AFS Cinema Announces Its July/August 2025 Program Calendar
June 12, 2025, AUSTIN, TX— The Austin Film Society announces its July and August 2025 calendar featuring signature programs, special screenings and events and a new, diverse lineup of films from around the globe that filmgoers can only see at the AFS Cinema. The full calendar and more information can be found at www.austinfilm.org.
Throughout July and August, the Austin Film Society will present nine films in a series of Essential Cinema called On Our Way to Where: Women of ’70s Cinema. These selections celebrate the emotional realism of the era through female-written films and powerhouse performances by the likes of Gena Rowlands in A Woman Under the Influence and Diane Keaton in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, both of which will be shown in 35mm. As a part of its effort to exhibit and celebrate 35mm film prints, AFS also will show the following films in this format: Alan Rudolph’s Remember My Name and Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore by Martin Scorsese (both part of the On Our Way To Where series), the 2001 cult classic Donnie Darko, David Cronenberg’s Crash with a special appearance by author of a recent Cronenberg monograph Violet Lucca and What Time Is It There? by Tsai Ming-liang. In his first trip to Austin, Tsai will also join AFS audiences in person alongside collaborators Lee Kang-sheng (Rebels of the Neon God) and Anong Houngheuangsy (Days) for a career-spanning retrospective of his films, which will be shown in a series called Time Passes: Thirty-five Years with Tsai Ming-liang, co-presented with the Austin Asian American Film Festival. Among the films selected are his Golden Lion-winning feature Vive l’Amour; Goodbye, Dragon Inn; and selected shorts. This program is made possible by the Ministry of Culture of Taiwan (Republic of China), with additional support provided by the Taiwan Academy of the Economic and Cultural Office in Houston. Special thanks to our Airline Sponsor, EVA Airways. The Austin Film Society also presents several other series dedicated to the works of pioneering filmmakers: Nobuhiko Obayashi: Kadokawa Superstar, spotlighting four surreal films by the Hausu director throughout July; Leos Carax: The Alex Trilogy, which connects the director’s early works with the through-line of a single character (his on-screen persona) throughout August; and Newly Restored Kurosawa, presenting seven 4K restorations of the Japanese master’s greatest films, including period pieces like Yojimbo and his then-contemporary-set films like Stray Dog. AFS’s Paper Cuts series with Alienated Majesty Books will include two films, each paired with a complementary literary selection, post-film discussion and pop-up shop in the AFS Cinema lobby: Sergio Leone’s For A Few Dollars More paired with Audible Heat by Milo Thesiger-Meacham and Audrey Lam’s Us and the Night paired with the works of Italo Calvino. Among the upcoming special events hosted at the AFS Cinema are a weekend with animator Bill Plympton in conversation with Don Hertzfeldt, featuring post-film discussions between the two icons following a screening of Plympton’s Slide on July 12 and two of his selected Plymptoons on July 13. The Kingcast will join AFS audiences for a live podcast taping surrounding a screening of the film Silver Bullet (screenplay by Stephen King) on July 21. On July 1, the Memory Hole (part of Everything is Terrible!) will present Animals Are Over, which will feature archival clips alongside a live score and on-stage performances. From August 1–3, the Austin Film Society welcomes back LA’s Pan African Film and Arts Festival (PAFF) for its third Austin series, which will include four films chosen from the acclaimed festival in February. More information about the 2025 lineup is forthcoming. This project is supported in part by the City of Austin Economic Development Department and a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts.
Calendar highlights in detail:
From July 2–August 30, AFS Essential Cinema will showcase nine films about female identity in a series called On Our Way to Where: Women of ’70s Cinema. Rather than focusing on the directors behind the films, the selections focus on stories written by prominent female writers and pioneering performances by influential actresses of the era. Included will be four 35mm screenings and one new 4K restoration, noted below. Kicking things off on July 2 and 5 is a 35mm presentation of Remember My Name, a story of betrayal produced by Robert Altman and starring Geraldine Chaplin. Following this on July 8 and 12 is Puzzle of a Downfall Child, starring Faye Dunaway as a fashion model in a story written by Carole Eastman (Five Easy Pieces). On July 15 and 19 will be a new 4K restoration of Play It As It Lays, a critical look at Hollywood starring Tuesday Weld and adapted from a Joan Didion novel. On July 22 and 26 will be Claudine, a romantic dramedy starring Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones. On July 29 and August 2, John Cassavetes’ A Woman Under The Influence will screen in 35mm, featuring Gena Rowlands in an Oscar®-nominated performance. On August 5 and 9, AFS will show Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore in 35mm, starring Ellen Burstyn as a woman searching for a better life after the death of her husband. On August 12 and 16, Jeannie Berlin takes the screen in Sheila Levine is Dead and Living in New York, adapted from the bestselling novel by Gail Parent. On August 19 and 23, AFS will show Looking For Mr. Goodbar in 35mm, with Diane Keaton experiencing a sexual awakening as an inner-city schoolteacher (alongside performances by Tuesday Weld and Richard Gere). Closing out the series on August 26 and 30 is the three-time Oscar®-nominated film An Unmarried Woman by Paul Mazursky (Bob & Carol & Ted & Alice), starring Jill Clayburgh as a woman rebuilding her life after her divorce.
