Author Archives: marketing.intern

1. AFS Honors Robert Altman’s Texas-Made Film BREWSTER MCCLOUD

   March 10, 2020 3:03 pm Leave a Comment

   At the 20th Annual Texas Film Awards this Thursday, March 12, AFS will honor Robert Altman’s 1970 film BREWSTER MCCLOUD with the Star of Texas Award. Shelley Duvall, who starred in the film, will also be inducted to the Texas Film Hall of Fame.

   Written and directed by Altman (MASH, MCCABE & MRS. MILLER, THE PLAYER, SHORT CUTS), BREWSTER MCCLOUD was shot on location in and around Houston. The story centers on a strange boy (Bud Cort) living in the Houston Astrodome who spends his days crafting a pair of wings, when his plans are derailed by a serial killer, a beautiful girl (Shelley Duvall), and a detective trying to get to the bottom of it all (Michael Murphy).

   On Wednesday, March 11, AFS will host a sold out special screening of BREWSTER MCCLOUD with Duvall in attendance at the AFS Cinema.

   To celebrate this honor and the 50th anniversary of the film, we’re sharing a selection of behind-the-scene photos from the film and quotes from Robert Altman.

   

   “The Astrodome was new then and it was an indoor area that size that nobody had experienced. Somebody somewhere said something about it and that fascinated me. I went down to look at it and I said “Great.” It was quite an accomplishment just to be able to do it. I think how else can you show that this guy flies unless he’s trapped. He’s like in a cage so that became his freedom. He wasn’t free.” –Altman

   

   “I was making Brewster McCloud in Houston, Texas. I had a small part in the film, and I wanted very much to have not an actress but a local girl who had the accents, who was awkward…I just wanted somebody from that area. And we found Shelley down there, and she was quite remarkable—and put her in the film—she served the purpose of that film very well. And Shelley just developed to the state where she is now. I mean, she’s peerless.“ –Altman

   

   “I think that the things that were imitative in Brewster McCloud were imitative from other mediums—it might be pretentious in other ways- it was cartoon and road runners—but that’s what it was intended to be. Everyone worked in different levels of comedy and I like it.” –Altman

   

   “A film like Brewster McCloud can’t be related to anything…That’s what a lot of the critics said…”– Altman

   

   “It’s probably the most creative, most original film that I’ve done… I was cockiest at that point and I stretched the furthest.” – Altman

   “You always hope you’ll be adored. Brewster was much more of a critical success than MASH was…I really like most of my films, but I think you tend to love your most unsuccessful children the most.”– Altman

    

2. READ THIS: Beautifully Harrowing: Why You Must Bear Witness to “COME & SEE”

   February 25, 2020 3:38 pm Leave a Comment

   COME & SEE is considered the most devastating anti-war film ever made. Released in the later years of the artistically liberating time of Glasnost, Soviet Union director Elem Klimov tells the story of a Belarusian village being invaded by Hitler’s German troops in 1943. Young Flyora decides to join the Soviet army to defend his village with dreams of heroism and glamor. Instead, Flyora witnesses the intense cruelty and carnage of war as he invariably loses his innocence and comes to grips with the harshness of life.

   In anticipation of our upcoming presentation of the newly restored COME & SEE, we invite you to read the critical reactions to the film and explore its lasting legacy. Screenings begin this Saturday, March 7, 4PM, at the AFS Cinema. Full schedule is here.

   Roger Ebert:
   “It’s said that you can’t make an effective anti-war film because war by its nature is exciting, and the end of the film belongs to the survivors. No one would ever make the mistake of saying that about Elem Klimov’s “Come and See.” It’s not everyday that you get this vote of confidence from Roger Ebert. Read more >>

   The AV Club
   “Come and See paints a real historical event as an expressionist nightmare, full of abstract horrors and heightened surrealism.” AV Club’s review whole heartedly recommends this film for a bone-chilling time at the cinema. Read more >>

   The New York Times:
   “Powerful material, powerfully rendered by the director and co-writer Elem Klimov…” “Scene for scene, Mr. Klimov proves a master of a sort of unreal realism that seeks to get at events terrible beyond comprehension.” The New York Times knew COME & SEE was more than just a film. It was the beginning of the end for the Iron Curtain. Read more >>

   The Calvert Journal on COME & SEE’s Legacy
   “In the 30 years since Come and See‘s release, although its influence has been great, none of the more recent films have been able to realise the original’s emotional acuity.” Calvert Journal tells the readers how it is: there will never be another COME & SEE. Read the full article >>

   ELEM KLIMOV ON MAKING “COME & SEE”
   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN9_r1NEnGM)
   COME & SEE director Elem Klimov recounts the nightmarish process of getting his film through the Soviet censors, and more.

