Written by John Edward Betancourt  Key Art for the Austin Jewish Film Festival and all Photos Courtesy of the Austin Jewish Film Festival. Fall and winter bring with them a great deal of things that we love. For instance, the chill in the air lets us enjoy warm treats that bring us joy, and… there’s beauty to be found everywhere thanks to the changing of the seasons and the leaves. Of course, if you’re a fan of pop culture and popular media and film, there’s more gifts to be found. Since fall movies releases are everywhere to be found and it is above all, festival season. Where film festivals are popping up left and right, and there are quite a few on the horizon, including a special one taking place in Austin, Texas. For November 2nd-12th, 2023 (and online November 13th-19th) the 21st Austin Jewish Film Festival will be taking place. Which is an important festival that looks to promote cultural tolerance and understanding through the wonder of Jewish Film, something that is CRITICALLY important right now, and well… they’ve curated some powerful films for this year’s lineup… which we are happy to share a sampling of with you now. So, you can garner an idea of what this festival offers and perhaps make some plans to check out some of the important stories this festival is going to tell in a few weeks, in person or online. ‘AJFF is proud to announce the schedule of films for the 21st Austin Jewish Film Festival taking place November 2 — 12, 2023. The festival will occur in person at the Dell Jewish Community Center, followed by an online section November 13 — 19. They'll be showing the latest and greatest Jewish films as well as hosting parties and Q&A events with filmmakers from around the globe. Most of the films will have their Texas or Southwest premieres at the festival, and there are at least four US premiere films this year. Check out the Sizzle Reel for 2023. Below is a sampling of the lineup. Follow us and visit our site for the latest information.’  Remembering Gene Wilder Central Texas Premiere Opening Night Film Reception, with drinks, food, and music included. Director: Ron Frank Ron Frank’s affectionate and touching biographical documentary shows us that the full measure of Wilder’s gifts is on display, not only as a comedic actor but also as a writer, director, and a mensch. Told in part through Wilder’s own voice, “Remembering Gene Wilder” is a treat to watch with its generous helpings of film clips from across Wilder’s career. Yes, there are the ever-fresh line readings (“Put…the candle…back!”) and his manic physical antics—but there are also uproarious outtakes from the set of “Young Frankenstein” and poignant home movies from his marriage to Gilda Radner. Get ready to binge-watch Wilder’s whole filmography—you’ll want to, after seeing this tender and eye-opening tribute.  The Camera of Doctor Morris Southwest Premiere Directors/ Co-Writers: Itamar Alcalay, Meital Zvieli For decades, Dr. Morris filmed his family. Their lives were captured on 8mm—years of births and deaths, joys and tragedies, dramas and quiet days spent in the sun—all unfolding in the heat of the Israeli desert. Long after his death, the footage is rediscovered. Through the archives of fully lived and filmed lives, combined with recounting from Morris family members themselves, their unusual and absorbing story unfolds. We will have a live-over-Zoom Q&A with the filmmakers after the movie.  My Father’s Secret Southwest Premiere Director/Co-Writer: Véra Belmont In the 60s, in Belgium, Michel and his brother Charly lived a happy childhood in their Jewish family. Their father, silent and discreet, did not reveal his past. The two brothers imagine him as a great adventurer, pirate, or treasure hunter….but what is he hiding? We'll present an AJFF interview with writer Michel Kichka after the movie  1341 Frames of Love and War Texas Premiere Director/Writer: Ran Tal, in attendance “The most horrible things are sometimes aesthetic,” says Israel’s most celebrated war photographer Micha Bar-Am. For a year and a half, the acclaimed photo-journalist Micha Bar-Am allowed director Ran Tal to enter his vast archive of negatives. Composed entirely of images that Bar-Am took over more than fifty years, 1341 FRAMES OF LOVE AND WAR reveals the enormous price that comes along with documenting atrocities and wars. 1341 FRAMES provides an intimate portrait of an artist and a meditation on memory, violence and identity. Beyond this narrative tribute, the film offers a unique cinematic, visual, and sensory experience that explores how to imbue still photography with movement on the one hand, while freezing cinematic movement to distill meaning and emotion on the other. It is a complex love letter to the power, beauty, and horror of photographic imagery. Winner of Best Director at the Docaviv International Documentary Film Festival 2023 and nominated for a 2023 Israeli Academy Award for Best Documentary. We will present an AJFF interview with director Ran Tal following the film.  Barren Central Texas Premiere Director/Writer: Mordechai Vardi, in attendance Married for four years, Faigi (Mili Eshet), a young Haredi married woman, has still not gotten pregnant. She wishes her husband, Naftali (Yoav Rotman), would agree to fertility treatment, but he prefers to believe their desire for a child will be answered through prayer. After enduring, against her will, a shocking and humiliating ”treatment” for infertility, she finds herself shunned by Naftali, mistrusted by her in-laws, and questioning her role in the only culture she has ever known. Beautifully photographed and acted, this haunting film offers a deep and multifaceted look into an insular community that reveals little to the outside world. Winner of the Best Feature Film Festival du Cinéma Israélien de Paris 2023. We will present an AJFF interview with the director, Mordechai Vardi, after the movie.  Less Than Kosher Southwest Premiere Director: Daniel Am Rosenberg At 20, Viv was a promising young singer. At 30, her failing music career has forced her back into her mother”s basement. But when this self-proclaimed “Bad Jew” lands ass-backwards into a job as a Cantor at her family”s synagogue, she’s thrown into a wild ride of illicit affairs, drug trips, tense family drama, self discovery, and some serious Jewish bops. Winner of the Best Film at the Toronto Jewish Film Festival 2023. Canadian creator/actress/singer Shaina Silver-Baird will be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A.  My Daughter My Love U.S. Premiere Director/Writer: Eitan Green, in attendance Shimon, a 70-year-old widower, travels to Paris to visit a childhood friend. He stays with his daughter and discovers that her marriage is falling apart. He decides to help. In the process, he finds out that he and his daughter share both dreams and desires of which they had been previously unaware. Nominated for 2023 Israeli Academy Awards for Best Actor (Sasson Gabbay), Best Supporting Actor, and Best Script. We will present an AJFF interview with director Eitan Green following the film.  Vishniac Texas Premiere (FREE EVENT) Director: Laura Bialis Director Laura Bialis and producers Nancy Spielberg and Roberta Grossman take us on a journey through the various chapters in the life of photographer Roman Vishniac. He was difficult, flamboyant, and brilliant. Photographer and scientist Roman Vishniac captured iconic images of Jewish life – from the cafes of pre-war Berlin to the shtetls of Eastern Europe — all before fleeing Nazi Germany to reinvent himself in America. His daughter Mara reconstructs his dramatic life, complicated relationships, and breathtaking legacy.  Tale of Four Minorities Texas Premiere Director/Writer: David Deri, in attendance In the fall of 2019, Filmmaker David Deri-Barkai began documenting four families, parents and their children – his secular gay family in Tel Aviv, a Jewish Ultra-Orthodox family in Beit Shemesh, a Muslim family in Taibeh, and a Jewish religious family in the Ofra settlement (West Bank). The pandemic that broke out a few months later, along with the lock-downs, fears, and social unrest that followed, created unprecedented family and national pressure. While for some, their belief is a source of strength, others confront doubts, and rifts are deepening—but a fascinating dialogue and surprising alliances are created. Israeli director David Deri will be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A.  