and I’m looking for stories that make me believe that I can make a good film out of it. Of course I’m really touched and concerned about what is happening there, but my first concern is not about changing the world. I think it’s usually not making good movies when you want to change the world. You should do something else. But I say that with all the respect for the people who do that work.
It’s amazing to see the movie is bringing a lot of hope now in Mexico. The reaction is really exceeding all my expectations. The movie will be in theaters in a few months in Mexico. Of course I will be the first to be happy if it can help give a conscience to what is happening. My main idea was to share the fear that is in Mexico. I’ve seen it a lot during my travels. This film is about fear invading a country. It I could have been another one, but in this case it’s Mexico.
Unfortunately what is happening in Mexico is like a concentrated worst of the modern world and economy. We should be scared because that can be the future of many places in the world if we let it happen. This is what I want to show. I’m going in Israel in two days, and a lot of people told me that I should not go and I should boycott Israel. But I think this still has to be seen everywhere because it’s concerning all of us.
This week, we’ll have the first of many visits this month by filmmaker Ron Mann. Over the past 40 plus years, Canadian filmmaker Ron Mann has documented culture from the fringe inward, often focusing on outsider artists and others on the edge.
Based in Toronto, Ron Mann is one of Canada’s foremost documentary filmmakers. He has established his international reputation as a chronicler of the counterculture and the visionary while with a series of award-winning theatrical documentaries, including IMAGINE THE SOUND (1981), POETRY IN MOTION (1982), COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL (1988), TWIST (1992), GRASS (1999), TALES OF THE RAT FINK (2006), KNOW YOUR MUSHROOMS (2008), IN THE WAKE OF THE FLOOD (2010) and ALTMAN (2014). his newest film, CARMINE STREET GUITARS, about the legendary New York guitar shop, its staff and remarkable group of regular customers, screens this year at SXSW Film. Watch the trailer here.
We’ll be screening four of our favorites by Mann this month with introductions (and, we hope, lots of amazing stories) from the man himself. Read on for more information.
IMAGINE THE SOUND
Ron Mann’s documentary shows us several masters of avant-garde jazz, both in conversation and performance – with Cecil Taylor, Paul Bley, Bill Dixon, and Archie Shepp. If you’re a bit unsure how to approach free jazz music, this will open up the philosophical space that these musical high priests operate in.
COMIC BOOK CONFIDENTIAL
In Ron Mann’s doc, the history of comic books and sequential art in twentieth century America is presented by a nonpareil cast of major creators including Will Eisner, Jack Kirby, Stan Lee, Lynda Barry, and R. Crumb.
POETRY IN MOTION
An invaluable document of some of North America’s greatest poets, circa 1982, captured by filmmaker Ron Mann, including Charles Bukowski, Amiri Baraka, Ntozake Shange, Gary Snyder, Tom Waits, and many others.
GRASS
Ron Mann’s often funny documentary shows us the many ways that cannabis prohibition in the United States has been intertwined with social attitudes about race, gender, and class.
This past December, Karina Longworth, host of the essential film podcast You Must Remember This (which just released its final episode of the season this week), joined us for a special presentation of WAIT TILL THE SUN SHINES, NELLIE at AFS Cinema.The rare screening of the Jean Peters’ film was followed by a lengthy discussion between Longworth and AFS Founder & Artistic Director Richard Linklater. We captured this special evening and have included the full conversation below. It’s fascinating to see these two film experts talk about the film, Jean Peters, Howard Hughes, and more. As a forewarning, there are spoilers about this bonkers film within.
P.S. If you haven’t picked up your copy of Longworth’s new book, Seduction: Sex, Lies, and Stardom in Howard Hughes’s Hollywood, you can purchase it online or at AFS Cinema (copies are signed).
Since re-opening the doors of the AFS Cinema in 2017, AFS has been able to expand our offerings and bring in new partners to help program the screens. One of our monthly collaborators is Homo Arigato, a 5+ year-running film series focused on rare and beautiful queer films. Homo Arigato made the move to AFS Cinema in January 2018, where the programming has since included KIKI, PINK NARCISSUS, THE WILD BOYS, and more.
Where and how did you begin doing film programming?
Tish Sparks: I started doing film programming while attending Antioch College in Ohio. One of the campus work-study jobs was to program weekly screenings on campus, and since I was involved with event production and studied film, I was able to hold that position for a little while – which was super fun. After graduating college, I had taken a break from film programming for a while as I focused more on DJing and doing music stuff, but shortly after moving to Austin I started a screening series that was held at a couple of bars around town. Jeremy attended a couple of those and asked me if I wanted to collaborate on a screening to take place during SXSW, so we first worked together on that. Maybe a year later, he approached me about starting Homo Arigato at the Alamo Ritz, and almost 5 years later we are still doing the series and are about a year into our partnership with AFS.