3. Read More: Don Hertzfeldt’s Stick Figures at 20

   February 18, 2020 4:44 pm Leave a Comment

   Oscar-nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt is the DIY genius behind animations such as Rejected, The Meaning of Life and It’s Such a Beautiful Day. His lo-fi, yet visionary, cartoons have had an indelible impact on audiences across the world, predicting and shaping the postmodern, nihilistic comedy of the memes and viral videos that followed.
   

   In anticipation of our special screening of REJECTED at 20 this Friday, February 21 at the AFS Cinema with Don Hertzfeldt present and talking at length about his body of work, we take you through the evolution of Hertzfeldt’s films and the constant cultural impact the animator has made ever since his 2000 breakout film REJECTED. (including a bonus interview with Hertzfeldt by our very own AFS Lead Programmer Lars Nilsen):

   HERTZFELDT INTERVIEWED IN TEXAS MONTHLY (https://www.texasmonthly.com/the-culture/don-hertzfeldts-the-end-of-the-world/)
   This 2019 article is a must-read for both Hertzfeldt fans and aspiring animators who wish to understand his creative process.

   ‘THE SIMPSONS’ INTRO (https://www.indiewire.com/2014/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-don-hertzfeldt-the-animator-behind-that-brilliant-disturbing-simpsons-couch-gag-125758/)
   For the memorable 25th season premiere of The Simpsons, Hertzfeldt was commissioned to produce an extended credits intro, in a rare break from the show’s tradition. This review from Indiewire introduces the wider public to Hertzfeldt’s work and contextualizes his subversive approach to the beloved couch gag.

   CONFESSIONS FROM DON HERTZFELDT IN VICE MAGAZINE
   (https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/4xqa8p/10-confessions-from-rejected-cartoons-animator-don-hertzfeldt)
   If you’re interested in how to sell an independent short film or how Hertzfeldt collaborates with his niece on his films, then these Confessions are for you. Candid, honest and quirky, Hertzfeldt’s thoughts and observations are sure to leave you spellbound.

   LARS NILSEN INTERVIEW WITH HERTZFELDT
   (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iae8jkV34AE)
   Don Hertzfeldt. Long-haired Lars Nilsen. Alamo Drafthouse. Nuff’ said.

4. Richard Linklater’s BEFORE SUNRISE at 25

   February 14, 2020 5:04 pm Leave a Comment

   AFS Public Relations Senior intern, Tom Richard Santos, shares his thoughts on BEFORE SUNRISE ahead of the screening this weekend—the entire Before Trilogy screens Sunday, February 16 at AFS Cinema.

   This year, BEFORE SUNRISE (1995) celebrates a full twenty-five years since Jesse and Celine met on that fateful train passing through Vienna. To celebrate, AFS will be showing this classic love story, written and directed by AFS Founder and Artistic Director Richard Linklater—along with the two following films in the trilogy BEFORE SUNSET and BEFORE MIDNIGHT—this Valentine’s Day weekend. 

   From its relatively quiet beginning in the 90’s indie film wave, SUNRISE has become timeless for many. However, it has also grown more timely for others as the years go on, and perhaps that’s the best reason to revisit it this weekend—and why it’s an absolute must-watch for first-timers. 

   “Why this movie?,” you might ask. Why has it remained one of the most enduring love stories of the last quarter centuries? Is it the romance? The story? The will-they, won’t-they over one magical night in Vienna?

   There’s likely no one reason. But, in honor of its anniversary, one reason stands out when looking back—it endures because it’s one of the few films of its genre and time that engages in discussion with not only itself and its characters, but also with the person watching it. 

   In short? It’s a film about talking that also wants to talk with you.

   More than a romance, more than early mumblecore, more than “a film about nothing”, SUNRISE as a film seems to strive for one-on-one connections with those watching as much as it does with Celine and Jesse—through a constant back-and-forth on a range of subjects. Whether it’s love or loss, religion or philosophy, or cynicism and romance, the film offers a multitude of things to talk about—and is willing to bet you have something to say about it too.

