Austin Film Festival Announces First Films for 2011 Fest

While the full lineup for Austin Film Festival won't be revealed until mid-September, the initial film announcement has a rather promising, eclectic list of titles.

Among the titles announced today includes a new comedy from former Austinites Jay and Mark Duplass, Jeff Who Lives At Home, starring Jason Segel (pictured above). The 10 films also include the usual mix of provocative and controversial narratives, entertaining documentaries, more comedies and the most unusual twist to zombie plots I've ever seen. Most of these movies are on my "must-see" list so I can't wait to hear about the full lineup.

Without further ado, the first films of AFF 2011 including premiere information, synopses and more:

Albert Nobbs
Writers: Glenn Close, John Banville
Director: Rodrigo Garcia (in attendance)
Cast: Glenn Close, Mia Wasikowska, Aaron Johnson, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Brendan Gleeson
Glenn Close stars as a woman who must disguise herself as a male butler in order to find work in 19th century Ireland.

American Teacher
Director: Vanessa Roth
Narrator: Matt Damon
Regional Premiere
Weaving interviews of policy experts and startling facts with the lives and careers of four teachers, Matt Damon narrates the collective story by and about those closest to the issues in our educational system -- the 3.2 million teachers who spend every day in classrooms across the country.

Beneath the Darkness
Writer: Bruce Wilkinson
Director: Martin Guigui (in attendance)
Cast: Dennis Quaid, Tony Oller, Aimee Teegarden, Stephen Lunsford, Brett Cullen (entire cast listed will be in attendance)
World Premiere
After watching their best friend get murdered, a group of teens struggle to expose a local hero (Dennis Quaid) as the psychopathic killer and keep from becoming his next victims.

Ecstasy of Order: The Tetris Masters
Director: Adam Cornelius
World Premiere
This video game documentary brings world-record-holding Tetris players together for the 2010 Classic Tetris World Championship. Witness the Masters as they reveal their secrets, recount their obsession with the game, and enter the transcendental state required to reach the highest levels known as the 'Ecstasy of Order'.

Freak Dance
Writer: Matt Besser
Directors: Matt Besser, Neil Mahoney
Cast: Michael Cassady, Megan Heyn, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Matt Walsh, Tim Meadows, Andy Daly, Horatio Sanz
World Premiere
The Upright Citizens Brigade unleash their unique take on the dance film with this funky, epic dance floor battle, featuring several past and present members of the popular sketch comedy group.

Harold's Going Stiff
Writer/Director: Keith Wright
Cast: Stan Rowe, Sarah Spencer, Andy Pandini, Lee Thompson, Richard Harrison, Phil Gascoyne
US Premiere
Lonely pensioner, Harold Gimble, has become the first man to suffer from a new neurological disease that is slowly turning him into a zombie-like state. Harold¹s hermit-like existence is shaken up when a vivacious nurse, Penny Rudge, is sent along to alleviate his stiffness.

Jeff Who Lives At Home
Writers/Directors: Jay Duplass, Mark Duplass
Cast: Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer, Rae Dawn Chong
Regional Premiere
Jeff (Jason Segel) is living in his mother's (Susan Sarandon) basement and waiting for destiny to fall right into his lap. When he goes out on a simple errand, he runs into his estranged brother (Ed Helms) and starts to see the signs that may point him toward a new life.

Puss in Boots
Writers: Brian Lynch, David H. Steinberg, Tom Wheeler, Jon Zack
Director: Chris Miller
Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek, Zach Galifianakis, Billy Bob Thornton, Amy Sedaris
Regional Premiere
Way before Puss (Antonio Banderas) ever met Shrek, our suave and furry feline hero goes on a swashbuckling ride, as he teams with mastermind Humpty Dumpty (Zach Galifianakis) and the street-savvy Kitty Softpaws (Salma Hayek) to steal the famed Goose that lays the Golden Eggs.

Restive
Writer/Director: Jeremiah Jones
Cast: Christopher Denham, Connor Hill, Michael Mosley, Marianna Palka, Ivan Sandomire
Regional Premiere
A mother deals with emotional and physical abuse from her mentally unstable husband as the narrative twists and turns in this thrilling Southern Gothic tale.

We Need to Talk About Kevin
Writers: Lynne Ramsay, Rory Kinnear
Director: Lynne Ramsay
Cast: Tilda Swinton, John C. Reilly, Ezra Miller
Regional Premiere
Two parents (Tilda Swinton and John C. Reilly) try to come to terms with the horrifying atrocities committed by their young son in this wrenching drama from acclaimed filmmaker Lynne Ramsay.

If you’re interested in panels, AFF has previously announced that this year's fest will include a conversation with Pixar’s John Lasseter, a Script-To-Screen discussions on The Graduate with writer Buck Henry, a panel with Veronica Mars creator Rob Thomas, and a panel on "Zombies, Apes and Vampires," just to name a few. The full panel schedule is expected to be published soon.

Austin Film Festival 2011 runs October 20-27 and includes over 170 film screenings and special events, as well as a conference with 100 speakers participating in panels and roundtable discussions. Film passes and festival badges are currently on sale at a discounted rate until September 30, including a mere $42 for film passes. All badges and passes grant admission to films.