This week, I stopped by the final installment of the latest Austin Film Society Essential Cinema Series. This series was "Films of Greater China," and the final entry was Li Yang's somber and suspenseful 2003 drama Blind Shaft. Fantastic to see it on the big screen. The next series, which I will sadly miss, is going to lighten things up a bit. The collection will be "Global Comedy," and begins on June 3 with Alain Resnais' Private Fears in Public Places. Other international hits in the series will include Stephen Chow's totally entertaining Kung Fu Hustle (June 10), Michel Hazanavicius' recent stateside release, OSS 117: Cairo, Nest of Spies (July 22), and Eran Kolirin's beloved Israeli success, The Band's Visit (July 29). Click here for details on the entire series.

Hey all you Texas filmmakers: the deadline for this year's Texas Filmmakers Production Fund (sponsored by the Austin Film Society) is coming up. It's June 2, in fact, so submit your project today for consideration. Click here for more information.

Just as I'm skipping town for good, a couple of exciting screening events will make their way to Austin, courtesy of the Austin Film Society. Well, just because I'm missing them, doesn't mean you should! First up, Richard Linklater will host a gala benefit premiere for his new documentary feature, Inning by Inning: A Portrait of a Coach, on June 3 at the Paramount Theatre. Expect this to be a big local attraction, as the subject of the film is legendary UT baseball coach Augie Garrido. Linklater is an avid sports fan and a massive UT baseball fan, so expect this to be a memorable night.

On June 12, Jay & Mark Duplass return to Austin after their successful stop during SXSW 2008, to present their latest film Baghead. Already saw it at SXSW? Well, you should see it again, because AFS and the Alamo are hosting this screening outdoors at Star Hill Ranch. Sticking true to the new film's forest setting, attendees will be able to watch it under the stars with Jay & Mark in attendance. Special VIP tickets also get you in to a private dinner before the film, catered by the Alamo's chef John Bullington. No word if the meal will involve brown bags.

Proceeds from both screenings go to the charitable efforts of the Austin Film Society (full disclosure: I'm on the board), and you can keep checking their Web site for details on the events.

The Austin Film Society has announced details for its annual Independent Spirit Awards viewing party. Why annual? Because it never fails that each year, an AFS-related project gets a nod. This year, it's three projects: Chris Eska's August Evening (nominated for the John Cassavetes Award and Best Actor for Pedro Castaneda), Laura Dunn's The Unforeseen (nominated for the IFC Truer Than Fiction Award), and Jeff Nichols' Shotgun Stories (also nominated for the John Cassavete Award). On Saturday, AFS members are invited to celebrate and cheer these folks on. AFS staffer Bryan Poyser will not be at the viewing party, because he was on a nominating committee and will be at the awards. As I blogged recently, I'll be sorta kinda on the red carpet. RSVPs for the sure-to-be-popular red carpet online viewing party should be kept to yourself.

Kazuhiro Soda's documentary Campaign screened at SXSW 2007 in the Documentary Competition. And, on February 13, he and the film are coming back as part of the Austin Film Society's Doc Tour. This is an exceedingly entertaining and awe-inspiring look at one Japanese city council election, with very big implications. From the AFS Web site:

In the fall of 2005, 40-year-old, self-employed Kazuhiko "Yama-san" Yamauchi's peaceful, humdrum life was turned upside-down. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) had suddenly chosen him as its official candidate to run for a vacant seat on the Kawasaki city council. Yama-san had zero experience in politics, no charisma, no supporters, no constituency, and no time to prepare for the impending election.

The election was critical for the LDP. Yama-san's loss would automatically oust the LDP from its position as the dominant political party on the council. Thus, the LDP forms a strong campaign team consisting of every LDP politician from the Kawasaki region to fight the intense battle against the party's opponents-all veterans of the Democratic Party, the Communist Party, and the Kanagawa Network.

As I've mentioned a couple times already, the Austin Film Society will host a benefit screening of John Sayles' latest, Honeydripper, on January 22 at the Paramount Theatre. Get your ticket soon, the film is good and the after-parties (that's right, more than one) should be terrific. Sayles and company will be in attendance.