The Austin Film Society and co-presenters Austin Asian American Film Festival will host a retrospective series called Time Passes: Thirty-Five Years with Tsai Ming-Liang, which will include in-person appearances by the filmmaker and his collaborators Lee Kang-sheng and Anong Houngheuangsy at select screenings. The films chosen reflect Tsai’s wide-ranging career — from his poetic, contemplative dramas to his short works and the latest installment in his “Walker” series featuring Lee Kang-sheng as a barefoot monk. The films selected for Tsai’s first visit to Austin are the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion-winning Vive l’Amour (August 21); Goodbye, Dragon Inn (August 22), which appeared in the 2012 Sight & Sound Directors’ Poll; a shorts program comprised of Tsai’s work in TV, documentary and a piece directed by Lee Kang-sheng; What Time is it There? (August 23); Abiding Nowhere from the “Walker” series (August 24); and Days starring Anong Houngheuangsy (August 24).
The Austin Film Society will shine a spotlight on the work of several directors by presenting multiple series that celebrate their biggest accomplishments as well as underseen gems. Between July 4–26, AFS will showcase the works of Japanese director Nobuhiko Obayashi (Hausu) in a series called Nobuhiko Obayashi: Kadokawa Superstar, referring to his collaborations with the famous Tokyo-based manga publisher and his resulting forays into adapting their works. Through the four selected films, viewers will experience the pop-influenced avant-garde experimental style of Obayashi. The series includes School in the Crosshairs (July 4 and 5), The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (July 11 and 12), The Island Closest to Heaven (July 18–20) and His Motorbike, Her Island (July 25 and 26). From July 25–August 18, AFS will present Newly Restored Kurosawa, showcasing seven of the legendary filmmaker’s works newly scanned in 4K: The Hidden Fortress (July 25–29), Stray Dog (July 26–28), Yojimbo (August 1–7), High and Low (August 6 and 9), Throne of Blood (August 8 and 10), Ikiru (August 11 and 14 — presented as a Free Member Monday screening for AFS members on August 11) and Sanjuro (August 16–18). Over the latter half of August, the Austin Film Society will present the first three feature films made by influential filmmaker Leos Carax. The series, Leos Carax: The Alex Trilogy, connects the selected titles through the character “Alex,” the filmmaker’s alter ego played by Denis Lavant in all three films: Boy Meets Girl (August 15 and 16), Mauvais Sang (August 22 and 23) and Lovers On The Bridge (August 29–31).
The Austin Film Society will host several special screening events in July. Over the weekend of July 12 and 13, the animation legend Bill Plympton will join fellow two-time Oscar® nominated animator Don Hertzfeldt (It’s Such a Beautiful Day) to discuss his work at the AFS Cinema. The events include a screening of his most recent feature, the Western comedy Slide, on July 12, and, the following day, two of his self-selected short works, known as Plymptoons. Both events will be followed by a discussion between the two pioneering artists. The Fangoria-produced Stephen King podcast, The Kingcast, will take the AFS stage for a live podcast taping centered around the Stephen King-penned film Silver Bullet on July 21. Joining the taping will be New York Times best-selling author Stephen Graham Jones (The Only Good Indians). AFS will also partner with First Light Books on July 24 to bring author Violet Lucca to a 35mm screening of David Cronenberg’s Crash, where she will discuss the film and her monograph on Cronenberg films, Cronenberg: Clinical Trials.
The full July/August lineup continues below, and a complete list of all film screenings announced to date and special events are on the AFS website at austinfilm.org. Ticket prices range from $11 to $13.50, with discounts for AFS members. Special pricing is noted if applicable.