   And like any good conversationalist, SUNRISE leaves room for the viewer to talk as well, primarily by asking questions of the viewer throughout. For example, in the first café scene, the film seems to ask how you feel about the palm-reader. Do you agree it’s largely a con, like Jesse? Or do you see it as a romantic, slightly magical encounter as Celine does? Or are you stuck in the middle somewhere, torn when the two argue about it before being interrupted on the Danube?

   These scenes structure the film much like a coffee klatsch, jumping from topic to topic, like old friends catching up as they pass the cream and sugar. It’s wonderfully organic, and makes a viewer feel like they’re there at that table. Perhaps that’s because, in a way, they are.

   Yet the film rarely answers those questions itself—though Jesse and Celine certainly have their opinions. Instead, SUNRISE film puts the onus of those answers on the viewer. And that’s a rare thing. Many films simply cannot wait to tell you what they’re about, and how you should feel about it. Didacticism rules their messages, and maybe that in itself is evocative of our world today. We are commanded daily by the society we’ve built to have strong opinions and concrete beliefs in just about everything, and both nuance and ambiguity are often sacrificed in the process.

   Perhaps that’s where some of the magic of SUNRISE lies, in its opposition to those ideas. Every opinion and paradigm in the film is continually challenged and collided with throughout the narrative. What’s left from that collision, at least for some, is something much more amorphous and gray. And you are encouraged to make of it what you will.

   Or perhaps not. You are also welcome to take the film at face value. But then again, you are also welcome to change your mind. In the twenty-five years since its release, SUNRISE has invited viewers year after year to return and  have that same conversation, again and again. To ask those same questions of themselves. To change their minds.

   It’s almost a litmus test of growth, and of who you have become since your last viewing. How do you feel about the palm-reader this time? Why does that matter?

   Who are you now?

   That’s one of the many reasons why the film remains so evergreen and why it’s important to so many. You can enjoy it along with the rest of the BEFORE TRILOGY, or as a single show, this weekend at AFS Cinema. Tickets are available here.

   Until then? “Bye”, “Goodbye”, “Au Revoir” and “Later”.

5. AFS Cinema – 2019 Year in Review

   February 4, 2020 1:34 pm Leave a Comment

   2019 was a stellar year at the AFS Cinema. The AFS Cinema welcomed film lovers of all ages, inspired engaging conversations, hosted luminaries, and brought the community together to watch great cinema, every day of the week. Some of the highlights this past year are listed below.

   We welcomed dozens of filmmakers and luminaries, including Renee Zellwegger (JUDY), Lulu Wang (THE FAREWELL), Christine Vachon (FAR FROM HEAVEN), Agnieszka Holland (EUROPA EUROPA), and Zack Gottsagen (THE PEANUT BUTTER FALCON).

   “It’s always so good to be home.” – Renee Zellweger

   

   

   

   

   

   
   Essential Cinema, our long-running repertory film series, visited Edith Head’s Hollywood, the films of Lee Chang Dong, Jean Vigo, Alfred Hitchcock, and Wang Bing.

   

   

   

    

   We presented new films by Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Ciro Guerra, Hong Sang Soo, Joanna Hogg, Carlos Reygadas, Jean-Luc Godard, Wang Bing, and Jia Zhangke.

   

   

   

   
   We explored the Film Noir canon, punk icon John Doe’s film picks, new films from the Middle East, and contemporary Francophone cinema from Europe, Canada, and Africa during New French Cinema Week, and some of Richard Linklater’s favorite overlooked films from the eighties.

   

   

   

    

   Among the numerous films by Texas filmmakers presented at the AFS Cinema this year: the hit documentary THE RIVER AND THE WALL; ALSO STARRING AUSTIN, about the local film industry; and the award-winning WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE WORLD’S ON FIRE? by Houston-based filmmaker Roberto Minervini.

   

   

   

    

   We engaged our community through partnership screenings with organizations including Austin Asian American Film Festival, Cine Las Americas, Hill Country Ride for AIDS, Zach Theatre, KUT, BookPeople, Austin Pets Alive, The Texas Tribune, Austin Chronicle, Texas Observer, The Contemporary Austin, The Blanton Museum of Art, Cinema Touching Disability, and more.

   This is just a snapshot, though. The AFS Cinema offers curated programming like this year-round. By becoming a member, you’ll not only get to enjoy the great films we present, but special events like premieres, sneak previews, and member mixers. Join at the LOVE level and you can attend many of these programs for free.