Irena’s Vow Texas Premiere Director: Louise Archambault Warsaw, 1939: when the Nazis invade Poland, nurse Irena Gut (Sophie Nélisse) is displaced and forced to work in support of the German war effort, eventually assigned to run the home of a Nazi commandant (Dougray Scott). Instead of following the path of least resistance and gambling on her status and ethnicity to keep her safe, Gut risks everything to save a dozen Jewish refugees from persecution and murder, sheltering them under her boss’s nose.  The Story of Annette Zelman Central Texas Premiere Director/Writer: Philippe Le Guay, in attendance The Romeo and Juliet of 1942. She was Jewish. He was Catholic. Annette and Jean wanted to get married, but Jean’s parents were opposed. Annette Zelman was reported to the Gestapo by her fiancé’s father with devastating consequences. Based on a true story, which is the subject of authors Heather Dune Macadam and Simon Worrall’s new non-fiction book, ”Star Crossed: A True WWII Romeo and Juliet Love Story in Hitlers Paris.” Director Philippe LeGuay is traveling from France to be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A. He will be joined by author Heather Dune Macadam who wrote the new book ”Star Crossed” about the story on which the film is based.  Judas Texas Premiere Director: Dan Wolman, in attendance Based on the best-selling novel by Amos Oz, which tells the story of Shmuel Ash who takes a job as companion to the elderly Gershom Wald. The two grapple about Jesus’ humanity and the betrayal of Judas Iscariot, the subject of Shmuel”s thesis. Things get complicated when Shmuel falls in love with Wald”s widowed daughter-in-law, Atalia. A tangle of relationships that also touches on the issues of the roots of anti-Semitism, the origins of the Jewish-Arab conflict, and the complex reality in Israel. Israeli director Dan Wolman will be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A.  SHTTL Southwest Premiere Director/Co-Writer: Ady Walter A filmmaker returns from Kyiv to his rural village to marry the love of his life. He is expected to marry the rabbi’s daughter, which disrupts the balance of the whole town. In one unflinching shot, this film presents a day in the life of a Jewish village before it disappears. SHTTL is the story of the inhabitants of a Yiddish Ukrainian village at the border of Poland, 24 hours before the Nazi invasion, known as Operation Barbarossa. Today, there are no such villages in existence; the production fully reconstructed a traditional “Shtetl” outside of Kyiv, which is planned to be turned into a museum. Winner of the Best Feature Film at the Berlin Jewish Film Festival 2023 and the Audience Award at the Rome Jewish Film Festival 2023. Lead actor Moshe Lobel will be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A.  Only in Theatres Austin Premiere Director/Writer: Raphael Sbarge, in attendance Over four generations, the Laemmles—a close-knit Jewish family—have dedicated themselves to supporting, innovating, and elevating the art of filmmaking. Responsible for bringing foreign and film to the Los Angeles area for 75 years and popularizing independent films, documentary films, and their makers, the Laemmle Theatres’ impact on Hollywood and world cinema cannot be overstated. We'll present an AJFF interview with film subject Greg Laemmles and director Raphael Sbarge after the movie.  No Name Restaurant
Southwest Premiere Closing Night Film with Reception, drinks, food, and live entertainment included. Co-Directors/Co-Writers: Stefan Sarazin, Peter Keller Two men, three religions, one camel, and a mission: An unorthodox comedy. Alexandria, Egypt. To save the once largest Jewish community in the world from being shut down, Ben, an ultra orthodox Brooklyn Jew, is sent out to be the desperately needed tenth man for the ceremonies of Pesach. Having missed his plane and been kicked off the bus in the Sinai desert, his last hope is Adel, a grumpy Bedouin looking for his camel. When their car breaks down, it becomes a matter of their very survival. Lead actor Luzer Twersky will be at the festival to present the film and conduct a Q&A.
0 Comments
Written by John Edward Betancourt  Dominic Sessa and Paul Giamatti as Angus Tully and Paul Hunham in Alexander Payne’s ‘The Holdovers’. (Photo Courtesy of Focus Features and the Austin Film Festival.) Also, this piece was written during the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike. Without the labor of the actors currently on strike, the series being covered here wouldn’t exist.
One of the most exciting aspects of hitting the home stretch in our wait to attend a film or television festival… is the sheer excitement that hangs over the fact, it is near, and that we will be treated to something quite special. Because at last, our creativity and imagination will be fed and fed well, through programming that we either lose ourselves within or are in awe of when it comes to the masterful story presented to us and we simply need that, and we cannot wait to experience it. But of course, for that excitement to reach its peak, there’s one other key element we require. Specifically… we need the complete schedule, to properly plan for the feast ahead and well… that latter element is precisely why anyone planning to attend the Austin Film Festival is as excited as can be. For earlier today, the AFF released its complete schedule and now, attendees can prepare for every single moment of the festival and the incredible stories this festival provides. And well, since you’re undoubtedly ready to feel that same excitement and make your own plans for the festival ahead… here is that schedule and all the details on the films that will await us, when we assemble in Austin to enjoy this incredible celebration of creativity in a month’s time. AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS FULL SCHEDULE FOR ITS 30TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL AND WRITERS CONFERENCE PROGRAM INCLUDES JEFF NICHOLS’ THE BIKERIDERS, JACK HUSTON’S DAY OF THE FIGHT, CORD JEFFERSON RECEIVING THE WRITER’S WRITER AWARD, AND MUCH MORE Austin Film Festival (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing writer’s and filmmaker’s contributions to film, television, and new media, supports creatives at all levels, including its support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their ongoing strike efforts. For 30 years, AFF has been a platform for open discussion, a place where the screenwriting community comes together to pass on experience, craft, and the writers’ journey from script to screen. Today AFF announced its entire slate of programming for the 30th Anniversary Austin Film Festival and Writers Conference, happening October 26 – November 2, 2023. Highlights from the program include a screening of Jeff Nichols' acclaimed new film The Bikeriders. The film tells the story of the rise of a Midwestern motorcycle club, and stars Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy. Nichols (Mud, Midnight Special) will be in attendance and will be taking part in a live Q&A after the screening. The Closing Night film will be Jack Huston’s Day of the Fight, which stars Michael C. Pitt, Nicolette Robinson, John Magaro, Anatol Yusef, Steve Buscemi with Ron Perlman and Joe Pesci. Huston’s directorial debut is a redemptive journey through past and present of a once celebrated boxer on the day of his first fight since leaving prison. Huston will be present for a Q&A following the screening. The film program for the 30th Festival includes the world premieres of the drama Re: Uniting, the uplifting Texas film ImPossible, and The Problem with People, written by and starring Paul Reiser, who will be in attendance and speak at the Writers Conference. AFF is proud to program two films whose scripts placed in the second round or above in previous AFF Screenplay Competitions, Don’t Tell Larry and Last Straw. AFF will be hosting a costumed retrospective of Iron Man 3 with writer/director Shane Black leading a discussion on the film’s creation post screening. Other films scheduled include The Promised Land, Sunlight, Studio One Forever, a screening of the pilot episode of the upcoming Paramount+ original series Lawmen: Bass Reeves, executive produced by Oscar® nominee Taylor Sheridan, Chad Feehan, who also created the show for television, and series lead David Oyelowo. Austin Film Festival is also celebrating the launch of its new Writer’s Writer award, a natural addition to AFF’s other accolades, which honor both established storytellers with accomplished bodies of work, and emerging storytellers with an impressive new voice. Austin Film Festival is thrilled to present Cord Jefferson with the inaugural Writer's Writer award. An Emmy-winning writer who worked on visionary shows including Watchmen, Succession, The Good Place, and