AUSTIN FILM SOCIETY JULY/AUGUST CALENDAR
ESSENTIAL CINEMA: ON OUR WAY TO WHERE: WOMEN OF ’70s CINEMA
The 1970s ushered in a bold new era for women in American cinema — a time when the screen turned inward, exploring female identity with an intensity and intimacy rarely seen before. These films share a commitment to emotional realism, portraying women grappling with love, autonomy, and existential unrest. Through performances brimming with vulnerability, these characters come to life, embodying the complicated spirit of the era and redefining what it means to be a woman on screen.
REMEMBER MY NAME
Alan Rudolph, USA, 1978, 35mm, 95 min.
7/2, 7/5
Fresh out of prison, a steely-eyed woman sets her sights on the man who betrayed her. Is it vengeance, obsession, or something else? A bluesy, Robert Altman-produced study in simmering rage, anchored by a haunting turn from Geraldine Chaplin. Her name is Emily, and you won’t soon forget her. In 35mm.
PUZZLE OF A DOWNFALL CHILD
Jerry Schatzberg, USA, 1970, DCP, 104 min.
7/8, 7/12
Beauty fades, but regret lingers in every frame as a fashion model (a mesmerizing Faye Dunaway) teeters on the edge of obsolescence. Written by Carole Eastman (FIVE EASY PIECES) and directed by photog-turned-filmmaker Jerry Schatzberg (PANIC IN NEEDLE PARK), this incisive study of the human cost of an image is anchored by stellar supporting turns from Viveca Lindfors, Barry Morse, and Roy Scheider.
PLAY IT AS IT LAYS
Frank Perry, USA 1972, DCP, 99 min.
7/15, 7/19
In the blinding glare of Hollywood, Tuesday Weld drifts through a wasteland of fame and emptiness in Frank Perry’s haunting vision of Tinseltown’s broken dreams. A razor-sharp descent into existential despair adapted from Joan Didion’s novel by Didion and husband-collaborator John Gregory Dunne. Co-starring Anthony Perkins. New 4K restoration.
CLAUDINE
John Berry, USA, 1974, DCP, 92 min.
7/22, 7/26
Six kids. A man. A woman. A love worth fighting for. Diahann Carroll and James Earl Jones shine in this sharp, heartwarming portrait of resilience and romance in Harlem. Tough, funny, and deeply moving — it’s “a heart and soul comedy.” Co-written by Tina and Lester Pine, the power duo that gave us A MAN CALLED ADAM.
A WOMAN UNDER THE INFLUENCE
John Cassavetes, USA,1974, 35mm,146 min.
7/29, 8/2
Gena Rowlands electrifies as a housewife unraveling under the weight of love and expectation in John Cassavetes’ raw, shattering portrait of madness, devotion, and the impossible standards of domestic life. In 35mm.
ALICE DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE
Martin Scorsese, USA, 1974, 35mm, 112 min.
8/5, 8/9
Ellen Burstyn delivers a powerhouse turn in Scorsese’s “low-key, high-impact ’70s drama” (The Guardian) where a widow, a son, and a dream collide. Love, loss, and reinvention — the road to happiness is anything but straight. In 35mm.
SHEILA LEVINE IS DEAD AND LIVING IN NEW YORK
Sidney J. Furie, USA, 1975, DCP, 113 min.
8/12, 8/16
Some are Plain Janes, some Mousy Marys — but they call this one Sheila Levine. Jeannie Berlin (THE HEARTBREAK KID) delivers a heartbreaking performance as a woman both too much and not enough for the big city. Adapted from Gail Parent’s bestselling novel, with a screenplay by Parent and Kenny Solms.
LOOKING FOR MR. GOODBAR
Richard Brooks, USA 1977, 35mm, 136 min.
8/19, 8/23
Diane Keaton turns in a risky performance as an inner-city schoolteacher, dedicating her days to her students and her nights to increasingly dangerous encounters with strangers. Bored by nice guys and at odds with her reserved older sister (Tuesday Weld in an Oscar®-nominated performance), she succumbs to the uneasy allure of a menacing new lover (Richard Gere). Richard Brooks’ chilling dissection of the sexual revolution — pitched between liberation and condemnation — adapted from Judith Rossner’s novel. In 35mm.
AN UNMARRIED WOMAN
Paul Mazursky, USA, 1978, DCP, 125 min.
8/26, 8/30
When her seemingly perfect life shatters, Jill Clayburgh must rebuild — on her own terms. From Paul Mazursky comes a bold, poignant dive into independence, heartbreak, and the messy joy of starting over.