   2020 marks the Austin Film Society’s 35^th Anniversary, and we have a lot planned to celebrate this year. So, stay tuned and we hope to see you at the Cinema.

6. John Cameron Mitchell Brings His Musical Podcast Anthem: Homunculus To AFS Jan 19

   January 14, 2020 5:02 pm Leave a Comment

   This Sunday, January 19, the AFS Cinema welcomes acclaimed writer/director/performer John Cameron Mitchell (HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, VINYL, RABBIT HOLE) for a marathon listening party of the first season of his musical podcast, ANTHEM: HOMUNCULUS. The podcast follows a man named Ceann who is crowdfunding for a life-saving brain surgery by telling his life’s story in a livestream telethon from his Kansas trailer-park home. 

   ANTHEM is a beautiful, sorrowful, and mesmerizing piece of art, due in no small part to the excellent score by composer Bryan Weller (who will also be in attendance), and an all-star cast that includes Glenn Close, Patti LuPone, Cynthia Erivo, and more. It is also deeply evocative of Mitchell’s storied history as a playwright and stage performer.

   The show starts at 2PM and we’ll be listening to all ten episodes in season one mixed with music and conversation, so plan to stay late (until 9PM)! In anticipation, AFS spoke to Mitchell about ANTHEM: HOMUNCULUS and what to expect at the listening party on January 19. Here’s what he had to say:

   WHERE DID THE IDEA OF MAKING A MUSICAL PODCAST COME FROM, AND HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH THE NAME?

   I first wrote it as “Hedwig and the Divine Homunculus,” a sequel to “Hedwig and the Angry Inch.” But the autobiographical elements were just too incompatible with Hedwig’s so I removed her from the story like a benign tumor. Then I fashioned it into a kind of alternate autobiography: what would I be like if I never left my small town? My co-creator Bryan Weller and I began writing it as a TV series at William S. Burroughs’ Lawrence, KS house – we were invited by his longtime partner, James Grauerholtz. Hollywood wasn’t impressed with the project so we rethought it as a podcast series, perhaps the most expensive one ever made as it’s dense with 40 actors, 31 songs, full orchestra, boys’ choirs and complex soundscapes. It was financed by Topic Studios and is distributed by Luminary Podcast Network. Anthem is the name of our overarching musical anthology series – each season will be a different musical made by different creators. Our season is called Homunculus which means “little man” and refers to the tiny alchemist-created Frankenstein in Faust. It’s also the name of the kind of tumor that my character suffers from. My little man turns out to be sentient.

   THE PODCAST FEATURES 31 ORIGINAL SONGS BY YOU AND BRYAN WELLER. WHERE DID YOU GET THE INSPIRATION FROM, DID THE STORY INFORM THE SONGS OR VICE-VERSA?

   The story came first. I left holes for songs. Bryan encouraged me to write the lyrics for the songs and he would provide a musical setting and suggest melody. I would refine the melody and lyrics and we worked very quickly.

   YOU HAVE AN AMAZING CAST IN THE PODCAST INCLUDING GLENN CLOSE, PATTI LUPONE, CYNTHIA ERVO, LAURIE ANDERSON—HOW DID THEY BECOME INVOLVED IN THE PROJECT?

   They were all folks that I knew in some capacity so it was easy to reach out. Good actors are always up for a new challenge especially when they don’t have to shave (podcasts are easy to act in). I sought out Cynthia after seeing her unbelievable performance in The Color Purple on Broadway (see her current Oscar-nominated turn as Harriet Tubman) but Nakhane was the hardest to find. I heard about him in the South African film The Wound and ended up connecting by Instagram (he had just finished watching my film SHORTBUS). We flew him in from Johannesburg. He’s a truly brilliant musical and acting powerhouse.

   ARE THERE ANY PLANS FOR A SECOND SEASON? IF SO, WHAT CAN YOU TELL US ABOUT IT?

   We are presently seeking pitches for season 2. Reach out through DM to our IG @anthempod or mine @johncameronmitchell. Anything goes as long as you might see it as a musical series.

   WHAT CAN THE AUSTIN AUDIENCE EXPECT AT THE JAN 19 EVENT AT THE AFS CINEMA?

   It’ll be like a 7 hour daytime sleepover in a cinema. Cozy seating, food, drink, abstract visuals, surround-sound mix, a few live songs from me and Bryan. Come on down! I’ll also be doing a concert at Bass Hall on February 7 called The Origin of Love: The Songs and Stories of Hedwig. 