Master of None, Cord’s remarkable foray into features with new film American Fiction has cemented him as a singular talent of 2023. Austin Film Festival also revealed today the full Writers Conference schedule, which will take place the first four days of the Festival, October 26-29. Also scheduled to appear at this year’s Conference are Dan Erickson, Tracy Oliver, Damon Lindelof, Lauren Shuler Donner, Lee Eisenberg, Celine Song, Karyn Kusama, Charmaine DeGraté, Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve, Joanna Calo, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski. Find out more about AFF’s 2023 feature slate below or see the entire schedule for the Festival and Writers Conference online at www.austinfilmfestival.com. Marquee Features: Saltburn - USA/UK OPENING NIGHT SELECTION Writer/Director: Emerald Fennell In Attendance: Emerald Fennell The Trap - UK CENTERPIECE SELECTION/WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Lena Headey In Attendance: Lena Headey Day of the Fight - USA CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION Writer/Director: Jack Huston In Attendance: Jack Huston The Bikeriders - USA Writer/Director: Jeff Nichols In Attendance: Jeff Nichols American Fiction - USA Writer/Director: Cord Jefferson In Attendance: Cord Jefferson Problem With People – USA/Ireland WORLD PREMIERE Writers: Paul Reiser, Wally Marzano-Lesnevich Director: Chris Cottam In Attendance: Paul Reiser, Wally Marzano-Lesnevich, & Chris Cottam The Holdovers - USA Writer: David Hemingson Director: Alexander Payne All of Us Strangers - UK Writer/Director: Andrew Haigh Finestkind - USA Writer/Director: Brian Helgeland In Attendance: Brian Helgeland Not an Artist – USA WORLD PREMIERE Writers: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher, Matt Walsh Directors: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher Smoking Tigers - USA Writer/Director: So Young Shelly Yo In Attendance: So Young Shelly Yo Bucky F*cking Dent – USA Writer/Director: David Duchovny Chestnut - USA Writer/Director: Jac Cron Fingernails - USA Writer/Director: Christos Nikou Last Straw - USA Writer: Taylor Sardoni Director: Alan Scott Neal Lawmen: Bass Reeves - USA Writer/Creator: Chad Feehan Director: Christina Alexandra Voros The Promised Land – Denmark Writer: Nikolaj Arcel, Anders Thomas Jensen Director: Nikolaj Arcel Monster – Japan Writer: Yûji Sakamoto Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu Robot Dreams – Spain Writer/Director: Pablo Berger Scab Vendor - USA Directors: Lucas de Barros, Mariana Robles Thome The Disappearance of Shere Hite – USA Director: Nicole Newnham Narrative Features Grapefruit - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Chase Joliet Autumn - Portugal WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: António Sequeira Bolt from the Blue - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Jack Martin Christmess - Australia WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Heath Davis Invaders from Proxima B – USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Ward Roberts The Highest Brasil - Ireland WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Jeremy Curl Re: Uniting – Canada WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Laura Adkin Midnight at the Paradise - Canada Writer: Bill Robertson Director: Vanessa Matsui Secret Art of Human Flight - USA Writer: Jesse Orenshein Director: H.P. Mendoza Summer of Violence - USA Writer/Director: Nicki Micheaux Sunlight - Ireland Writer: Ailbhe Keogan Director: Claire Dix The Battle - Brazil Writer/Director: Vera Egito Documentary Features: Born To Fly – Sweden NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Director: Brennan Robideaux Studio One Forever - USA Director: Marc Saltarelli The Philadelphia Eleven - USA Director: Margo Guernsey This Is Not Financial Advice - USA Directors: Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci First We Bombed New Mexico - USA Writer: Joel Marcus Director: Lois Lipman Home Is A Hotel - USA Director: Kevin Wong Susan Feniger. FORKED – USA Director: Liz Lachman Aitamaako'tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun - Canada Director: Banchi Hanuse Dark Matters: Wild Eyed and Wicked - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood Inhabitants – USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Matt McClung The Veil - USA Writer/Director: Cameron Beyl Jonah - Canada Writers: Trevor Vandelac, Ben Van Kleek Director: Ben Van Kleek Unfinished Business from Beyond – Mexico NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE Writer: Eduardo Espindola Director: Ian Martin Cannibal Mukbang - USA Writer/Director: Aimee Kuge Comedy Vanguard: Don't Tell Larry - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writers/ Directors: Greg Porper, John Schimke For When You Get Lost - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer: Jennifer Sorenson Director: Michelle Steffes Soweto Blaze - South Africa WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Brad Katzen Egghead & Twinkie - USA Writer/Director: Sarah Kambe Holland Villains Inc. - USA Writers: Matt Moen, Jason Gray, Jeremy Warner Director: Jeremy Warner Sour Party - USA Writers/Directors: Amanda Drexton, Michael A. Drexton All the Wrong Ingredients – USA Writer/Director: Nicholas Livanos Texas Features: I'll Be There - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer: Cindy McCreery Director: Andrew Shea The Stars At Night - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writer/Director: Elizabeth Buckley ImPossible - USA WORLD PREMIERE Writers: Brandon Lewis, Seckita Lewis Director: Seckita Lewis Home Free - USA Writer: Lenny Barszap Director: Aaron Brown ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE Entering its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. This project is supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 30th Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 26 – November 2, 2023. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST. Austin Film Festival is supported by the following sponsors: Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Writers Guild of America, East, Writers Guild of America, West, John Paul & Eloise DeJoria, Texas Association of Film Commissions, Bogle Family Vineyards, Too Far Media, and University of Texas Department of Radio-Television-Film. Written by John Edward Betancourt  Still from ‘Christmess’ Courtesy of the Austin Film Festival. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the films being covered here wouldn’t exist.
As we continue to inch closer to this year’s Austin Film Festival, our excitement for the festival only continues to grow. After all, we now have the first wave of screenings in hand, and we are all pouring over them and are eager to deeply examine the incredible films this festival is going to be host to. Because everyone knows that the AFF only brings the best to the table and that makes this wait akin to Christmas Eve in many ways and well… our long sleepless night to open the presents the AFF is offering, became far more unbearable earlier today. For the Austin Film Festival more or less jingled sleigh bells in the dead of night, by announcing, it’s second wave of screenings. Which gives us more to pour over and savor and eagerly await, and today’s announcement also made it known, that another important contributor to the industry will be celebrated, since Damon Lindelof will be honored this year for his work in film and television. And well, since you’re eager to learn more about what honor Damon will receive and what movies are in the second wave of screenings, here is all of that information… courtesy of the Austin Film Festival. AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS SECOND WAVE OF SCREENINGS, PLUS ANNOUNCES DAMON LINDELOF TO RECEIVE OUTSTANDING TELEVISION WRITER AWARD Second Wave of films include the world premieres of Wild Eyed And Wicked and Christmess, plus screenings of The Holdovers, All of Us Strangers, and Fingernails. ‘Austin Film Festival (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing writer’s and filmmaker’s contributions to film, television, and new media, supports creatives at all levels, including its support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their ongoing strike efforts. For 30 years, AFF has been a platform for open discussion, a place where the screenwriting community comes together to pass on experience, craft, and the writers’ journey from script to screen. Today AFF announced its second wave of screenings to be included in their 2023 film slate, taking place Thursday, October 