NEWLY RESTORED KUROSAWA
We are proud to present new 4K restorations of many of Japanese master Akira Kurosawa’s greatest films. You may have caught the SEVEN SAMURAI 4K restoration earlier this year on our screens. Expect the same level of pristine image quality from these brand-new scans.
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1958, DCP, 139 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/25–7/29
Akira Kurosawa’s adventure epic may be best known today as the blueprint for George Lucas’ STAR WARS, but there’s far more to the film than that. This is masterful storytelling with exciting action and a rousing performance from Toshiro Mifune as an undercover general. One of the master’s greatest works.
STRAY DOG
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1949, DCP, 122 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/26, 7/28
Toshiro Mifune stars as a young cop whose pistol is stolen by a pickpocket on a streetcar and who spends the film in a state of high agitation trying to recover the gun as it makes a deadly transit through the underworld in Akira Kurosawa’s white-knuckle thriller.
YOJIMBO
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1961, DCP, 110 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
8/1–8/7
The dynamic duo of director Akira Kurosawa and star Toshiro Mifune make their special magic in this exciting story of a samurai-for-hire who contracts himself out to two warring factions with the aim of destroying both. A practical blueprint for the modern action film.
HIGH AND LOW
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1963, DCP, 122 min, in Japanese with English subtitles.
8/6, 8/9
Based on an American crime novel, HIGH AND LOW stars Toshiro Mifune as an intensely driven industrial executive whose ambitious plans are derailed by a kidnapping plot. The second half of the film is a rivetingly tense police procedural and criminal pursuit wrapped up in human drama.
THRONE OF BLOOD
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1957, DCP, 110 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
8/8, 8/10
Kurosawa and Shakespeare are two great flavors that taste great together, and THRONE OF BLOOD is one of Kurosawa’s defining epics. The story of Macbeth is transposed from medieval Scotland to feudal Japan without (and from) Shakespeare’s blank verse to Kurosawa’s visually predominant storytelling style without a hitch. The finale is a deservedly acclaimed tour de force.
IKIRU
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1952, DCP, 143 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
8/11, 8/14
In this early Kurosawa drama, an aging Tokyo salaryman, approaching retirement, contemplates the meaning of life — and more specifically, the meaning of his life — as he weighs the good he has done in the world and finds it wanting. He hurries to make amends as his life approaches its twilight. Free Member Monday — free admission for all AFS members on Monday, August 11.
SANJURO
Akira Kurosawa, Japan, 1962, DCP, 95 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
8/16–8/18
Toshiro Mifune returns as an iconoclastic samurai in this follow-up to the iconic YOJIMBO. This time, the comedy is a bit more pronounced, and the whole enterprise is a celebration of Mifune’s incredible star appeal and physicality.
LEOS CARAX: THE ALEX TRILOGY
Leos Carax burst onto the scene with electrifying visuals that drew instant comparisons to French filmmakers like Jean-Jacques Beineix (DIVA) and Luc Besson (SUBWAY, LEON: THE PROFESSIONAL). But Carax quickly distinguished himself, forging a cinematic identity that was unapologetically — and unmistakably — his own. His style, at once bold, sensuous, and emotionally raw, takes shape in this loose trilogy of love stories, with Carax conjuring a moody, stylized Paris steeped in cinephilia and aching romanticism. At its heart is “Alex,” his on-screen alter ego, brought to life by the magnetic Denis Lavant. It is through his eyes that we enter a universe where life is distilled into three elements: youth, desire, and possibility. It’s a stunning introduction to a singular filmmaker who continues to redefine the boundaries of modern film with every new work.
BOY MEETS GIRL
Leos Carax, France, 1984, DCP, 100 min. In French with English subtitles.
8/15, 8/16
Alex (Denis Lavant) is a filmmaker who has yet to make a film. Mireille (Mireille Perrier) is a jilted lover on the verge of suicide. Two strangers cross paths in the night, their lives connected by a voice over an intercom. The first outing for Carax’s alter ego — this is the stuff of cinephile dreams.
MAUVAIS SANG
Leos Carax, France, 1986, DCP, 116 min. In French with English subtitles.
8/22, 8/23
In a world where loveless sex spreads a deadly virus, a troubled ex-con (Denis Lavant) is forced to steal a cure — while falling for a mob boss’ mistress (Juliette Binoche) as a rival gang plots against him. With a showstopping sequence set to the pulsating sound of David Bowie, this is cinema at its most visceral. “Modern Love,” indeed.
LOVERS ON THE BRIDGE
Leos Carax, France, 1991, DCP, 125 min. In French with English subtitles.