SXSW 2007 "special jury prize" winner, Audience Of One, returns to Austin on January 16 as this month's Austin Film Society Doc Tour presentation. The acclaimed doc, directed by Michael Jacobs, follows the too-crazy-to-be-true saga of Pastor Richard Gazowsky and his attempts to make a sci-fi biblical epic for the screen. If you missed it at SXSW 2007, check it out this month.

The latest, greatest Austin Film Society Essential Cinema Series will be "3 Mexicanas in Hollywood," celebrating the legacies of renowned actresses Dolores del Río, Lupe Vélez, & Katy Jurado. Having grown up on the Texas/Mexico border in Brownsville, the impact of actresses like these is something I saw all the time. It's great that Austin film fans will get a chance to witness some of these memorable women. From Belinda Acosta's preview piece in the new Austin Chronicle:

Class, race, and gender matters permeate the narratives of several of the six films in the series, but it's the actresses who command the attention. Often pigeonholed to types – Vélez as the "Mexican spitfire," del Río as the dignified "good woman," and Jurado as the sexually charged "hot Latina" – the three always brought just enough variation and nuance to make audiences question their assumptions. After all these years, del Río, Vélez, and Jurado still delight.

The series begins January 8, with Edwin Carewe's Evangeline (starring del Rio) and concludes on February 12, with Fred Zinneman's classic Western High Noon (starring Jurado). The films will screen every Tuesday at the Alamo Ritz. Another interesting aspect of this upcoming series, is the partnership with Harlingen-based Agrasanchez Film Archives (who we worked with for a similar series during SXSW 2005). Also in the Austin Chronicle, Kimberley Jones profiles the Archives, which were founded by Rogelio Agrasánchez Sr.:

Curatorial work is now carried on by his son, Rogelio Agrasánchez Jr., who tends to a collection of films (numbering 750) and poster art that spans 60 years of Mexican cinema. Agrasánchez Jr. also authors studies on el cine Mexicano, including one co-written with University of Texas professor Charles Ramírez Berg titled, natch, Cine Mexicano: Posters From the Golden Age 1936-1956. Film art, including posters, stills, and lobby cards, as well as Agrasánchez Jr.'s books, can be purchased from his website at www.mexfilmarchive.com.

The next round of the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema Series, puts the focus on French filmmaker Philippe Garrel. The series, called "French Maverick, Rebel Auteur: Four Films of Philippe Garrel," begins November 27 with Regular Lovers (2005) and concludes on December 18 with The Virgin's Bed (1969). Josh Rosenblatt offers a preview of the essential series, via The Austin Chronicle. He writes:

French director Philippe Garrel is one of the true enigmas of the film world. Born in Paris in 1948, an up-and-coming director by the time he was 21, friends with Godard and other big names in the New Wave, a longtime lover and collaborator of singer and Velvet Underground icon Nico, an award-winning director of more than 25 movies over the last 40 years, and still he's essentially unknown here in America.

Reasons for this are varied. For one, Garrel has never been particularly interested in success or reputation (or America, for that matter), choosing what he calls "the life of the artist" over any recognition or monetary rewards. Then there's the work itself, which draws no easy distinctions between the political and the personal or the meditative and the confrontational; as much as any director before or since, Garrel is in his element exploring the moral and emotional contradictions that conspire against human relationships. In addition, he's not afraid to make his audience work for understanding: Motivations, intentions, psychological states – they all have to be surmised and not just digested. Which is all to say that Philippe Garrel was always doomed to be unknown in America.

It's about that time again. You know what time: final SXSW deadline time. So, as I've done in the past, I'm hosting a workshop/discussion at the Austin Film Society, just in time for local filmmakers to get some tips about how (and how not) to submit. The panel will happen on Monday, November 26 at AFS. Click here for details on the panel and how to attend, and I look forward to seeing some new filmmakers there.