26 – Thursday, November 2. AFF announced today Emmy Award-winner Damon Lindelof will be honored with the Outstanding Television Writer Award at the 30th Anniversary Festival. AFF is recognizing Lindelof for his acclaimed body of work. In 2004, he partnered with J.J. Abrams to create Lost. Lindelof then worked as a writer and producer on Star Trek, Prometheus, World War Z and Tomorrowland. Returning to TV, Lindelof spent three seasons showrunning HBO’s critically-acclaimed The Leftovers and the award-winning HBO limited series Watchmen. Austin Film Festival is also welcoming a wide slate of films including Alexander Payne’s newest comedy film The Holdovers, Andrew Haigh’s highly acclaimed romantic drama All of Us Strangers, and retro-futuristic romantic film Fingernails by Christos Nikou. In addition, AFF will be world premiering Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood’s fantasy-horror Wild Eyed and Wicked, the Australian comedy Christmess, and the North American premiere of the delightfully amusing ghost story Unfinished Business from Beyond from Mexico. AFF will also be hosting the superhero parody Villains Inc. starring Colin Mochrie and Jeff Bryan Davis of Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and the documentary First We Bombed New Mexico, which traces the radiation effects of the Oppenheimer-Trinity test on residents in New Mexico. AFF SECOND WAVE: THE HOLDOVERS (USA) - Focus Features Written by: David Hemingson Directed by: Alexander Payne Cast: Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Dominic Sessa Synopsis: From acclaimed director Alexander Payne, The Holdovers follows a curmudgeonly instructor (Paul Giamatti) at a New England prep school who is forced to remain on campus during the holiday break to babysit the handful of students with nowhere to go. Eventually, he forms an unlikely bond with one of them — a damaged, brainy troublemaker (newcomer Dominic Sessa) — and with the school’s head cook, who has just lost a son in Vietnam (Da’Vine Joy Randolph). ALL OF US STRANGERS (UK) - Searchlight Pictures Written/Directed by: Andrew Haigh Cast: Andrew Scott, Paul Mescal, Jamie Bell, Claire Foy Synopsis: One night in his near-empty tower block in contemporary London, Adam has a chance encounter with a mysterious neighbor Harry, which punctures the rhythm of his everyday life. As a relationship develops between them, Adam is preoccupied with memories of the past and finds himself drawn back to the suburban town where he grew up, and the childhood home where his parents, appear to be living, just as they were on the day they died, 30 years before. FINGERNAILS (USA) - Apple Original Films Written/Directed by: Christos Nikou Cast: Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed, Jeremy Allen White, Luke Wilson, Annie Murphy Synopsis: Anna and Ryan have found true love. It’s been proven by a controversial new technology. There’s just one problem: Anna still isn’t sure. Then she takes a position at a love testing institute and meets Amir. WILD EYED AND WICKED (USA) Written/Directed by: Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood Synopsis: Lily Pierce is sick of being haunted. She decides to reconnect with her estranged father, a disgraced history professor, and learn how to draw upon a time of steel and blade when armor-clad knights rode out and dueled their monsters to the death. World Premiere CHRISTMESS (Australia) Written/Directed by: Heath Davis Synopsis: Fresh out of rehab, a washed-up actor - Chris Flint (Steve Le Marquand) - takes a job as a suburban strip mall Santa Claus where he encounters his long-estranged daughter. With the support of his kind and caring sponsor - Nick (Darren Gilshenan) - and a young, sharp tongued, musician in recovery named Joy (Hannah Joy of indie rock darlings Middle Kids) Chris sets about staying sober in order to win his daughter’s forgiveness for Christmas. World Premiere UNFINISHED BUSINESS FROM BEYOND (Mexico) Written by: Eduardo Espindola Directed by: Ian Martin Synopsis: In a haunted apartment building, a once-successful investigator has to reunite with his daughter to solve a paranormal mystery and regain his credibility as a writer and a parent. All this, while they try to escape from the terrible creature that haunts the place, killing the tenants one by one... North American Premiere SOUR PARTY (USA) Written/Directed by: Amanda Drexton, Michael A. Drexton Synopsis: Sour Party follows Gwen and James, two broke 30-something Angelenos, on a quest to scrounge money from a collection of low lives and failed artists in order to show up at Gwen’s sister’s baby shower with a proper gift…from the registry. VILLAINS INC (USA) Written/Directed by: Jeremy Warner Synopsis: After the death of their villainous boss, low-level hench people Beatrix, Cain, and Harold are left destitute living in an abandoned grocery store. Not content with the situation they find themselves in, Beatrix is determined for them to strike out on their own and take over the world by any means necessary. FIRST WE BOMBED NEW MEXICO (USA) Directed by: Lois Lipman Synopsis: A formidable Hispanic cancer survivor bangs on the corridors of power to fight for compensation and an apology for Native and Hispanic communities in New Mexico whose land and water was radiated by the Trinity Bomb... The story that Oppenheimer leaves out. ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE Entering its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. This project is supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 30th Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 26 – November 2, 2023. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST. Austin Film Festival is supported by the following sponsors: Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Writers Guild of America, East, Writers Guild of America, West, John Paul & Eloise DeJoria, Texas Association of Film Commissions, Bogle Family Vineyards, Too Far Media, and University of Texas Department of Radio-Television-Film ABOUT THE OUTSTANDING TELEVISION WRITER AWARD Introduced in 2000, the Outstanding Television Writer Award highlights the artistic achievements and contributions of television creators and their importance in shaping the landscape of serialized storytelling. Past award recipients include David Chase (2000), Marta Kauffman (2016), Norman Lear (2015), Keenen Ivory Wayans (2017), and Stephen Merchant (2022). ABOUT THE WRITERS’ WRITERS AWARD The new Writer’s Writer Award will be given to a singular talent already recognized within the industry and by their peers, whose latest project has illustrated their versatility across mediums, elevated the trajectory of their career, and propelled them forward to join a new class of storyteller.’ Written by John Edward Betancourt  Still from ‘Saltburn’ Courtesy of MGM/Amazon Studios and the Austin Film Festival. This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the films being covered here wouldn’t exist.
Truly one of the most exciting aspects of being able to attend a film or television festival, is receiving a list of the screenings that said festival will be hosting. Simply because, it awakens the fan within all of us. The person that cannot wait for the show to start or for the house lights to go low, and our minds revel in the possibilities of what these stories could tell us about the human condition or how they might wow us visually. It really just unlocks our imagination and reminds us why we love visual entertainment and of course… it also helps us to plan for the festival ahead and pick out which stories call to us the most. If anything, this particular moment and joy is top of mind today, because the Austin Film Festival brought it to fruition. For earlier the AFF announced its first wave of screenings and there are some real gems here. The kind that speaks to the wonder of storytelling and the human condition and everything we love about cinema, and this news also informed us… that the 30th Anniversary of this festival of is going to be a great one for certain. And well, since you’re undoubtedly looking to feel that spark of wonder and ponder upon what you might want to see at this year’s AFF, here is that list, courtesy of the festival, as we continue to count down the days to one of the finest film festivals in all of the land. ‘AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL REVEALS FIRST WAVE OF SCREENINGS, INCLUDING THE OPENING NIGHT FILM SALTBURN, PLUS AMERICAN FICTION, FINESTKIND, NOT AN ARTIST AND MORE Writer/Directors Emerald Fennell (SALTBURN), Cord Jefferson (AMERICAN FICTION), & Brian Helgeland (FINESTKIND) will be in attendance for their screenings at the 30th Anniversary Festival and Writers Conference. Austin Film Festival (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing writer’s and filmmaker’s contributions to film, television, and new media; supporting creatives at all levels, including its support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their ongoing strike efforts. For 30 years, AFF has been a platform for open discussion, a place where the screenwriting community comes together to pass on experience, craft, and the writers’ journey from script to screen. Today AFF announced its first wave of screenings to be included in their 2023 film slate, taking place Thursday, October 26 – Thursday, November 2. Opening the 30th Annual Festival is the MGM and Amazon Studios film, Saltburn, a thrilling tale of privilege and desire from Academy Award®-winner Emerald Fennell, who will be in attendance. Fennell’s highly anticipated sophomore film stars Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi, and Rosamund Pike. AFF will also screen the debut feature American Fiction from writer/director Cord Jefferson, which perfectly encapsulates the writer’s dilemma between preserving the integrity of their voice and catering to the marketplace, starring Jeffery Wright, Sterling K. Brown, and Tracee Ellis Ross. In addition, 2015 Distinguished Screenwriter Brian Helgeland returns to Austin Film Festival with his newest project, Finestkind, that takes him back to his roots and tells the story of two brothers set against the backdrop of commercial fishing and crime syndicates of Massachusetts, starring Ben Foster, Tommy Lee Jones, Toby Wallace, and Jenna Ortega. This year’s festival includes exciting new World Premieres including Lena Headey’s feature directorial debut, The Trap, featuring Michelle Fairley and James Nelson Joyce. AFF will be also hosting the World Premieres of satirical comedy Not An Artist, the Portuguese heartfelt drama Autumn, the stoner comedy Soweto Blaze from South Africa, and a family drama from Texas, I’ll Be There. AFF FIRST WAVE: AMERICAN FICTION (USA) - ORION/MGM Written/Directed by: Cord Jefferson Cast: Jeffery Wright, Tracee Ellis Ross, John Ortiz, Erika Alexander, Leslie Uggams, Adam Brody, with Issa Rae and Sterling K. Brown Synopsis: Cord Jefferson's hilarious directorial debut, which confronts our culture’s obsession with reducing people to outrageous stereotypes. Jeffrey Wright stars as Monk, a frustrated novelist who’s fed up with the establishment profiting from “Black” entertainment that relies on tired and offensive tropes. To prove his point, Monk uses a pen name to write an outlandish “Black” book of his own, a book that propels him to the heart of hypocrisy and the madness he claims to disdain. In attendance: Writer/Director Cord Jefferson SALTBURN (US/UK) - MGM/Amazon Studios Written/Directed by: Emerald Fennell Cast: Barry Keoghan Jacob Elordi Rosamund Pike Richard E. Grant Alison Oliver Archie Madekwe Synopsis: Academy Award® winning filmmaker Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) brings us a wicked tale of privilege and desire. Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family’s sprawling estate, for a summer never to be forgotten. In attendance: Writer/Director Emerald Fennell FINESTKIND (USA) - Paramount+ Written/Directed by: Brian Helgeland Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Ben Foster, Jenna Ortega, Toby Wallace Synopsis: Finestkind tells the story of two brothers (Ben Foster & Toby Wallace), raised in different worlds, who are reunited as adults over a fateful summer. Set against the backdrop of commercial fishing, the story takes on primal stakes when desperate circumstances force the brothers to strike a deal with a violent Boston crime gang. Along the way a young woman (Jenna Ortega) finds herself caught perilously in the middle. Sacrifices must be made and bonds between brothers, friends, lovers, and a father (Tommy Lee Jones) and his son are put to the ultimate test. In attendance: Writer/Director Brian Helgeland NOT AN ARTIST (USA) - Utopia Distribution Written by: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher, Matt Walsh Directed by: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher Cast: Ciara Bravo, Cleopatra Coleman, Haley Joel Osment, Alexi Pappas, Matt Walsh & RZA Synopsis: In an exclusive artist-in-residency program overseen by an enigmatic patron (RZA), artists in turmoil face a make-or-break ultimatum: unlock their full creative potential or abandon art forever. Yet, the unexpected intrusion of an outsider (Matt Walsh) jeopardizes the program's delicate balance. World Premiere THE TRAP (UK) Written/Directed by: Lena Headey Staring Michelle Fairley, James Nelson Joyce Synopsis: Content in her life of solitude, Michelles’ simple world is interrupted by a stranger seeking to belong. World Premiere GRAPEFRUIT (USA) Written/Directed by: Chase Joliet Synopsis: After a devastating divorce, Travis is forced to move back into his childhood home with his eccentric, newly sober mother. World Premiere AUTUMN (Portugal) Written/Directed by: António Sequeira Synopsis: A bittersweet story about a small-town family adjusting to their new life, and some uncomfortable truths after their son leaves to attend university overseas. World Premiere FOR WHEN YOU GET LOST (USA) Written by: Jennifer Sorenson Directed by: Michelle Steffes Synopsis: In this coming-of-middle-age dark comedy, June Stevenson drags her estranged sisters on a road trip up the Pacific Coast in order to make amends with their difficult father before he dies. Along the way, she distracts herself with picturesque landmarks, craft breweries, and picturesque men in craft breweries, but ultimately, she must face the fact that there’s more to her family’s fractures than she thought. Inspired by a real road trip. World Premiere BOLT FROM THE BLUE (USA) Written/Directed by: Jack Martin Synopsis: An overlooked engineer is sent to Alaska to investigate an eccentric scientist's claim that capturing lightning could be the next monumental source of renewable energy. World Premiere SOWETO BLAZE (South Africa) Written/Directed by: Brad Katzen Synopsis: A hyper-stylized stoner-comedy set amidst South Africa's vibrant streets in Soweto: a small-time pot dealer's dreams go up in smoke when his clueless friends sweep him up in a wacky kidnapping caper and their fiery hostage, a feisty young woman, flips the script on them with her own plans. World Premiere I’LL BE THERE (USA) Written by: Cindy McCreery Directed by: Andrew Shea Synopsis: A large, blended family is thrown together unexpectedly against the surreal and nostalgic backdrop of their childhood hero's death. World Premiere THE BATTLE (Brazil) Written/Directed by: Vera Egito Synopsis: October 1968. During the Brazilian dictatorship, students and professors of the Left Student Movement face attacks by the Communist Hunting Command coming from across the street, in a pivotal night known as The Battle of the Students. North American Premiere THE PHILADELPHIA ELEVEN (USA) Directed by: Margo Guernsey Synopsis: In 1974, a group of women and their supporters organize their ordination as Episcopal priests in an act of civil disobedience and challenge the very essence of patriarchy within Christendom EGGHEAD & TWINKIE (USA) Written/Directed by: Sarah Holland Synopsis: After coming out to her parents, an Asian American teenage girl takes off on a road trip to meet her online crush with the help of her nerdy best friend The complete list of Festival programming, including over 100 films as well as hundreds of panels, will be announced in late September. ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE Entering its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. This project is supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 30th Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 26 – November 2, 2023. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST. Austin Film Festival is supported by the following sponsors: Alice Kleberg Reynolds Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Texas Commission on the Arts, Writers Guild of America, East, Writers Guild of America, West, John Paul & Eloise DeJoria, Texas Association of Film Commissions, Bogle Family Vineyards, Too Far Media, and University of Texas Department of Radio-Television-Film.’ Written by John Edward Betancourt  This piece was written during the 2023 WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes. Without the labor of the writers and actors currently on strike, the festival being covered here wouldn’t exist.
