Slackery News Tidbits, January 16
By Jette Kernion on January 16, 2012 - 2:30pm
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The week has barely started and already we have some great Austin film news to share.
- Congratulations this morning to Austin filmmaker Heather Courtney. Her documentary Where Soldiers Come From, which premiered at SXSW 2011 (my review), won the Truer Than Fiction award at the Film Independent grant award and nominees brunch on Saturday. Courtney gets a $25,000 grant as part of the award. Take Shelter, directed by Austinite Jeff Nichols, was also honored on Saturday -- producer Sophia Lin won the Piaget Producers Award. Local post-production Stuck On On must be pleased ... they worked on both these movies.
- The Austin-shot feature Holy Hell, which Jenn reviewed at Austin Film Festival in 2009, is finally available for you to watch, but not in one of the traditional ways. Austinist reports that the movie has been edited and repackaged into episodic chapters that you can watch on an iPad. The first 15-minute "chapter" is free, then you pay a dollar for each subsequent chapter. I don't have an iPad, but if any of you do and can try this out, let us know how the experience works for you.
- I can't believe I didn't mention this earlier, but the funniest movie I saw at Fantastic Fest last year now has U.S. distribution. Juan of the Dead (aka Juan de los Muertos), the Cuban zombie flick, will be released via video-on-demand/online streaming by Focus Worldwide, the VOD arm of Focus Features. This isn't theatrical distribution, but it means we'll at least be able to watch the movie again. The release date hasn't yet been announced. While we wait, read Rod's review.
- Finally, an announcement about which I have mixed feelings. The sad news is that in March, filmmaker Bryan Poyser is leaving Austin Film Society, where he's been working as the Director of Artist Services since 2006. The happier news is that he's leaving to focus more on his filmmaking career, and will start shooting a romantic comedy feature film in town this spring. His AFS position is being restructured, and the new Associate Artistic Director job is posted on the AFS website, if you think you can fill those shoes.