The latest Essential Cinema Series from the Austin Film Society, comes to us Tuesday, October 16. This month's series is "Torn From the Motherland: Films from the African Diaspora." It all kicks off with Charles Burnett's My Brother's Wedding on October 16 and wraps up on November 20 with the documentary double-feature of Marlon Riggs' Black Is, Black Ain't and Isaac Julien's Frantz Fanon: Black Skin, White Mask. All of the screenings start at 7 p.m. and will be held at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. In the program notes, UT film professor (and my T.A. back when I took an "African Cinema" class) Olivier Tchouaffe writes:

The Austin Film Society “African Diaspora” film retrospective is a powerful opportunity to appreciate Pan-Africanist creativity under the cold realities of slavery, imperialism, colonization and neo-colonialism and its universalistic ramifications. It provides a unique vision and aesthetics on the cultural agency of people of African descent bypassing geographic and linguistic boundaries for the purpose of tackling fundamental issues of race, identity, violence, memory and belonging. The results are models for considering universal human conditions because the protagonists of these diasporic narratives are confronting the trials and experiences of displacement which do not apply solely to Africans.

This cinema, therefore, must be situated in the glare of people struggling for human rights, self-knowledge, self-responsibility, self-respect and dignity under unique forms of pressures such as slavery, genocidal dictatorships and others processes of forced deterritorialization.

The October selection for the Austin Film Society's Doc Tour, will be Bill Guttentag and Dan Sturman's highly acclaimed film, Nanking. The screening will take place Wednesday, October 10, 7 p.m. at the Alamo South Lamar with an appearance by Guttentag and Sturman. THINKFilm acquired the doc shortly after its overwhelmingly positive Sundance premiere in January, and it has gone on to be one of the IDA's Docuweek selections. Click here for details on the screening, as well as information on the film.

It's with great pleasure to help spread the word that doc blogger/journalist/booster Agnes Varnum, is relocating to Austin, TX in the next few weeks. Agnes will join the staff of the Austin Film Society, and I think it will be a great fit for both her and the organization. Congrats Agnes!

The next great film series curated by the Austin Film Society, launches today. It's called "Blokes 'n' Birds: British Realist Cinema (1958-1965)," and it's definitely worth catching. More than just a time capsule of a movement, "kitchen sink" films from postwar Britain would go on to inspire the acclaimed and groundbreaking later works by Ken Loach, Mike Leigh, and Stephen Frears. The series begins tonight, with Tony Richardson's Look Back in Anger (1958) and concludes with Richardson's The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner (1962) on October 9. In between, you can sample work from Karel Reisz, Joan Littlewood, and more. Click here for the lineup of films and their descriptions. Don't miss these films on the big screen, and consider it required viewing for Anglophiles.

After three hard-working days, the panelists (Sarah Price, James Fotopoulos, Rachel Rosen) of the Austin Film Society's annual Texas Filmmakers Production Fund (TFPF) have announced this year's recipients for grants. All told, the grants equal $147,000 in cash and $3,000 in Kodak film stock. 218 applications were submitted, and 21 applications received awards. The list is long and diverse, with some familiar names including: David Lowery, Heather Courtney, Spencer Parsons, Paul Gordon, John Bryant, Laura Harrison, and Geoff Marslett. Congrats to all the winners! Now, go make/finish your movie!

The Austin Film Society has announced its September selection for the AFS Doc Tour: Steven Okazaki's acclaimed new feature White Light/Black Rain. Okazaki will be onhand to present the film, as well as conduct a Q&A, on Wednesday, September 19 at the 501 Studios Theater. Extra bonus: the screening is free. From the AFS program notes:

As global tensions rise, the unthinkable now seems possible. The threat of nuclear "weapons of mass destruction" has become real and frightening. White Light/Black Rain, an extraordinary new film by Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Okazaki, presents a deeply moving look at the painful legacy of the first -- and hopefully last -- uses of nuclear weapons in war.

Even after 60 years, the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki continue to inspire argument, denial and myth. Surprisingly, most people know very little about what happened on August 6 and 9, 1945, two days that changed the world. This is a comprehensive, straightforward, moving account of the bombings from the point of view of the people who were there.

The Austin Film Society has resurrected a popular TFPF Week event: the panelists screenings. Since the three panelists who come to Austin every year to review applications for the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund, sometimes includes filmmakers, AFS will host screenings of their work. TFPF Week starts Tuesday, which means that night will see the AFS-sponsored screening of panelist Sarah Price's 2003 documentary (with Chris Smith and Dan Ollman), The Yes Men. On Wednesday, August 30, TFPF panelist James Fotopoulos will present his 2002 experimental fiction feature Back Against the Wall. Both screenings will happen at the Regal Arbor Great Hills, around 9:30 p.m. each night. And, they're free. So, come by and watch some of the celebrated (and underrated, actually) work by two of the three TFPF panelists.