8/29–8/31
On Paris’ Pont Neuf, Alex (Denis Lavant), a boozing street performer, and Michèle (Juliette Binoche), a heartbroken painter losing her sight, discover love and refuge beneath a cascade of fireworks over the Seine.
NOBUHIKO OBAYASHI: KADOKAWA SUPERSTAR
HAUSU director Nobuhiko Obayashi’s collaboration with the film division of the mega-publisher Kadokawa ushered in a vibrant era of Japanese cinema, where pop collided with avant-garde experimentation. Operating under Kadokawa’s signature strategy — adapting original novels into films paired with theme songs performed by the pop idols who starred in them — Obayashi seamlessly infused his surreal personal vision. Through a distinctive blend of nostalgia, anti-war themes, and dreamlike imagery, he transformed mass-market projects into poetic, idiosyncratic art, solidifying his status as a subversive outsider working within the studio system.
SCHOOL IN THE CROSSHAIRS
Nobuhiko Obayashi, Japan, 1981, DCP, 90 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/4, 7/5
When a psychic schoolgirl (pop star Hiroko Yakushimaru) is thrust into the crosshairs of an extraterrestrial plot to take over Earth, she fights back with every ounce of her power. A bonkers, genre-defying odyssey from Obayashi. Pure sci-fi spectacle.
THE GIRL WHO LEAPT THROUGH TIME
Nobuhiko Obayashi, Japan, 1983, DCP, 104 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/11, 7/12
Tomoyo Harada tumbles through time, reshaping love, regret, and destiny — only to learn that some moments aren’t meant to be altered. Obayashi’s heartfelt take on the coming-of-age classic by Yasutaka Tsutsui.
THE ISLAND CLOSEST TO HEAVEN
Nobuhiko Obayashi, Japan, 1984, DCP, 102 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/18–7/20
A distant shore, a quiet dream. In the wake of loss, a girl sets sail for paradise, chasing something she can’t quite name on an island that may exist only in her heart. A tender reverie from Obayashi.
HIS MOTORBIKE, HER ISLAND
Nobuhiko Obayashi, Japan, 1986, DCP, 90 min. In Japanese with English subtitles.
7/25, 7/26
When a rebellious motorcyclist (future DEAD OR ALIVE star Riki Takeuchi) and a carefree island girl (Noriko Watanabe) cross paths, their collision sparks a romance as fleeting as it is intoxicating. Shifting gears between pop-y color and lush monochrome, this is a heady rush of speed from Obayashi.
BIG SCREEN CLASSICS
THE GIRL CAN’T HELP IT
Frank Tashlin, USA, 1956, DCP, 99 min.
7/6, 7/10
A mobster enlists a washed-up talent agent (Tom Ewell) to turn his ultra-blonde girlfriend into a music sensation, pronto. The catch? She can’t sing a note. Animator-turned-director Frank Tashlin transforms Jayne Mansfield into a human cartoon, her sizzle bringing milk to a boil in this jukebox musical that sets Looney Tunes energy to a rock ‘n’ roll beat. Bursting with DeLuxe Color, it’s bright enough to crack your glasses. Featuring show-stopping performances from Little Richard, Fats Domino, Julie London, and more!
DONNIE DARKO
Richard Kelly, USA, 2001, 35mm, 113 min.
8/8–8/13
Teenager Donnie receives guidance from his six-foot-tall imaginary rabbit friend, Frank, who foretells the end of the world. Featuring music from Joy Division, The Church, and more. Starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Drew Barrymore, and Jena Malone. In 35mm.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, THE FABULOUS STAINS
Lou Adler, USA, 1982, DCP, 87 min.
8/14–8/17
Diane Lane, Laura Dern, and Marin Kanter transform from misfits to punk icons, battling a cynical music industry and rival bands — including The Looters, led by Ray Winstone. With members of The Clash and The Sex Pistols, this cult classic, once lost to late-night cable, remains a rebellious anthem.
A ROOM WITH A VIEW
James Ivory, United Kingdom, 1985, DCP, 117 min.
8/25–8/28
In sun-drenched Florence, Lucy Honeychurch (Helena Bonham Carter) finds herself torn between passion and convention — a daring free spirit (Julian Sands) or a stiff intellectual (Daniel Day-Lewis). A swoon-worthy feast of romance, gorgeous locales, and exquisite Edwardian elegance from Merchant-Ivory, celebrating its 40th anniversary.
WORLD CINEMA CLASSICS
PERSONA
Ingmar Bergman, Sweden, 1966, DCP, 84 min. In Swedish with English subtitles.