    

7. AFS’s January Essential Cinema: Focus on Iconic French Actor Jeanne Moreau

   January 7, 2020 1:59 pm Leave a Comment

   For our January Essential Cinema program, AFS presents Jeanne Moreau: High Season, featuring a series of masterpieces Moreau starred in from 1958-1963. Too often narrowly viewed as an art house sex symbol or icon of the French New Wave, Moreau was a mesmerizing actor whose performative insights defined an era. Throughout the month, we will showcase this selection of films starring Moreau by giants of European cinema, including BAY OF ANGELS, JULES & JIM, LA NOTTE, and ELEVATOR TO THE GALLOWS—opening this Thursday, January 9 at 7 PM, at the AFS Cinema. The full series line up and tickets can be found here.

   For a closer look, here is an interview with Moreau on NPR’s Fresh Air (originally aired in 1993) reflecting back on her phenomenal career, which spanned nearly seven decades, and how it all started.

8. Watch This: John Cassavetes and Gena Rowlands Talk Work and Life Together

   December 3, 2019 2:33 pm Leave a Comment

   Cassavetes/Rowlands is the focus of our December Essential Cinema—showcasing some of the best performances between on and off-screen partners, actor-director John Cassavetes and his frequent collaborator, and wife, actress Gena Rowlands. Together they found emotional truth in some of the most important and influential films of their era. The series begins this Thursday, December 5, at 7 PM with MINNIE & MOSKOWITZ and also includes A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE, OPENING NIGHT, and GLORIA throughout the month.

   To kick things off, we are sharing a candid interview with these two giants of cinema history as they talk about collaborating in work and life, their creative choices, making movies outside of the studio system, and above all else their mutual admiration and respect for one another.

   The full Cassavetes/Rowlands schedule and tickets can be found here.

    

   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCfsX1tb76w&feature=youtu.be

9. Watch This: WAVES Q&A with director Trey Edward Shults

   November 5, 2019 6:19 pm Leave a Comment

   Last week, Austin Film Society members were treated to a sneak preview of the new A24 film WAVES with AFS grant-supported writer-director Trey Edward Shults. Shults made a splash on the indie scene with his feature film debut KRISHA in 2015, taking home prizes from the Independent Spirit Awards, SXSW, and more. His third feature film, WAVES, traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family— led by a well-intentioned but domineering father played by This is Us star Sterling K. Brown —as they navigate love, forgiveness and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. Screening at both the Telluride and the Toronto International Film Festivals earlier this fall, the film has garnered impressive reviews: “Movies of this caliber come along seldom to never.” – Variety.

   Following our Sneak Preview screening, Shults sat down for a Q&A with another AFS-supported director, Yen Tan, who directed last year’s critically acclaimed 1985. Here they talk about the making of WAVES and Shults shares how after working on the script for years, the film finally came together once he started to make it more personal, almost autobiographical at times.

   Check out our Q&A with the director and see the film when it opens nationwide on November 15.

10. AFS’ Lars Nilsen’s Top Picks from the 2019 Toronto International Film Fest

    October 4, 2019 7:10 pm Leave a Comment

    The Toronto International Film Festival is one of the first and best places to discover important new films—from awards season contenders to independent gems. For AFS Lead Programmer Lars Nilsen, it’s a great opportunity to explore many of these new films and scout out titles that may someday make it to the AFS Cinema. After 10 days and over 30+ films, he shares some of his top picks from this year’s festival:

    

    COLLECTIVE

    dir. Alexander Nanau

    This is a documentary about pervasive corruption in the Romanian health care industry. Sounds exciting right? In fact, it is. Starting with a major nightclub fire and its tragic aftermath in which a failed health care response resulted in many unnecessary fatalities, this film follows the trail of crooked hospital administrators and political appointees into some fairly wild corners. I won’t spoil the film, but it is part newsroom suspense drama and part gangster movie and you will be riveted by it.

     

    

    THE LOST OKOROSHI

    dir. Abba Makama

    From Nigeria comes this very strange but at times poignant fantasy about a rural man who works in a Lagos skyscraper as a security guard and despairs over the loss of community and traditions in the fast paced, modern city. Suddenly one night he undergoes a Kafka-esque metamorphosis into a colorful grass-skirted ancestral spirit called an Okoroshi. This odd situation is accepted by all at face value, and soon the Okoroshi is engaging in fish-out-of-water adventures among disbelieving city-folk. Some really big laughs here alongside the social commentary. Also, a level of deep weirdness that keeps the whole enterprise popping.

