Local Cast and Crew

AFF Review: The Donner Party

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The Donner Party

The obvious approach for a film about the Donner Party, one of the most infamous stories of deadly misadventure in American history, would be horror. But in T.J. Martin's The Donner Party, an Austin Film Festival selection, the historic event gets a well deserved dramatic approach that makes it all the more unsettling. 

Like most dramatic retellings, the ultimate end is known, but the journey, quite literally in this case, is more important than the end result. Several groups of pioneers converged to form the Donner Party on the way to California, but after following a "new" route, ended up stranded in the Sierra Nevadas through the winter and spring of 1846.

AFF Review: Baghdad Texas

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Baghdad Texas

The Austin Screens category at Austin Film Festival is a showcase of local emerging talent that might not otherwise be on everyone's radar. Arguably the best film in this category in 2009 is Baghdad Texas.

A fleeing Middle Eastern dictator's plane crashes. Three Texas ranchers coming back from a rowdy time in Mexico hit what they think is a Mexican illegal immigrant. When they look through his clothes, they notice foreign currency with the likeness of Brando (Al No'mani), the most wanted man in the world, and the scrambling begins.

Finances have forced Randall (Robert Prentis) to turn to exotic hunting to make ends meet, with the help of his son Limon (Ryan Boggus), ranch hand Seth (Barry Tubb), and a pragmatic housekeeper, Carmen (Melinda Renna, pictured above).  An eager FBI agent (Shaneye Ferrell) is looking to prove herself despite a lackadiasical boss. When the ranchers realize who they put in the back of their truck, the antics begin. As everyone pursues their own interest to comedic ends, the two illegals who occasionally work on the farm engage in spectator sports.

Catch 'Winnebago Man' in Austin This Month

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SXSW 2009Were you lucky enough to catch the documentary Winnebago Man at SXSW this year? All the screenings sold out really quickly, and I never got to see it myself. After its world premiere at SXSW (complete with a real Winnebago, shown at right), the film hit the film-fest circuit, winning a half-dozen awards at festivals such as Cinevegas, Hot Docs in Toronto and the Traverse City Film Festival. Now it's returning to Austin for a sneak-preview fundraiser so the movie can be prepared for a wider, non-fest release.

You can see Winnebago Man on Tuesday, October 27 at the Monarch Events Center. This is a venue in the Lincoln Village strip mall, often used for conferences ... which used to be part of a four-screen theater complex, back in the day. A pre-screening reception starts at 7 pm, and the movie starts at 8, with a Q&A to follow. Admission is a minimum donation of $10. Tickets are available online and if not sold out, at the door.

The documentary is about Jack Rebney, whose 1989 outtakes from his Winnebago sales video earned him notoriety first in the underground video world, and then of course on the Internet. Part of the film's storyline is the director of Winnebago Man, Ben Steinbauer, trying to track Rebney down now and find out more about him.

Quick Snaps/News: 'Beeswax' Returns to Austin

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SXSW 2009

Did you catch Beeswax at SXSW this year? The latest movie from now-an-Austinite Andrew Bujalski (Mutual Appreciation) has been playing fests around the country, and I've been waiting for it to return to the city where it was shot. During the festival, I took this photo of writer-director Bujalski and SXSW Film Director Janet Pierson, who has a role in the film.

I'm happy to announce that Beeswax will open in Austin at Alamo Drafthouse on South Lamar (where I took the above photo, coincidentally) on Friday, October 9 and, where it is scheduled for at least a week. Update: Austin Film Society members can get a discount for the 7:05 pm screening, which Bujalski will attend and hold a Q&A.

From my Cinematical review: "Bujalski seems to be working to make his film as natural as possible, as if we were peeking in on real people from the window, but accomplishes this while still making Beeswax fascinating to watch."

I've got photos from the SXSW screening of Beeswax at the Paramount, after the jump.

Review: The Horse Boy

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Rupert Isaacson, Rowan and Ghoste in Mongolia by Justin Hennard Since I've not personally known anyone with autism, it's not an issue I could relate to until seeing Michel O. Scott's The Horse Boy, which is currently playing at Arbor Great Hills. You may also remember it under its working title, Over the Hills and Far Away. This film, which was partially funded by the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, was nominated in 2009 for a Grand Jury prize at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Audience Award at the South by Southwest Film Festival. The compelling documentary portrays the challenges of dealing with a young child stricken with autism, and chronicles the family's attempt to improve their quality of life by exploring non-traditional healing in Mongolia.

Having met abroad in India, Rupert Isaacson and his wife Kristen Neff found themselves unable to travel effortlessly to the store after their son Rowan was diagnosed at 2 1/2 years of age with autism.  At the time The Horse Boy was filmed, 5-year-old Rowan was prone to autistic tantrums that could last for over four hours, and was incapable of using the toilet. It is surprising then that the family would endeavor to travel across the world to Mongolia, meeting with shamans and then ascending 12,000 feet near the Russian border to visit the shamam of the reindeer herders.

I was amazed by the unflinching optimism of the parents through such a laborous journey, but considering Isaacson's role as producer of the Horse Boy (with book option), it's understandable there's a reduction in objectivity. However, filmmaker Michel O. Scott successfully interlaces scenes from the family's "routine" life in Elgin, Texas and their expedition across Mongolia by van and horse with experts who offer insight into autism.

