AFF 2010 Preview: Austin Screens and Texas Scenes

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Austin Film Festival takes the "Austin" part of its name seriously, with an entire category of local films. It may seem obvious that Austin-connected movies will be in the Austin Screens category, but those aren't the only local features you'll find at the fest. We've got all the features with Austin connections listed below. Debbie will be highlighting some of the Austin short films in a preview coming up soon.

Boxing Gym (directed by Frederick Wiseman. Regional Premiere) -- Just announced on Monday, this documentary is about as local as you can get, as it's about a gym up on North Lamar. Former boxer and gym owner Richard Lord and his boxing gym regulars are featured in Wiseman's testament to community institutions.

Burned: Life in and Out of Texas Youth Prisons (directed by Emily Pyle. Austin Screens) -- Two young convicts are the focus of this documentary that questions the wisdom of the current juvenile judicial system in Texas, where 50-75 percent of its "graduates" go on to serve prison time as adults.

Dig (directed by Stephen Belyeu. Narrative Feature Competition) -- Not to be confused with Ondi Timoner's music doc Dig!, this Austin filmed narrative follows Mike, a young man in a small Texas town reeling from the death of his father and a painful secret that leads him on a journey for the truth. (Pictured above)

Echotone (directed by Nathan Christ. Austin Screens) -- Jette saw this at Marfa Film Festival and apparently quite enjoyed it. Just how do working musicians get by in the The Live Music Capital of the World? Nathan Christ answers that question as well as the tougher questions of artistic integrity and more. Featured musicians include Joe Lewis, Bill Baird, Dana Falconberry and Cari Palazzolo.

I Didn't Come Here to Die (directed by Bradley Scott Sullivan. Dark Matters) -- If you read any of my festival coverage, you know I have a special place in my dark little heart for horror comedy. So the idea of do-gooder volunteers falling victim to something in the woods makes this a must-see for me. I have high hopes for Bradley Scott Sullivan's first feature film. Don't let me down, Bradley.

I Love You, Phillip Morris (directed by Glen Ficarra and John Requa. Marquee Screenings) -- This controversial film from the Bad Santa writers is finally getting release. It's based on Houston journalist Steve McVicker's nonfiction book about the strange but true and so very tall tale Texan of Steven Russell (Jim Carrey), a conman and convict whose one weakness is a fellow prisoner, Phillip Morris (Ewan McGregor).

It’s Whatever (directed by Eric Presley, Rudi Daniel Davis. Austin Screens) -- Slacker student pursues the girl of his dreams, but an evil professor and a rival stand in his way, from first time directors Presley and Davis.

Kyle Killen presents ... Lone Star (directed by Killen. Austin Film Festival Presents) -- When I heard the TV show Lone Star was cancelled after two episodes, the first thing I did was look up the network, which answered the question of "why" for me. But did it deserve it, despite Fox's penchant for picking up high concept shows, hyping the hell out of them, then dropping them when they're not instant hits? Hopefully you'll learn more at this screening.

Main Street (directed by John Doyle. Marquee Screenings) -- Colin Firth may not be a local, but this "small town turned on its collective ear by a stranger" story is based on a Horton Foote screenplay. Foote, who passed away last year, was not only a Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist and Oscar-winning screenwriter, but a Texas native inducted in the Texas Film Hall of Fame.

 

Paradise Restored

Paradise Recovered (directed by Storme Wood. Austin Screens) -- This quiet little film was only partially shot in Austin, but don't let that stop you from seeing it. It's a thoughtful tale of Esther, a member of a fringe Christian group and de facto housemaid to her pastor who has a crisis of conscience that leads her to experience some of the real world from which she's been sheltered most of her life. Heather del Rio's subtle performance anchors the film. (Pictured above)

Rainbows End (directed by Eric Hueber. Documentary Feature Competition) -- Surreal tongue-in-cheek musical documentary of an East Texas band of misfits and their quest for musical gold.

Robert Rodriguez presents... Sin City (directed by Rodriguez. Austin Film Festival Presents) -- You, Robert Rodriguez and an intimate audience get to watch and talk about Sin City, and perhaps that highly anticipated Sin City 2. You know you wanna.  

A Savior Red (directed by Brian Scott Hunt. Dark Matters) -- A drug deal gone wrong turns into a fight for survival. I don't think I want to know more because this seems like one of those films best seen without knowing too much. And I still love the title. I'm a sucker for a good title.

Shelter in Place (directed by Zed Nelson. Documentary Feature Competition) -- Focusing on the community of Port Arthur, Texas, it's particularly relevant considering the impact of the BP oil spill.

The Spirit Molecule (directed by Mitch Schultz. Austin Screens) -- Omigod, there's psychedelics in my system! And yours! And everyone's! Seriously, though, this documentary about Rick Strassman's government-sanctioned, human DMT research delves into our pineal gland and quantum mechanics, and it's a local film. This seems very Austin-tatious to me.

Ultimate Guide to Flight (directed by Scott R. Myers. Austin Screens) -- Frisbee Golf is the theme, with local talent Jonny Mars, Owen Egerton and Dan Eggleston. Mars was last seen in The Happy Poet, so you know I'm going to be catching this one, as The Happy Poet is still one of my favorite films of the year.