The three guest panelists for this year's Texas Filmmakers Production Fund, have been announced. The Austin Film Society, which awards the TFPF grants to applying filmmakers, has listed details about the panelists as well as the awards, on the official site. They are: Summercamp! co-director Sarah Price, Film Independent & Los Angeles Film Festival director of programming Rachel Rosen, and Migrating Forms director James Fotopoulos. They'll be in town for three days at the end of this month, reviewing applications and awarding grants to be announced on Friday, August 31. Plus, the Austin Film Society will host special screenings of Price's documentary, The Yes Men, on August 28 and Fotopoulos' experimental feature, Back Against The Wall, on August 29.

UPDATE: It's been cancelled.

The Austin Film Society, which houses Austin Studios, will host a "garage sale" of props and set dressings from Kimberly Peirce's anticipated Stop-Loss. The war drama - starring Ryan Phillippe, Channing Tatum, Abbie Cornish and many more - filmed in Austin (and used the Austin Studios) late last year and will see itself released in March 2008. The "garage sale" will happen Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Studios.

Werner Herzog is a god among filmmakers. Seriously. The man is a magnificent force to reckon with. And, it sucks that I keep missing Rescue Dawn (his newest film) at every festival stop. Anyway, that will soon change, since it's opening nationwide. And, guess what, if you're an Austin Film Society member you can see it for free next week. Get details right here, as AFS is hosting a free screening of Rescue Dawn for its members, on July 18. Here's the Rescue Dawn trailer.

This month's edition of the Austin Film Society Documentary Tour will feature Irene Taylor Brodsky's Sundance hit, Hear and Now. The touching and enlightening document of one woman's deaf parents' decision to undergo cochlear implant surgery, this is a doc you don't wanna miss when it screens at the Alamo South Lamar on July 11. Anne S. Lewis chats with Brodsky about her very personal documentary, in this week's Austin Chronicle. From the article:

Austin Chronicle: What part of making this film was the most difficult for you?

Irene Taylor Brodsky: The biggest challenge was my own conscience. I never knew how much to keep going – whether in the moment, in other words, how much to push the camera into a particular scene, or filming throughout the year. It's hard enough for a filmmaker to trust her instincts, in today's commercially driven film world, especially; when making a film about one's own family, it's hard to tell if what you're hearing in your head is instinct – or neurosis. The narrative tone of the film – speaking as their daughter, with an intimate and honest eye – was the hardest part to get right. Writing the film was, at times, excruciating. I started out with a lot more narration than I ended up with. After two years of rewriting and paring down my reflections, I came to understand that less – words – is more.

I recently had a chance to catch up with Abderrahmane Sissako's mesmerizing film, Bamako. I missed it at Cannes, Toronto, etc. all during 2006. It was released stateside, in February, by New Yorker Films. But it didn't make it to Austin until last weekend, presented by the Austin Film Society's AFS@Dobie series.

I've been a fan of African Cinema since around my junior year in film school (when I took a class on the subject), so I was eager to see what many have hailed as the best African film of the year. After watching it, I have to say I agree, but the film impacted me in ways much greater than I expected. Bamako is not only one of the most original political films I've seen in a long time, it's also incredibly timely and important.

Set within the Malian capital city of Bamako, the film is a study of community and relationships, but also a seething indictment of globalization and the Western world's influence in West Africa. The film is a courtroom drama, essentially, but the plaintiffs appears to be the otherwise faceless World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Through the vehicle of a trial, "witnesses" testify about the injustices and contradictions on display. Intertwined in all this, Sissako turns his focus on a couple ending their relationship as well as the townspeople trying to sustain their everyday lives. The way Sissako makes his political points, while keeping true to the human drama, is a triumph of inventive filmmaking. Poetic, disturbing, and often funny, Bamako is a powerful film. But aside from whatever it may do to further argue the importance of African filmmaking as a craft, it also unveils very real and very urgent issues currently facing the continent.

