Slackery News Tidbits: February 4, 2013

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Here's the latest in Austin and Texas film news.

  • Will James Moore's and Jonathan Case's independent film Satellite of Love (Jette's review) will screen 7:30 pm on Wednesday in the AFS Screening Room. Austin filmmaker Moore will be in attendance for a Q&A moderated by our Slackerwood editor Jette Kernion. The Central Texas-shot film, about a love triangle between friends that unfolds over the course of a week, stars Zachary Knight (Happy Endings) and Janina Gavankar (True Blood). The movie previously screened locally at Austin Film Festival in 2012.
  • The American Library Association included Austin-based filmmaker Heather Courtney's Where Soldiers Come From (Jette's review) on its annual list of notable videos for adults. Courtney's documentary, about the lives of small-town childhood friends who enlist in the U.S. National Guard after graduating high school, is one of 15 outstanding titles released on video within the last two years that the committee felt was suitable for all libraries serving adults.
  • Calling all screenwriters: Austin Film Festival's 20th annual screenplay and teleplay competition is now open for submissions. The fest is introducing a new horror award this year.
  • AFF is also pleased to introduce its new film department director, Ryan Darbonne. The University of North Texas alumnus previously served as the co-founder/executive director of Cinema41, a community organization that screens independent films.
  • Drafthouse Films' Wrong and The ABCs of Death (Austin's review), both of which screened at last year's Fantastic Fest, are now available on iTunes and VOD. The ABCs of Death, a horror anthology that features 26 directors, including native Austinite Angela Bettis, hits theaters March 8.
  • In more Drafthouse news, the theater chain has stopped selling bottled still water at all Austin locations. Through a partnership with Austin-based company Aquasana, the Alamo Drafthouse has upgraded its water filtration system and will now provide filtered water to customers for free.
  • After two years, the wait is finally over for fans of the horror film I Didn't Come Here to Die (Slackerwood review). The film is now available on VOD and to rent on DVD at Redbox, as well as rent or buy on Amazon and iTunes, according to Adored Austin, a blog by one of the stars of the film, Indiana Adams. Austinite Bradley Sullivan's film, about six young volunteers working on a humanitarian project in the woods, premiered at AFF 2010.