8/29–8/31
In the first of a series of legendary performances for Ingmar Bergman, Liv Ullmann plays a stage actor who has inexplicably gone mute; an equally mesmerizing Bibi Andersson is the garrulous young nurse caring for her in a remote island cottage. While isolated together there, the women perform a mysterious spiritual and emotional transference that would prove to be one of cinema’s most influential creations.
FRIGHT CLUB
HORROR EXPRESS
Eugenio Martin, Spain/UK, 1972, DCP, 90 min.
8/28, 8/31
One of the most satisfying horror movies of the ’70s is a collaboration between Spanish Euro-western veterans and American blacklist exiles. A gonzo cast of genre heavyweights — Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, and Telly Savalas — battle a shape-shifting alien concealed inside the frozen remains of a cave-dwelling creature. The whole thing happens on the Trans-Siberian Express train as it thunders across the frozen tundra. Scary and super cool.
MODERN MASTERS
GRAND TOUR
Miguel Gomes, Portugal/Italy/France, 2024, DCP, 128 min. In Portuguese with English subtitles.
7/3–7/6
Winner of the Best Director award at Cannes, Portuguese writer-director Miguel Gomes’ (ARABIAN NIGHTS, TABU) latest film follows the lives and fortunes of a British diplomat and his fiancée in Burma circa 1917. When he flees on their wedding day, she follows him on a “Grand Tour” of Southeast Asia.
THE DAMNED
Roberto Minervini, USA/Italy/Canada/Belgium, 2024, DCP, 89 min.
7/4, 7/5
AFS-supported writer-director Roberto Minervini (WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE WORLD’S ON FIRE, THE OTHER SIDE) has become acclaimed for his narrative style that blurs documentary and fiction filmmaking. THE DAMNED propels us into the life of Union soldiers during the American Civil War. Boredom alternates with sudden, senseless violence in this narrative that is sure to give you a new perspective on battle on the War. Minervini won the Best Director award in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes for his work here.
NEWLY RESTORED
HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS
James Szalapski, USA, 1976, DCP, 92 min.
7/3, 7/4
A hidden classic of documentary film. HEARTWORN HIGHWAYS is a portrait of a number of outlaw country legends captured at their absolute peak in the mid-’70s. Featuring Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, baby Steve Earle, and the absolutely compelling Townes Van Zandt, filmed at his ramshackle homestead in that rough-and-tumble, working-class part of Austin known as Clarksville.
A MAN AND A WOMAN
Claude Lelouch, France, 1966, DCP, 102 min. In French with English subtitles.
7/12–7/16
Dubbed “the most efficacious make-out movie of the swinging ’60s” by Pauline Kael, Claude Lelouch’s A MAN AND A WOMAN is the quintessential arthouse romance. Starring Jean-Louis Trintignant (THE CONFORMIST) and Anouk Aimée (8 1/2) as a pair whose romance unfolds through secrets, longing stares, and the iconic music of Francis Lai and Pierre Barouh. A Palme d’Or and Oscar® winner, and an international smash — its legacy spans decades with a sequel as recent as 2019.
PINK NARCISSUS
James Bidgood, USA, 1971, DCP, 70 min.
7/20, 7/23
Bathed in dreamlike color and desire, a striking young man escapes his reality through lavish fantasies — Roman slave, matador, harem boy. Yet the illusions falter, haunted by the fear of fading youth. Shot over seven years, James Bidgood’s masterpiece remains a defining pillar of queer cinema.
SHANGHAI BLUES
Tsui Hark, Hong Kong, 1984, DCP, 103 min. In Mandarin and Cantonese with English subtitles.
8/6, 8/9
In the chaos of war, a soldier and a young woman promise to reunite — but ten years later, fate plays tricks. Mistaken identities, romantic mix-ups, and screwball hijinks fill the screen in this dazzling tribute to classic comedies.
DOC NIGHTS
LIFE AFTER with Director Reid Davenport
Reid Davenport, USA, 2025, DCP, 89 min.
7/30
Director Reid Davenport won a Special Documentary Jury award at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival for this widely acclaimed film about the 1983 legal battle waged by Elizabeth Bouvia, a disabled woman who sought to end her life with dignity, and her subsequent disappearance. A provocative and fascinatingly told story. Director Reid Davenport in person.
BEST OF THE FESTS
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN
Pat Collins, Ireland, 2023, DCP, 111 min.