If you live in Austin, try to see the film before Thursday night, when it will likely end its engagement at the Dobie. If you live elsewhere, seek the film out, once it hits DVD or if it plays any theaters in your neighborhood. Don't miss it.

AFS programmer Chale Nafus is busting out the classic popcorn flicks for this summer's first "Essential Cinema Series." Starting next week, the Austin Film Society will present "Other Minds, Other Worlds: Global Sci-fi Cinema," kicking off on June 5 with the classic Fantastic Planet. For The Austin Chronicle, Josh Rosenblatt offers a preview of the film series, which will also include such favorites as Invasion of the Body Snatchers, Akira, and Planet of the Vampires.

On Tuesday night, the Austin Film Society hosted a fundraiser screening of Luke and Andrew Wilson's The Wendell Baker Story, which THINKFilm will release on May 18 in New York, L.A., Austin, and Dallas. Some may remember that The Wendell Baker Story had its world premiere as the Opening Night Film of SXSW 2005, so it's great to see this Texas-made feature finally get a theatrical release. The screening (with brothers Luke, Owen, and Andrew in tow) was a total sell-out at the Alamo South Lamar, and was followed by an after-party at local bar Club DeVille (and yes, Kate Hudson was there). Here are some moments from the party (I apologize for the red eye in some of these):

The deadline for this year's Texas Filmmakers Production Fund applications is June 1. If you haven't yet thought about applying, you should. It's a great way to get some funding assistance for a project nearing completion or now in its pre-pro stages. Austin Film Society Director of Artist Services, filmmaker/friend Bryan Poyser, has been blogging from his trips throughout Central Texas, where he's hosting workshops for area filmmakers. Check out his Dallas dispatch, where he got a little help from filmmaker/blogger David Lowery, among others.

One of the backbone missions of the Austin Film Society lies in the heart of the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund. An annual fund that awards grants to filmmakers with Texas-based projects, AFS has increased their grant funding this year quite a bit, with $150,000 earmarked for applicants. It's certainly the kind of cash infusion that can assist film projects in their completion. Plus, the individual ceiling for awards will increase from $15,000 to $25,000. So, the TFPF grant can potentially make a huge impact on a feature film seeking extra funds. Click here for more information on the application process. They are now open for submission, with a deadline of June 1. Plus, TFPF captain Bryan Poyser will make a small tour of Texas towns to present workshops on how the TFPF can help area artists.

Wanna land a job working in Austin's film community? Well, the Austin Film Society has a few openings available. Click here for details on which positions are open, and send in that resume!

On Tuesday night, a group of film bloggers got together at the Austin Film Society for a panel called "Film Bloggers Are Your Friends." I moderated the session and it seemed to go rather well.

P.S. - After the panel, a group of us grabbed dinner at Iron Cactus and then caught Richard Swift at Emo's. He completely killed. I highly recommend catching him live if you get the chance.

Over at the Austin Chronicle, doc reporter Anne S. Lewis chats it up with the crew behind SXSW 2007 premiere documentary, Fish Kill Flea. That would mean directors Aaron Hillis, Jennifer Loeber, and Brian Cassidy. Anne's article isn't late, this is on the eve of the doc's return to town this week, as part of the Austin Film Society's Texas Doc Tour. The film will have its encore screening Wednesday, April 11, at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown. Here's an excerpt from Anne's short article:

Brian Cassidy: On the third day of shooting, while reloading the camera, a large condor perched onto the roof of the mall. The bird was somehow able to lift the roof off of the marketplace, temporarily exposing all of the shoppers and vendors to the outside world. For that brief moment, everyone was able to see everything clearly. We did not shoot it but simply stood in awe. Some of the best moments throughout our six months of filming at the marketplace occurred while we were not shooting yet somehow informed every corner of every frame within our finished film.

Austin Chronicle: And what was it like making a movie as a collaboration of three?

Jennifer Loeber: It was like daily mud wrestling to determine who had the control and power that day. All joking aside, I think we realized early on that this was a three-person operation in its entirety. Regimented roles weren't feasible and ultimately, were less interesting. Three minds working on the same creative solution was a lot more exciting.