There are a great many reasons to love film and television festivals. Since you’ll find like-minded fans in attendance, and you get to hear from creatives regarding their contributions to the projects you get to screen with a crowd of eager fans. But above all, they’re a great opportunity to celebrate career achievements. Because there are indeed people that do a lot for the industry and deserve to have their fine work recognized, and it just so happens that for its 30th Anniversary, the Austin Film Festival is honoring a bevy of talents for their contributions to the industry. Specifically, Lauren Shuler Donner, James V. Hart, and So Young Shelly Yo are the individuals that will be receiving honors and rightfully so. Since Lauren has done so much for film and television and theater as a producer, and of course, James has written some of the finest films of the modern era and So Young has wowed so many with her refreshing work. And well… to properly honor the honors that await this trio, here are all the details on what specific awards this trio will be presented with when the Austin Film Festival gets underway later this year. AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES THE 2023 POLLY PLATT AWARD FOR PRODUCING, HEART OF FILM, AND NEW VOICE AWARDEES LAUREN SHULER DONNER, JAMES V. HART, AND SO YOUNG SHELLY YO Donner, Hart, and Yo will be taking part in AFF’s Writer Conference. Austin Film Festival also announces Ashley Lyle, Jonathan Lisco, & Bart Nickerson, the creators of Yellowjackets, and Nic Pizzolatto, creator of True Detective, as panelists at its annual Writers Conference. ‘AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (AFF) is celebrating 30 years of supporting storytellers' contributions to film, television, and new media. Austin Film Festival is committed to supporting creatives at all levels, including our support for the WGA and SAG-AFTRA in their ongoing strike efforts. AFF announced today three Awardees to be honored as part of its 30th Anniversary Festival and Writers Conference happening October 26 – November 2. The Polly Platt Award for Producing is given annually to producers with a keen sense of story and who have a history of fostering new talent. The 2023 awardee is prolific producer Lauren Shuler Donner. Lauren Shuler Donner is a renowned film, TV, and theater producer, boasting an impressive array of many credits, including the X-Men franchise, Pretty in Pink, Free Willy, You’ve Got Mail, She’s The Man, Constantine, and The Secret Life of Bees. She has also been EP on five TV shows including Legion. She is currently developing several Broadway musicals based on her and her husband’s films. Lauren serves as Vice President for the Producers' Guild of America, and is on the Board of The Motion Picture and TV Fund (MPTF), and LUPUSLA. While attending AFF, Donner will host a retrospective screening as well as “A Conversation With” panel to discuss her body of work. James V. Hart will receive the Heart of Film Award, celebrating his many beloved contributions to film and television, and his invaluable service to the screenwriting community. Hart is the writer of acclaimed films Hook, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, and Contact. He will host a “On Writing” panel on the latter at the Writer’s Conference. Hart’s other writing/producing credits include: Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, Tuck Everlasting, Sahara, Lara Croft: Tombraider – The Cradle Of Life, August Rush, Epic, and the TV series The Hot Zone based on the best seller by Richard Preston. His renowned story mapping tool TheHartChart was launched at the 2015 Austin Film Festival. AFF is honoring writer/director So Young Shelly Yo with the 2023 New Voice Award for her debut feature, Smoking Tigers, which is screening at the Festival as its regional premiere. Yo will be in attendance for a post-screening Q&A, as well as speaking at the Writers Conference. Yo is an alumni of AFF’s film competition, having screened her short films Moonwalk with Me and Soft Sounds of Peeling Fruit in Austin in 2018 and 2021 respectively. Smoking Tigers recently premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival, receiving multiple honors, including Best Screenplay, Best Actor, & Special Jury Mention for the Nora Ephron Prize. The 2023 Writers Conference, happening October 26 – 29, will again present over 150 panels on the art, craft, and business of storytelling, featuring a slate of prominent industry professionals working in film, television, and new media. The creators of Yellowjackets, Ashley Lyle, Bart Nickerson, and Jonathan Lisco will be in attendance to discuss their creative process on panel “On Writing: Yellowjackets”. AFF will also host “A Conversation with” Nic Pizzolatto, creator of True Detective. Other confirmed panelists for this year’s Festival include Tracy Oliver (Girls Trip), Gavin O’Connor (Miracle), Dan Erickson (Severance), Pamela Ribon (Nimona), Michael Arndt (Little Miss Sunshine), and Karyn Kusama (Jennifer’s Body), with more panelist announcements to come. ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE Entering its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. This project is supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 30th Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 26 – November 2, 2023. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST. ABOUT HEART OF FILM AWARD Introduced in 2013, Austin Film Festival's Heart of Film Award honors the awardee for career achievements that closely align with AFF’s mission of furthering the art and craft of storytelling and shepherding the journey of writers. Past award recipients include Barry Josephson (2013) and Daniel Petrie, Jr. (2018). ABOUT POLLY PLATT AWARD FOR PRODUCING Introduced in 2019, the Polly Platt Award is given to producers with a keen sense of story and who have a history of fostering new talent. Named after the legendary Polly Platt who was instrumental in the early years of Austin Film Festival and was an ardent champion of writers. Past award recipients include Dede Garner (2022), Stephanie Allain (2021), and Sarah Green (2019). ABOUT NEW VOICE AWARD Introduced in 2019, Austin Film Festival's New Voice Award honors unique and captivating new voices in film, television, and new media. Past award recipients include Nikyatu Jusu (2022), Channing Godfrey Peoples (2021), and Catherine Reitman (2019).’ Written by Shae Rufe  Photo by Bear Gutierrez for SeriesFest. While SeriesFest Season 9 is over, there were some amazing moments to still talk about. I was fortunate enough to sit and talk with everyone on the panel of ‘Actors with Disabilities Making Their Mark in Hollywood: What More Needs to Be Done’. The panelists consisted of Ms. Sue Ann Pien, who is open about being on the Autism Spectrum and fighting to be seen and recognized, as well as fighting the stereotypes against Autism. Ms. Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, an actor in a wheelchair who is more than just an actor in a wheelchair; Lolo fights to get roles and recognition for her ability and not just her varied ability. And Ms. Madison Tevlin, an actor with Down Syndrome who advocates for selflove, worth, and being seen as someone who is more than her varied ability. That was the main theme of the Panel, being perceived as less than other able-bodied Actors. This panel was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I genuinely was silently crying, 5 minutes in.
For me, it was the relatability of the whole thing. Everything the actors said, I have felt myself. While we all had different disabilities, we were all united in our experiences. It was also in this panel that I learned the new phrase: Varied Ability. It’s something that has changed my way of thinking on things. Funny how a simple word can change your mindset. That is what everyone on this panel felt. That is what everyone on this panel experienced. Often times, when you have a different ability, when you are born or have an accident that makes you different than able-bodied people, you grow to have a different outlook on both yourself and the world around you. There is also a common theme, many of us use humor as a coping mechanism for how we handle things. Humor often covers the trauma we feel of being differently abled and then some. The main take away of this Panel was more than just comradery, but also advocacy. If we do not fight, if we do not stand up for ourselves, who will? The workplace, no matter where you work, is full of able-bodied people trying to fit people with varied abilities into a box of their design. It’s your job to stand up for yourself and fight against that design. To speak up and change things. Often in Hollywood, able-bodied actors are given the roles of differently abled characters. It’s an ongoing problem since the very beginning that is just now being fully addressed. Yet, it’s a systemic problem that effects every aspect of the industry. From Indie Films to TV Shows, and even the Blockbusters on the Big Screen. Many actors with different abilities are easily overlooked and replaced with able bodied counterparts. It was a panel wide agreement that placing able bodied actors in the roles of differently abled characters is no longer tolerated or acceptable. Differently abled actors are also offered less roles, less chances to audition, and make less money than their able-bodied counter parts. It’s a problem that is being addressed head on and rightfully so. This is a topic I plan to further explore, myself, as Pien, Spencer, and Tevlin pointed out their personal experiences with all of these issues. Beyond all that, the panel reminded everyone that differently abled people are just people. We all want to be treated like we’re normal, because we are normal. The panelists really hit home on just loving everyone, especially for their differences, and not in spite of them. A big difference that many of us experience. We are more than our disabilities, and no we don’t want to talk about them all the time. Spencer is an Author with a book out called Access Your Life and Enjoy the Ride, which can be found on Amazon and is an amazing read. Tevlin has a Podcast and Show, and while it unfortunately is only accessed in Canada at-the-moment, they are trying to get it worldwide. Pien is huge into advocacy work and helping to bring other differently abled actors to be out about what makes them differently abled. All in all, the panel offered more than just a sense of hope, it offered a look into a