Slackery News Tidbits and Treats

Austin Studios Open House, by leiabox on FlickrThe Austin film community news this week is dominated by the Austin Studios/Soundcheck Austin issue (see below), but a few other interesting bits of news are out there as well. If I missed anything, feel free to post news in the comments.

  • KXAN has a story about the Austin Studios lease for Soundcheck Austin, which is going before the Austin City Council on Thursday. Michael Corcoran also has a good thorough article in the Statesman. In addition, Austin Film Society has posted a Soundcheck Austin sublease fact sheet. The City Council meeting on Thursday should be interesting.
  • Check out Victor Diaz's story for News 8 Austin about the Texas Filmmaker Production Fund awards, which includes an interview with local filmmaker David Modigliani about his upcoming documentary, 61 Bullets.
  • The first official stills from Austin-shot horror film Red, White and Blue are now available on Fangoria. Debbie, were any of those pictures set in your house?
  • The South Austin Trailer Park and Eatery is now showing movies outdoors on selected evenings at 8:30 pm. Their schedule of upcoming movies includes a time-travel series: Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure (Thurs. 8/27), the Back to the Future trilogy (8/28-30), 12 Monkeys (8/31), Time Bandits (9/1) and Groundhog Day (9/2). [via Austin360]

Review: Shorts

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I had the opportunity to attend the Shorts premiere here in Austin last Sunday, with writer/director Robert Rodriguez and the young cast in attendance. The film is about a group of kids who find a magical rock that like the morbid "Monkey's Paw" by W.W. Jacobs that does more damage than good.

Shorts: The Adventures of the Wishing Rock takes place in the fictional surburbia of the Black Falls, where most residents work for Black Box Unlimited Worldwide Industries Incorporated. Mr. Black (James Spader) has created the Black Box do-it-all gadget that is found in everyone's household. The Wishing Rock can do even more, and everyone including the megalomaniacal Mr. Black wants to get their hands on the rock. Wishes wind up with unexpected results, leaving the residents of Black Falls dealing with walking crocodiles, tiny spaceships and a monster from a most disturbing origin. The kids must band together to save the day.

Just as Racer Rodriguez had inspired his dad to create The Adventures of Shark Boy & Lava Girl, older brother Rebel came up with the basic concept of Shorts -- it's a series of shorts, the kids are short, and they wear shorts -- after watching the classic kids' gang comedy series The Little Rascals.

'Shorts' Premiere Turns Congress Ave. into a Carnival

Red carpet events continue in Austin this week, and I cut my Cinemapocalypse experience a few hours short at 7:30 am so I could rest before another special event on Sunday afternoon.

Writer/director Robert Rodriguez, producer Elizabeth Avellán, and cast members Jimmy Bennett, Trevor Gagnon, Devon Gearhart, Jake Short, Jolie Vanier and Rebel Rodriguez walked the red carpet this past weekend at the Paramount Theatre for a special screening of their new movie Shorts. The event was a benefit for local organization Thoughtful House Center for Children, and included a free post-screening carnival including rides, sno-cones, cotton candy and more. Danny Trejo, whom I photographed at Cinemapocalypse, made an appearance as well as Richard Linklater. Rebel and Racer Rodriguez worked the red carpet like pros, answering questions and posing for photos.

When I'm working the red carpet I will rarely ask folks the same question, but due to Robert Rodriguez and Elizabeth Avellán's strong involvement in the Texas Motion Picture Alliance and film incentives I wanted to hear from both of them on the subject. Here's how they answered the following question:

TFPF Grants Provide a Sneak Peek into Austin Film

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Zellner BrothersAustin Film Society has just released the list of grant recipients for the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund grants this year. The total amount to be awarded in grant money and products/services is $102,000, with an additional $10,000 in travel grants for Texas filmmakers who travel to major film festivals.

The list includes a number of familiar names on the list as well as some interesting new filmmakers. And the really cool thing about this list? It's a tantalizing sneak peek at what we might be seeing from Texas filmmakers in the next year or two. For example, I've been wondering what Kyle Henry's been doing after his film Room, which premiered at Sundance in 2005, and now I know he's working on Fourplay, a four-shorts-in-one feature ... for which he received a $7,000 grant.

Zombie Girl: The Movie, the documentary about young filmmaker Emily Hagins, is available on SnagFilms for free this week ... and the doc's co-director Eric Mauck just received a $7K grant for his next film, The Road to Livingston, about family members visiting death-row inmates. He and Chelsea Hernandez are co-directing The Road to Livingston and received the award together.

Quick Snaps: Danny Trejo in Austin

Danny Trejo at Cinemapocalypse

Character actor Danny Trejo is in town for the filming of Robert Rodriguez's new grindhouse flick, Machete, and I've spotted him twice this weekend. He attended the special screening of Inglourious Basterds at Cinemapocalyse last night, and was sitting in the row behind me several seats down. He graciously let me take the above photo during a break between films.

I also saw Danny today at the Austin premiere of Robert Rodriguez's family film Shorts. It was quite amusing to hear young children say, "I've seen ALL your movies!" I was able to ask him a few questions this weekend. Here's what he had to say, short yet enthusiastic:

On filming in Austin: "I love it, I love Austin!"

On Texas weather: "I was in Miami recently, with all the humidity. Austin is much better."

On working with Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino: "They are my boys, I LOVE working with them."

[Photo Credit: Danny Trejo at Cinemapocalypse, by Debbie Cerda on Flickr]
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