Jeremy von Stilb: I did a couple of short film series at Cheer Up Charlies. I always thought short films are more imaginative than current feature films and loved things like Res Fest while living in LA. I did a couple nights of strange things I found on the web and then saw Tisha was doing her own series and we started talking about doing something together.
What advice would you give to budding programmers?
T: I would say to trust your instincts and be true to your vision. You can’t be everything to everyone, so focusing on what excites you instead of trying to please a hypothetical crowd will likely be what creates more opportunities and moves you forward. Anytime we have tried to choose a film because we thought it had broader appeal, it didn’t work as well. Our most successful events have always been the films we were super excited about and the choices that were seemingly ‘harder sells’.
J: Curation is about discovery and taking chances. A curator is part of the audience as well, so peek at anything and everything, you never know what will surprise you.
PEPI, LUCI, BOM
What is Homo Arigato?
T: Homo Arigato is a film series focused on presenting ‘hard to find, hard to forget’ films from the queer film canon. We love to dig up oddities and treasures and present films that are hard to see elsewhere. I also think the series has a kind of punk vibe, we are always looking for films that are subversive, challenging, DIY, or freaky in some way. You won’t find a lot of ‘feel good’ films in our archives, haha.
How did this series come together?
J: The series happened a bit by accident. A friend got hired as a programmer at the Alamo Ritz and I made the suggestion of a midnight screening of Daft Punk’s ELECTROMAa. I primarily work as a DJ so I thought it would be exciting to present a film made by two music producers. He liked that idea but not much came of it as the French film distributor was on a very French, very long vacation and weren’t getting back about lending a copy of the film to the Alamo. So, the theater asked if I would instead come up with a queer film series for them. I asked Tisha to join me because she has a deep knowledge of film but also drawn to different types of things to me, so it seemed like a good match.
What’s been your most memorable experience with Homo Arigato thus far?
T: I think our finest moment so far was screening Curt McDowell’s THUNDERCRACK! off of a Beta tape loaned to us by his sister. The theater was packed and the crowd was super into it. I think it was kind of illegal too, which is always a little more fun.
J: Most of the films we show lean more to the cult side of things, but I once talked everyone into doing a sing-a-long night of SISTER ACT with our friend Ursula doing commentary throughout. It was sort an idea so bad it was good and everyone had fun. I think we showed THE BITTER TEARS OF PETRA VON KANT the next month so it showed we were ready to take the audience on adventure from screening to screening.
Do you have any particular filmmakers you hope to explore in your future programs?
T: I’d like to show an Andy Milligan film one of these days, we haven’t shown any of his work yet and I think it would fit right into what we do. I’d also like to show some early 90s queercore films from GB Jones, Bruce LaBruce, etc.
J: I’d love to show more current films from around the world to show how their queer communities are finding their voices.
FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES
What do you love most about your next two films, FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES and THE CEREMONY? Why should folks not miss seeing them on the big screen?
T: FUNERAL PARADE OF ROSES (screening January 22) will blow your mind if you haven’t seen it before. It’s so far ahead of it’s time, it’s punk before punk was a thing, it’s got some humor, it’s just totally wild. Even if you have seen it before, this is a move that deserves a re-watch, especially on the big screen.
THE CEREMONY (screening February 19) never got a proper release, so most people haven’t seen it, but it’s a fascinating glimpse into the world of Catherine Robbe-Grillet and an exploration of an expression of sexuality that is still seen as provocative to a lot of people. Celebrate Valentine’s month with some light S&M on the big screen!
Homo Arigato programs a new film every month at AFS Cinema. For a current schedule of upcoming films or to see past selections, click here.
Edith Head’s Hollywood continues through January 31. Don’t miss next week’s screening, ROMAN HOLIDAY. Get tickets.
We’re fortunate in Austin to not only have a major university with hundreds of scholars, but also a great museum and archive, the Harry Ransom Center. For our ongoing Edith Head series, we’ll be joined each Thursday by professionals from The University of Texas and the HRC. Below we have a fun, insightful discussion with Susan Mickey (University of Texas Costume Designer) and Jill Morena (Harry Ransom Center Costume Specialist) on Edith Head’s costumes for THE LADY EVE. Enjoy.
P.S. For some bonus content, Jill Morena wrote an article for The Austin Chronicle on Edith Head. Read it here.