brighter future. The panelists were not just well spoken, but passionate about making changes and waves in Hollywood and beyond. Making a better world for others like them and striving for inclusivity throughout. This panel wasn’t just eye opening it was inspiring in all the best ways. As a legally blind journalist, I was blown away by the unity displayed, the genuine strive for better, and the similarities we all shared. To learn more about the experiences of these panelists, visit our interviews with Sue Ann Pien, Madison Tevlin, Lauren “Lolo” Spencer, and Michelle Sie Whitten (President & CEO, & Co-Founder of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation). Written by John Edward Betancourt  (L-R) Jay Pharoh, Adam Ray, Chelsea Handler, and Joel McHale Prepare to Perform at SeriesFest Season 9’s ‘A Night of Comedy’ at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Photo by Marc Biscotty for SeriesFest. There are few concert venues in this world as well-known or as well renowned as Red Rocks Amphitheater. Simply because this unique concert venue, one tucked away in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Morrison, Colorado, is in fact… the perfect place to hear bands play. For the incredible rock formations in this place, provide perfect acoustics. And that allows for any band that hits the stage there to offer up a flawless concert, one that stays with you long after it has come to an end and that in turn, has attracted many big-name bands to the venue, so they can hear their music sound as it was intended, such as Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles and U2. But what’s amazing about Red Rocks, is that it is a venue that allows for so much more. For there are plenty of seats to fill, and that’s why there are often movies played there during the summer, and recently, a very special event took place. Because the good people at SeriesFest, really wanted to end Season 9 on a fun high note, one that was unique and engaging and entertaining, and what better way to do that, than with ‘A Night of Comedy’. Wherein four comics would take the stage and tell jokes and send everyone home with smiles on their faces. But not just any comics, oh no… to close out this event, SeriesFest pulled together a true who’s who of comedy. By having Adam Ray, Jay Pharoh, Joel McHale, and Chelsea Handler, bring down the house. Which they did by way of what turned out to be a supremely unique and memorable show. In part, because of the fact that the weather didn’t offer a model evening for outdoor stand-up comedy. For it was a whopping forty-five degrees by the time the show got underway, and it was raining quite hard, to the point where the venue was glimmering via the sea of ponchos and slickers present in the stands. But truly… that didn’t stop this venue form being filled up with eager fans, ready to laugh. Nor did it stop this crew of comics from just letting loose and keeping the audience in stitches. Which they did, courtesy of the right balance of low brow jokes, which are a wonderful thing by the way, and impressions and life stories… and there was even a touch of drama to be found at the event as well, thanks to some audience dissatisfaction. For this evening of comedy also (mostly) featured a screening of Joel McHale’s show, Animal Control, and well… Denver didn’t exactly put its best foot forward during that screening. For there were boos and jeers, and a beer bottle tossed at the screen. Which ended the screening early in an embarrassing manner, but… it did lead quite the pivot on Mister McHale’s part. Who came out and used that moment as fine material for laughs and that put the evening back on track and humbled the audience and set the stage for one incredible set from Chelsea Handler. Who headlined the event and just offered up laughs as only she can and well… in the end, and that one speed bump aside, this really was quite the incredible way to close out SeriesFest Season 9. Because it made for a memorable evening, one that was filled to the brim with special moments and quite the experience, but that’s the stuff that great memories are made of and that’s what everyone walked out of Red Rocks with that night, and they were also part of history. Because while comedy shows have happened at Red Rocks before, they are suddenly happening with more frequency at the venue. Meaning that everyone there, was part of the early days of what is likely going to become a standard. Since there is something quite incredible about having nearly ten thousand people laughing together in harmony, and leave it to SeriesFest, a pioneering television festival, to blaze a trail when closing out another successful year of celebrating all that television has to offer. Check out our interviews with Joel McHale, and Adam Ray, to learn more about what comedy means to each of them.  A Robust Crowd Enjoys Jay Pharoh’s Set at SeriesFest Season 9’s ‘A Night of Comedy’ at Red Rocks Amphitheater. Photo by Nathen Lane for SeriesFest. SeriesFest Season 9 Event Spotlight: Live Recording of Paul Giamatti’s ‘CHINWAG’ with Stephen Asma5/31/2023 Written by John Edward Betancourt  Stephen Asma and Paul Giamatti Recording Paul Giamatti’s ‘CHINWAG’ with Stephen Asma at SeriesFest Season 9. Photo by Tom Cooper (Getty Images for SeriesFest) It really is quite amazing how far the podcast has come. For it went from fun, niche idea, to an outright juggernaut industry, seemingly overnight. But it makes sense as to why the podcast has enjoyed such incredible success. For it truly is a bold new frontier for entertainment, where anything can be discussed and any kind of story can be told, and that is quite the draw. In fact, the endless possibilities of this format, is likely why so many celebrities have brought forth their own podcast, since it gives them unprecedented freedom to touch upon topics, they’ve never been able to, while at the same time giving longtime fans unprecedented access to their lives and their careers, something that people crave.
But what is truly amazing about the podcast, is that there is still a powerful excitement surrounding it. As though the format is still brand-new, and that compels to try any podcast our friends recommend or see how one comes together via a live recording. Despite the fact that we know how the sausage gets made. Because discovering a new podcast, and seeing how it comes together, just carries with it a fun sense of the unknown. As though we are embarking on a journey that could and likely will take us anywhere and well, that’s why one particular event at SeriesFest Season 9 is worth reflecting upon. Because SeriesFest tapped into that excitement and our love of celebrities by having screen legend Paul Giamatti and distinguished professor Stephen Asma come to the festival to record a live episode of their new podcast; Paul Giamatti’s ‘CHINWAG’ with Stephen Asma. All so we could have that perfect storm of creativity come to life and well, this podcast recording simply did not disappoint. Largely because Paul and Stephen were keen to have fun with the audience and entertain us before getting down to business. Which brought forth a musical number to open the show and once that magical little ditty came together, complete with the wonder of the Theremin, it was down to business, and that’s really where we went on quite the incredible journey. The kind that only a podcast can produce. Because when it comes to this show, there is no gimmick. Just the promise of two friends having the kind of talks that we’ve had many times ourselves. Those late-night chinwags where we talk about life, and anything and everything that comes into mind because those are… the best kinds of conversations and that… is precisely what the audience was treated to at this recording. Because Paul and Stephen, went into a deep dive regarding quite the trendy new concept in the world, the Starseed. An idea that is incredibly complex and revolves around alien DNA, reincarnation and so much more, and well… that was indeed a heck of a topic to dive into. Because it truly sucked the audience in and engaged them and brought forth a supremely unique Q&A session at the end, and really… it was just an unconventional philosophical topic that would indeed be discussed by two friends late at night after some good drinks and some good food, and that unique sense of familiarity with this conversation didn’t end there. Since this duo drifted now and again, as we do during such discussions, to ponder upon the weirdness of the new King’s coronation and the quirkiness that heads of state tend to harbor, such as one John Adams. A man that Paul was intimately familiar with since he brought him to life on the small screen, allowing for more lighthearted and fun moments from a recording that truly… no one wanted to end. But alas, all good things must, but the audience’s desire to keep this going, was because… it was just plain fun. It was that kind of conversation you want to just keep taking part in because it gets your brain juices flowing and well, that made for one memorable evening with a brilliant professor and a truly talented actor, and it also reminded us… what makes the podcast so special and why it continues to captivate us. Because it really is that rare form of entertainment that genuinely surprises us and makes us feel as though we’re part of the show. The latter of which was amplified by just being there and sharing in all the magical moments this recording had to offer, and well, in the end… this was something special and thanks are due to SeriesFest and Paul Giamatti and Stephen Asma, for letting everyone in attendance be part of a happening and a conversation for the ages. To hear the episode of Paul Giamatti’s ‘CHINWAG’ with Stephen Asma that was recorded at SeriesFest Season 9, click here. Written by John Edward Betancourt  Screenwriters Scott Lawrence and Larry Karaszewski. Photos Courtesy of Scott Alexander and Andy Marx. There are but a handful of film festivals out there that truly celebrate the writer and their contribution to crafting cinema and one such festival, happens to be the Austin Film Festival. For their programming is well-known for its celebration of screenwriting, and its annual screenwriting contest is one of the most prestigious in the nation. But their celebration of words often goes beyond wondrous programming and giving a new writer their shot at the big time. They also know… how to properly honor those that have put forth beautiful work on the screen, as evidenced by today’s announcement.