Aaron Hillis: Feel free to mention that Brian is flat-out lying about the condor.

Also, the day before the screening (a.k.a. Tuesday, April 10) you can catch Hillis on the AFS Panel, "Film Bloggers Are Your Friends." Check it out.

When I first moved to Austin in 1997, one of the initial events I attended was the second annual QT Fest, a weeklong orgy of classic and forgotten B-movies hosted by filmmaker Quentin Tarantino. Since then, I've attended every edition including last year's, which was QT Fest number seven. We didn't know it at the time, but each one was a warm-up to what the world is about the witness: the release of Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez's new double-feature film Grindhouse. Last night, at the historic Paramount Theater in downtown Austin, the Austin Film Society hosted the local premiere of this willdly anticipated new film in grand style. The theater was overflowing with attendees, many of the stars made an appearance, and we all sat down for three hours of insane genre film homage. It's fitting, given that almost all of the film was shot and is set, within the wonderful atmosphere of Austin.

Split between Rodriguez's sci-fi zombie gorefest Planet Terror and Tarantino's stuntdriver revenge flick Death Proof, the entire experience is an assault on the senses. Planet Terror is straight-up John Carpenter, with a premise involving a government plot (led by an uncredited Bruce Willis) to turn people into flesh-eating undead. Leading a band of survivors is Freddy Rodriguez as a mysterious gunman and Rose McGowan as a resourceful go-go dancer. The blood and guts are heavy and hardcore in Planet Terror, with multiple sequences that will not soon be forgotten. Tarantino's cameo as an evil soldier will be remembered for an Ava Gardner reference and a melting penis. You were warned. Planet Terror is pretty much what you'd expect from Rodriguez, loads of bullets and stylized deaths, with little room for dialogue but all the better to unload the real essence of "grindhouse cinema."

Tarantino's Death Proof is a talky and smart film about a menacing ex-stuntman (Kurt Russell) who seduces women with his hot-rod that has been "death proofed" for himself but not other passengers. Some in the audience were put off by Tarantino's typically dialogue-heavy first half, but I liked it a lot. As it settles in my brain, I keep thinking Death Proof may have some of the best writing so far this year. The exchanges between the film's primarily female cast (including Rosario Dawson, Jordan Ladd, and more) are textured nicely and add nuances that segue effortlessly into the eventual action sequences. The climatic car chase between Russell and a band of stuntwomen, is nothing short of iconic, and the sold-out crowd ate it up last night. It's intense and extremely entertaining.

The faux trailers produced in-between the films? Brilliant. Rodriguez's Machete is a pitch-perfect portrayal of Danny Trejo as a day laborer with a score to settle. Edgar Wright's Don't trailer is a funny and knowing nod to the Hammer films from his native U.K. Meanwhile, Eli Roth's Thanksgiving trailer will change your life, for better or worse. The only trailer that comes up short is Rob Zombie's Werewolf Women of the SS, which is a better idea than execution. Despite the brilliant casting of Udo Kier and Nicolas Cage, the trailer looks too polished and the notes aren't exactly right for the "grindhouse" sensibility. But that's okay, because by the time Eli Roth's Thanksgiving comes and goes, your brain has been properly washed all the same. I sent Eli an email from my seat at the Paramount, letting him know what a sick bastard he is. All in all, a fun screening followed by a fun after-party at The Belmont. Here are some pics I snapped from the night:

(Outside the Paramount on Wednesday evening as onlookers look on, to the red carpet arrivals.)

('Death Proof' star Kurt Russell, left, and 'Grindhouse' co-director Robert Rodriguez, greet folks at local bar The Belmont during the after-party.)

('Grindhouse' co-director Quentin Tarantino, left, and Austin Film Society executive director Rebecca Campbell embrace at the party.)

(Jarren and I, at the 'Grindhouse' party on Wednesday night. Photo by Janet Pierson.)

(Also at the after-party are, left to right: SXSW co-founder Louis Black, filmmaker and AFS founder Richard Linklater, and filmmaker Tim McCanlies.)

(Ain't It Cool News chief Harry Knowles catches a pose with 'Death Proof' co-star Zoe Bell. Bell, a real-life stuntwoman who was Uma Thurman's double for 'Kill Bill' practically steals her half of 'Grindhouse' with an amazing car chase. Bell, from New Zealand, was in Austin a few years ago when we played the documentary about her, 'Double Dare,' at SXSW.)

