
Date and Time
Wed, Feb 19
6:00 PM - 8:30 PM
Price
$5 | Free for MAKE members and above
Location
Austin Public - Studio 1
1143 Northwestern Ave, Austin, TX 78702
Join us at Austin Public for a Works-In-Progress screening of two narrative short films – Cassie Hay’s ELEPHANTS and Sergio Muñoz Esquer’s BALLAD OF AN IMMIGRANT WITH MEMORY – on February 19 at 6 PM. The films will be preceded by a mixer at 5:45 PM and followed by an audience feedback discussion moderated by filmmaker Lizette Barrera.
Please note: All Works-In-Progress films are unrated, and content varies by film. To better serve the community, AFS has introduced filmmaker-suggested content warnings to Works-In-Progress events to better inform audiences about elements within each film.The filmmakers behind each film have suggested the following ratings:
AFS’s Works-In-Progress series provides the growing and diverse filmmaking community of Austin peer-level critiques of rough or fine cuts of their work. Screenings are free for AFS MAKE members and above ($5 for WATCH members and non-members) and are followed by moderated audience feedback sessions. Do you have a film you want to submit for Works-In-Progress consideration? MAKE level members and above can apply here. Not an AFS MAKE member? Register your membership here!

ELEPHANTS
Two social media influencers confront a life-altering decision while navigating the superficial glamour and hidden pressures of their online personas, revealing the complex realities behind their curated lives.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Cassie Hay (Director/Screenwriter) is a documentary director and producer with over 20 years of production experience. Her directorial debut, THE LIBERATORS (Amazon Prime), a documentary about the gray spaces in art ownership and the shifting importance of cultural treasures, premiered in competition at SXSW. Her second film, QUEENS OF PAIN (Hulu) — a documentary about women, sports, and creating community, co-directed with Amy Winston — premiered at Austin Film Festival. In production, Hay’s scope of work includes major film productions (THE WOLF OF WALL STREET, FOR COLORED GIRLS), television (THE RIGHTEOUS GEMSTONES, OUTER RANGE, THE LEFTOVERS), commercials, and more. Her location scout work was shown at the Museum of the Moving Image as part of their Martin Scorsese exhibit. As a writer, her essays and reviews have been published in New Letters, The Literary Review, TLR Online, and This Great Society. Hay was formerly a regular contributor to The Outlet/Electric Literature. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, she also holds an MFA in creative nonfiction writing from Fairleigh-Dickinson University. Hay (with Winston) recently received the New York Women in Film and Television’s Excellence in Directing Award for QUEENS OF PAIN. She is represented as an unscripted director by Thomas Cook, United Talent Agency.

BALLAD OF AN IMMIGRANT WITH MEMORY
Following the death of his mother, a middle-aged undocumented immigrant living in the U.S. dives into a bowl of menudo to embark on a surreal journey through his memories to recover the rosary his mother gave him when he left Mexico 30 years ago.
ABOUT THE FILMMAKER
Sergio Muñoz Esquer (Director / Producer / Editor) is a Mexican filmmaker whose works range from narrative fiction to documentaries. His stories focus on the complexities of human connection, such as family, friendship, and identity, often explored through the Latinx lens. Sergio has made his career working with The Walt Disney Company, Rooster Teeth, and PBS. Sergio’s work has been screened at festivals such as the San Diego Latino Film Festival, NorthwestFest International Documentary Festival, and the PBS Short Film Festival. Additionally, Sergio was awarded the AFS Grant for Short Films and the Santa Fe Film Society Grant in 2024 for his film BALLAD OF AN IMMIGRANT WITH MEMORY.