For earlier today, the Austin Film Festival announced that it will be honoring screenwriters Scott Alexander and Larry Karaszewski with the prestigious Bill Whitliff Award at the festival this year. To properly thank them for all the work they’ve done throughout their wondrous careers, since they’ve given life to so many memorable films and shows and well, to properly understand the scope of their work and the importance of this award, here are all the details on this important announcement, courtesy of the Austin Film Festival. ‘AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing writers’ and filmmakers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, is continuing its 30 years of support for screenwriters. Austin Film Festival is committed to supporting screenwriters at all levels, including our long-standing partnership with the WGA in their ongoing strike. Austin Film Festival is excited to announce that writing partners SCOTT ALEXANDER & LARRY KARASZEWSKI will attend this year’s Festival to receive the 2023 Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting. Previous recipients include Buck Henry (1997), Lawrence Kasdan (2001), Frank Pierson (2003), Nancy Meyers (2016), and Scott Frank (2021). Alexander and Karaszewski's partnership led to prominent films and television such as ED WOOD (1994), THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT (1996), MAN ON THE MOON (1999), and AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON (2016). Alexander and Karaszewski met when they were freshman roommates at USC’s School of Cinema. On a whim, they wrote a screenplay during their senior year, which sold a week after graduation. They are best known for writing very unusual biopics with larger-than-life characters. They wrote the highly-acclaimed ED WOOD, for which they were nominated for Best Screenplay by the Writers Guild. They followed this with THE PEOPLE VS. LARRY FLYNT, for which they won the Golden Globe for Best Screenplay, as well as a special Writers Guild award for civil rights and liberties. They scripted the extremely postmodern MAN ON THE MOON, the life story of Andy Kaufman. They wrote BIG EYES, the strange-but-true story of Margaret and Walter Keane, for which they received an Indie Spirit Best Screenplay nomination. For their first television project, they created the hit miniseries AMERICAN CRIME STORY: THE PEOPLE V. O.J. SIMPSON, for which they won the Emmy, Golden Globe, PGA and WGA Award for Best Limited Series. Their most recent film, DOLEMITE IS MY NAME, is the celebrated tale of Rudy Ray Moore. Other than biopics, Alexander and Karaszewski are quite eclectic. They wrote the hit Stephen King adaptation 1408. They produced the Bob Crane biopic AUTO FOCUS, and they wrote and directed the comedy SCREWED. They have also written numerous family films, including PROBLEM CHILD, PROBLEM CHILD 2, AGENT CODY BANKS, and GOOSEBUMPS. Alexander, a native of Los Angeles, started his Hollywood career toiling on low-budget horror films as a music editor. As a director, his work has appeared on MTV and Nickelodeon. He also wrote for HBO’s TALES FROM THE CRYPT and the television series MONSTERS, which he directed. Scott is a Mentor in the USC School of Cinema, and he’s served four terms on the Writers Guild’s Board of Directors. He has volunteered as a Sundance Writing Lab advisor numerous times, as well as teaching at writing workshops around the world. Scott is married, with three children. Karaszewski, born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, worked as a film critic for an NBC affiliate’s nightly news program, as well as writing and directing BEYOND OUR CONTROL, a weekly half-hour satirical television show. Larry is an active Los Angeles cineaste and is the Vice President of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. His humorous commentaries on cult movies can be seen at TrailersFromHell.com. ABOUT AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL & WRITERS CONFERENCE: Entering its thirtieth year, Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, theater, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established storytellers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. This project is supported in part by the Texas Commission on the Arts. The 30th Annual Austin Film Festival will take place October 26 – November 2, 2023. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. Badges and passes are available for purchase online at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST. ABOUT BILL WITTLIFF AWARD FOR SCREENWRITING: Introduced in 1995, Austin Film Festival's Bill Wittliff Award for Screenwriting has honored the leading storytellers of film, television, and new media. Past award recipients include Buck Henry (1997), Lawrence Kasdan (2001), Nancy Meyers (2016), Tony Gilroy (2018) and James Gray (2022).’ Written by John Edward Betancourt  Ask anyone how their SeriesFest Season 9 experience went, and you’ll get back a variation of the same answer. In that, it was awesome. For as always, SeriesFest lived up to its reputation as the premier television festival in America and it once again wowed us with incredible programming that moved us through a bevy of emotions. But alas, the SeriesFest Experience has come to an end for the time being, and now we are forced to wait for SeriesFest Season 10. But while we do, there’s a lot to recap and discuss from the festival, such as who won awards for their hard work in assembling the many pilots that played out over the course of the last six days. Thankfully, SeriesFest wanted to make sure the world knows who received high honors, to properly celebrate their work, as quickly as possible. Which is why earlier today, they released the complete list of winners of the Independent Pilot Competition and the other Awards Recipients and well, without further ado… here is that list of the deserved winners, to kick-off our post festival coverage of SeriesFest Season 9. ‘SeriesFest, the award-winning international television festival and non-profit organization, revealed the winners of the Season 9 independent pilot competition at an awards presentation sponsored by Hyde Park Jewelers on Wednesday, May 10. Esteemed jurors screened 55 pilots from creative voices around the globe at this year’s virtual celebration of episodic storytelling, and selected winners in various categories including “Best Independent Pilot,” sponsored by Company 3, (awarding $25K for post production support to the winners of the Comedy, Drama and Unscripted categories), “Best Digital Short Series,” “Late Night,” and “Pitch-A-Thon.” See full list below including honorable mentions. The independent pilot competitions are at the heart of our mission. It is why we founded SeriesFest,” commented Randi Kleiner, CEO and Co-Founder of SeriesFest. “It was to be a discovery platform for independent artists and give them the opportunity to get their voices heard, their projects seen by an audience and executives, and make new connections. Anyone who has made a pilot deserves to be honored.” At the awards ceremony, SeriesFest also announced the winners for two prestigious initiatives including the Level Forward Impact Award and Caz Matthews Fund. The Level Forward Impact Award, given to the episodic pilot and team who demonstrate, on top of their commitment to creative excellence, a thoughtful, thorough and deliberate approach to using storytelling as a means of leveling the playing field for underrepresented people including women, people of color, the LGBTQIA community and alternatively abled voices, was awarded to The Big Idea by Sarah Klein and Tom Mason. Supported by the Royal Bank of Canada, Sarah Klein and Tom Mason will receive a $5,000 cash prize and development deal with Level Forward. “The Big Idea” is the story when a cryogenics expert discovers that half of the world's vaccines spoil during the last mile, she dedicates herself to creating a solution. Caz Matthews, a Colorado-based supporter of SeriesFest and of the independent creators of television content, awarded two official selections from the Independent Pilot, Digital Short Series, and Late Night competitions including Puncher’s Chance and All At Once with a one-time financial donation from the Caz Matthews Fund subject to affording a producer credit to SeriesFest for that particular work. These recipients represent the independent filmmakers who have important stories to tell and have the desire to both create work as well as find distribution opportunities that further promote tolerance, acceptance and understanding of all cultures and persons in the general population. SeriesFest: Season 9 is presented with generous support from the following sponsors: Once Upon A Time Productions, Liberty Global, Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, Denver Film, Caz Matthews, Xfinity, and United Airlines.’ WINNERS - INDEPENDENT PILOT - DRAMA |
Archives
October 2024
|
RSS Feed
|
© 2012-2024, Nerds That Geek LLC.
All Rights Reserved. |
uWeb Hosting by FatCow