     

    

    PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE

    dir. Céline Sciamma

    This new film from Céline Sciamma (GIRLHOOD) is a gothic 18th century period piece about a female artist who is commissioned to paint a portrait of noblewoman’s daughter in order to entice a potential husband for the young woman. The daughter refuses to sit for a portrait, so the artist must stealthily observe her and paint her from memory at night. You might guess some of what happens next. In the context of this story, the film makes some really timely points about female representation. The symbolism is “louder” here than is fashionable in most contemporary films. You probably won’t miss Sciamma’s point. I am a big fan of boldness in symbolic language, so, unsurprisingly, I loved this film. I also appreciate that it honors the gothic tradition in literature by hewing faithfully to the style without spoofing it.

     

    

    THE TRUTH

    dir. Hirokazu Kore-eda

    Hirokazu Kore-eda’s followup to the breakout hit SHOPLIFTERS is something radically different. Made in France and in French, it stars Catherine Deneuve as a great screen star who is a demanding diva in her family life and on the set as she plays a small role in a new film alongside a very popular young actress. Juliette Binoche plays Deneuve’s screenwriter daughter, and Ethan Hawke plays Binoche’s B-list actor husband. The film is a chamber piece, with everyone lending support to one dazzling soloist – Deneuve, in a part that was surely written for her because no one else could conceivably play it.

     

    

    THE TWENTIETH CENTURY

    dir. Matthew Rankin

    Raise your hand if you know virtually nothing about Canadian Prime Ministers of the past. I thought so. I am also in the dark here. This film is a deeply strange, perverse biopic depicting the life and times of the Prime Minister I am told was the greatest leader in Canadian history, Mackenzie King. As recounted by filmmaker Matthew Rankin, King’s life was a non-stop parade of humiliation, sexual and otherwise. This apparently low-budget film is full to the brim with a commodity most other movies can’t buy, even with all the money in Hollywood – innovation and obsessive creativity. It’s also very, very funny.

     

     

11. Austin Film Society Staff Pick Their Favorite Summer Films from the AFS Cinema

    September 10, 2019 9:27 pm Leave a Comment

    It’s been a great summer for film at the AFS Cinema. Here is a roundup of favorites chosen by Austin Film Society team members that surprised, delighted, and inspired us over the past couple of months.

    Gabe Chicoine, Marketing Associate

    

    INGRID

    “Morrissa Maltz’s INGRID was an unexpectedly moving experience for me. In its brief 55 minute runtime the film beautifully captures the life of a German immigrant and outsider artist who left the American Dream behind to follow her own path, living off the grid in self-imposed solitude in rural Arkansas.”

    Brady Dyer, Communications Manager

    

    PARIS IS BURNING

    “I had heard a lot about the documentary PARIS IS BURNING, but never had a chance to see it. I’m so glad I waited until the opportunity this summer to see it on the big screen. It captures Ball life and the bourgeoning Vogue scene in NYC in the 1980s, before pop culture grabbed a hold of it. At the time of the documentary, the scene was still relatively underground and the key figures—like Willi Ninja and Venus Xtravaganza—were trying to make a name for themselves, hoping to one day break out. The film beautifully presents an intimate portrait of those involved in the scene—their stories are poignant and touching, mixed with joy and disappointment. Although filmed in the ‘80s PARIS feels fresh, honest, timely, and incredibly relevant. Everybody wants a place to belong.”

    Fabien Ferrari, Summer Intern

    

    GHOST IN THE SHELL

    “I discovered GHOST IN THE SHELL for the first time on the small screen. But seeing it in a theater, thanks to AFS, it was truly another experience. I felt transported into this dystopian world that inspired so many Science Fiction movies. I can’t tell how moving it was to see these wonderful old school drawings shots of the futuristic city on a big screen, along with the incredible theme song as loud as it can be. It allowed me to be involved as ever in the story and understand the meaning more behind this powerful anime.”

    Yolanda Gamble, Youth Media Specialist

    

    THE FAREWELL

    “My pick is THE FAREWELL. I had the chance to attend the sneak preview with Director Lulu Wang, where she shared her inspiration for the film. I love how AFS has a pulse on groundbreaking filmmakers who are bringing their unique perspective onto the big screen while telling a story that is universal to so many people. It definitely made me want to visit my grandma more often!”