7/7, 7/9
This new adaptation of Irish author John McGahern’s final novel (it was published stateside as By The Lake) is a stately and evocative view of Irish countryside life as lived by two Londoners who are downshifting from a hectic way of life to the breezy ways of the Emerald Isle. This is a gentle, contemplative film that makes us carefully consider the meaning of happiness. Free Member Monday — free admission for all AFS members on Monday, July 7.
VULCANIZADORA
Joel Potrykus, USA, 2024, DCP, 85 min.
7/17, 7/19
The latest film from writer-director Joel Potrykus (BUZZARD, THE ALCHEMIST’S COOKBOOK) is a characteristically pitch-black comedy concerning a deep dark secret. Cinematographer Adam Minnick will join us for a special screening on July 17.
PAPER CUTS
FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE
Sergio Leone, Italy, 1965, DCP, 130 min.
7/6, 7/9
Clint Eastwood’s enigmatic “Man With No Name” joins forces with the deadly Lee Van Cleef to hunt down a ruthless killer and his gang of outlaws.
Featuring a post-film discussion and a pop-up shop on Sunday, July 6. Audible Heat by Milo Thesiger-Meacham is available for purchase at Alienated Majesty Books, in-person or online.
US AND THE NIGHT
Audrey Lam, Australia, 2024, DCP, 67 min.
8/10, 8/13
Two library workers map their adventures through books left for each other, weaving stories within the library’s rhythms. Audrey Lam captures their journey on lush 16mm film, layering references to Calvino, Bishop, Rhys, and Dickinson. A bookish love story, written in the margins, open and closed at both ends.
Featuring a post-film discussion and a pop-up shop on Sunday, August 10. The works of Italo Calvino are available for purchase at Alienated Majesty Books, in-person or online here.
QUEER CINEMA: LOST & FOUND
SEBASTIANE
Derek Jarman and Paul Humfress, UK, 1976, 85 min.
7/13, 7/16
British filmmaker Derek Jarman strips bare the homoeroticism lurking just below the surface of the story of Saint Sebastian in his controversial (and Latin language!) debut feature. Often overshadowed by Jarman’s later works like BLUE and EDWARD II, SEBASTIANE is an earthy, arty classic of early British queer cinema.
Screening with a video introduction by Queer Cinema: Lost & Found programmer Elizabeth Purchell.
CHAINED GIRLS
Joseph P. Mawra, USA, 1965, DCP, 65 min.
8/10
Did you know that 90% of females with previous lesbian experiences will continue their sexual deviation? Or that one of the conditions that causes lesbianism is an “unfounded hatred of all men”? Come find out in GLEN OR GLENDA producer George Weiss and OLGA’S HOUSE OF SHAME filmmaker Joseph P. Mawra’s outrageously campy nudie “exposé” of the dangers of the most evil social problem of our time: lesbianism. It’s a film so daring…so hush-hush…so shocking…that it could only be made in 1965.
Screening with a video introduction by Queer Cinema: Lost & Found programmer Elizabeth Purchell.
TIME PASSES: THIRTY-FIVE YEARS WITH TSAI MING-LIANG
Presented in collaboration with Austin Asian American Film Festival.
From the beginning, Tsai Ming-liang has been recognized as one of the most distinctive voices in contemporary film — praise quickly reflected by the Venice Film Festival’s Golden Lion for VIVE L’AMOUR (1994), only his second theatrical feature. Countless other accolades would follow, but even as Tsai’s influence proved formative on a new breed of contemplative cinema, he’s continued to walk his own path, crafting a unique oeuvre of wry humor, haunting stillness, queer desires, and urban anomie. In recent years, Tsai has gone even further off the beaten path, eschewing conventional channels of financing and distribution to focus on commissioned work, like the globe-trotting, ten-part “Walker” series. For his first visit to Austin — joined by steadfast muse/screen presence Lee Kang-sheng and newer collaborator Anong Houngheuangsy — the AFS and the Austin Asian American Film Festival present a selection of works from throughout Tsai’s career, including ABIDING NOWHERE (2024), the first U.S.-set “Walker” project; a 35mm screening of the classic WHAT TIME IS IT THERE? (2001); Tsai, Lee, and Anong’s inaugural teaming in DAYS (2020); and rarely-screened examples of Tsai’s early TV work (BOYS, 1991) and documentary forays (AUTUMN DAYS, 2016). With Tsai, Lee, and Anong in attendance at select screenings, “Time Passes: Thirty-five Years with Tsai Ming-liang” promises a wide-ranging overview for newcomers and exciting discoveries for longtime followers.