    Ellie Kotapish, Development Manager

    

    THE FAREWELL

    “My summer film pick is THE FAREWELL. I got to see this at our member sneak preview screening where the director Lulu Wang was present to do a Q&A. The story is fascinating overall, but I really appreciated the story and characters. It was refreshing, funny, and relatable (oddly enough). I highly recommend this film!

    Jake Martinez, Summer Intern

    

    ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST

    “ONCE UPON A TIME IN THE WEST has stuck with me for weeks. Seeing it at the cinema was amazing—I was transported, by Leone and Morricone, into a world that seemed to be just on the other side of the screen, with an operatic symphony in the walls. I’m really glad there’s a theatre in town playing these films, like they’re meant to be seen.”

    Conner Smith, Development Coordinator

    

    HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD

    “The film HOUSE OF HUMMINGBIRD, which was part of the Austin Asian American Film Festival’s excellent lineup, is one of my favorite films that I’ve seen this year. It’s a devastating and beautiful coming-of-age story that presents an authentic narrative about what it feels like to be a teenager. And I appreciate how the ending didn’t tie up into a perfect bow.”

    Claudia Silva, Senior Marketing Intern

    

    CAPERNAUM

    “After watching CAPERNAUM from director Nadine Labaki, I left the cinema determined to change my life, that’s how inspired I was with twelve-year old Zain’s journey. In the film, Zain wants to sue his own parents for not getting him a birthday certificate in Lebanon, which lacked him the rights of a citizen, including public health care and attending the local public school. The movie is a piece of art that reminds us we are capable to face all the challenges and adversities to achieve our goals, if we have the guts, right attitudes, and determination to change our own history.”

     

     

12. Preview: 2019 Sundance Film Festival Shorts – Starts September 6 at AFS Cinema

    September 3, 2019 8:58 pm Leave a Comment

    AFS welcomes back an annual favorite—the best short films of this year’s Sundance Film Festival, specially curated by the Festival for audiences nationwide. Screenings start this Friday, September 6, at the AFS Cinema. Purchase tickets. 

    The Sundance Film Festival Short Film Tour returns to AFS Cinema with the 2019 edition, featuring seven short films from this year’s fest. The annual program is often a launchpad for many up-and-coming independent filmmakers. Ranging from fiction to documentary to animation, the program has something for everyone.

    Program

    SOMETIMES, I THINK ABOUT DYING
    U.S.A., 13 minutes. Directed by Stefanie Abel Horowitz, written by Stefanie Abel Horowitz, Katy Wright-Mead, and Kevin Armento. Fran is thinking about dying, but a man in the office might want to date her.

    

     

    FAST HORSE
    Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing Canada, 13 minutes. Written and directed by Alexandra Lazarowich. The Blackfoot bareback horse-racing tradition returns in the astonishingly dangerous Indian Relay. Siksika horseman Allison Red Crow struggles with second-hand horses and a new jockey on his way to challenge the best riders in the Blackfoot Confederacy.

    

     

    SUICIDE BY SUNLIGHT
    U.S.A., 17 minutes. Directed by Nikyatu Jusu, written by Nikyatu Jusu and R. Shanea Williams. Valentina, a day-walking Black vampire protected from the sun by her melanin, is forced to restrain her bloodlust to regain custody of her estranged daughters.

    

     

    MUTEUM
    Estonia, Hong Kong, 4 minutes. Written and directed by Äggie Pak Yee Lee. In an art museum, we learn—from outer to inner, from deep to its deepest, seriously and sincerely.

    

     

    CRUDE OIL
    U.S.A., 15 minutes. Written and directed by Christopher Good. Jenny breaks free from a toxic friendship and learns to harness her magical, useless superpower.

    

     

    THE MINORS
    Short Film Special Jury Award for Directing. U.S.A., 10 minutes. Written and directed by Robert Machoian. A slice of life about a grandpa and his grandsons, the future and the past.

    

     

    BROTHERHOOD
    Canada, Tunisia, Qatar, Sweden, 25 minutes. Written and directed by Meryam Joobeur. When a hardened Tunisian shepherd’s son returns home after a long journey with a new wife, tension rises between father and son.

    

    Watch the trailer below and join us starting September 6 at AFS Cinema.