VIVE L’AMOUR
Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan, 1994, DCP, 118 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
8/21
In a supposedly empty Taipei apartment, three strangers unknowingly share space — realtor May Lin (Yang Kuei-mei), her lover Ah-jung (Chen Chao-jung), and a lonely ossuary salesman Hsiao-kang (Lee Kang-sheng) hiding within its walls. Tsai Ming-liang’s Golden Lion-winning masterpiece captures longing, desire, and quiet isolation in precisely staged, heartbreaking encounters.
GOODBYE, DRAGON INN
Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan, 2003, DCP, 82 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
8/22
On its final night, a fading Taipei movie theater screens the King Hu film DRAGON INN to a scattering of patrons, including two stars from the film, Miao Tien and Shih Chun, watching their younger selves. The theater’s manager (Chen Shiang-chyi) embarks on an almost mythical journey through its halls as Lee Kang-sheng lingers in its ghostly spaces.
SHORTS PROGRAM
Tsai Ming-liang/Lee Kang-sheng, Taiwan, 1991/2016, DCP, 89 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
8/23
Shorts from Tsai’s work in TV (BOYS) and documentary (AUTUMN DAYS), plus SINGLE BELIEF, a rare directorial outing by Lee Kang-sheng.
WHAT TIME IS IT THERE?
Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan/France, 2001, 35mm, 116 min, In Mandarin and French with English subtitles.
8/23
A watch seller in Taipei sets every clock to Paris time, longing for a woman traveling there. As she wanders the streets, he obsesses over Truffaut’s THE 400 BLOWS, unknowingly linking their fates. Tsai Ming-liang’s hypnotic drama drifts through time zones, searching for connection in a world of quiet distance. In 35mm.
ABIDING NOWHERE
Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan/USA, 2024, DCP, 79 min.
8/24
Lee Kang-sheng reprises his role as the barefoot monk, wandering through forests, train stations, and city streets in Tsai Ming-liang’s tenth WALKER film. Inspired by the ancient journeys of Tang Dynasty monk Xuanzang, this meditative exploration of movement and mindfulness unfolds in quiet, deliberate beauty.
DAYS
Tsai Ming-liang, Taiwan, 2020, DCP, 127 min. In Mandarin with English subtitles.
8/24
Two men drift through separate cities, bound by solitude — one seeking medical care, the other lost in daily routine. When they finally meet, tenderness and quiet release become their shared language. With meditative beauty, Tsai Ming-liang crafts one of his most intimate, empathetic works, capturing fleeting moments of human connection.
SPECIAL SCREENINGS
SILVER BULLET with Kingcast Live
Dan Attias, USA, 1985, DCP, 95 min.
7/21
Our friends at The Kingcast, the Stephen King Podcast for Stephen King Obsessives, join us for a live podcast taping and screening of the King-penned werewolf rager SILVER BULLET. The special guest for the evening will be New York Times best-selling author Stephen Graham Jones. Join us for this fun and enlightening evening of film and conversation.
Selected Plymptoons with Bill Plympton and Don Hertzfeldt
Bill Plympton, USA, various years of production, DCP, approx. 80 min.
7/13
Animator Bill Plympton is a legend in his own time, and one of his most ardent admirers, Don Hertzfeldt will join us in welcoming Bill for two self-selected screenings of his short films followed by a discussion between the two respected peers.
SLIDE with Bill Plympton and Don Hertzfeldt in Conversation
Bill Plympton, USA, 2023, DCP, 80 min.
7/12
Animator Bill Plympton is a legend in his own time, and one of his most ardent admirers, Don Hertzfeldt will join us in welcoming Bill for his 2023 Western comedy, SLIDE, followed by a discussion between the two respected peers.
CRASH
David Cronenberg, Canada/USA, 1996, 35mm, 100 min.
7/24–7/27
David Cronenberg’s visceral, bizarre, and sexually transgressive adaptation of J.G. Ballard’s novel about people who are erotically obsessed with car crashes and their aftermath screens with a special appearance by author Violet Lucca at the 7/24 show. Copies of Lucca’s book Cronenberg: Clinical Trials will be on sale at a special First Light Books pop-up in our lobby. In 35mm.
SPECIAL EVENTS
Everything is Terrible! The Memory Hole Presents ANIMALS ARE OVER
Various, live and mixed media, approx. 90 min.
7/1
Everything Is Terrible! adjunct Memory Hole proudly presents their latest work, ANIMALS ARE OVER, interwoven with a live performance/score, plus previously unseen clips from their 11-year archive of madness.
MEDIA CONTACT
Will Stefanski
Will@austinfilm.org