After months of speculation that we were gonna have an unannounced screening of Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino's upcoming Grindhouse during SXSW 2007 (people were even asking me as late as Monday during the festival), here comes the official news that the Austin Film Society will host the local unveiling on Wednesday, March 28. The two directors (plus "special guests") will be in the house (a.k.a. the Paramount) for the screening. Click here for more details.

I'm about to hop on a plane to attend the Independent Spirit Awards, but if you're in Austin on Saturday, you should stop by Ringer's for a viewing party hosted by the Austin Film Society. The gang from AFS will be holding court, to cheer on Austin-based nominated film Chalk, as well as Austin producer Anish Savjani, nominated for co-producing Old Joy. It all takes place at Ringer's (415 Colorado St.) on Saturday, at 4 p.m. Click here for more info.

Omar Gallaga reports on the Austin Movie Blog, about David Lynch's rare Austin appearance last night for a special screening of Inland Empire. It apparently included free coffee, spoken word, and a lively Q&A. I had to miss it, unfortunately, due to tight programming deadlines.

As strange as his films are, you'd think David Lynch owned a home somewhere in bizarro Texas. In reality, though, he's rarely in this part of the country... for now. The Austin Film Society has announced a special benefit screening of David Lynch's Inland Empire, with an appearance and Q&A by Lynch himself. It all goes down at the Paramount Theater, on January 24 @ 7 p.m. Tickets will be on-sale for AFS members, on January 5, and January 11 for non-members. Stay tuned to the Austin Film Society's Web site for details.

The Austin Film Society has launched the re-design for its Web site. Check it out, and see what you think. Very cool additions, including a fledgling staff blog, and sections that are easier to navigate. More to come, and more to grow, as we get into 2007.

I posted a few weeks ago that the Austin Film Society was seeking a new Director of Artist Services, to replace beloved and departing Elisabeth Sikes. Elisabeth has left big shoes to fill, but AFS has found a worthy successor in the form of award-winning filmmaking Bryan Poyser. Congrats, PoyBoy.

Starting tomorrow, November 21, the Austin Film Society begins its next "Essential Cinema Series." For the upcoming five weeks, audiences can see 35mm prints of beloved titles such as Metropolis, Millennium Actress, Spirited Away, and more. Check it out.

Tons of great election and post-election news over the last 24 hours (Donald Rumsfeld, don't let the door...), including the big news in Austin that Proposition 4 (a.k.a. the Austin Creative Community Prop.) passed! This Proposition was designed fo several Austin-area organizations to receive necessary funding and help improve/strengthen the local arts scene. And, yes, this includes money reserved for the Austin Film Society and Austin Studios. Badly needed, this is money that the Studios can use to develop major improvements at its facilities, thereby making it easier to lure out-of-state productions. So, in other words, passing Prop. 4 will keep Austin a great film town for the future. Thanks to all who voted for it!

(Myself and 'Fast Food Nation' director Richard Linklater, at the film's world premiere party in Cannes this past May. Photo by Brian Brooks, for indieWIRE.)

The Austin Film Society has made a fine art of hosting regional premieres of studio films, as fundraisers for the organization and also great cultural events. Typically, these premieres involve a gala screening of said film, followed by some kind of after-party. Hordes show up, celebrities mingle, and all the money goes to a good cause. On November 14, though, the Austin Film Society has something a little different (and potentially a lot of fun) up its sleeve for the regional premiere of Richard Linklater's Fast Food Nation. Scheduled to attend are local filmmaker Linklater as well as Fast Food Nation writer Eric Schlosser. From 4 to 7 p.m., there will be a Farmer's Market along Congress Avenue (outside the Paramount Theater).

The Market will be hosted by the Sustainable Food Center, and a great chance to pick up some healthy munchies. Immediately following the Farmer's Market, the film will screen at the Paramount Theater. And, then, after the film will be a VIP after-party at the Whole Foods headquarters in Austin. Meanwhile, the public is welcome to attend a photo exhibit at the Stephen F. Austin hotel, chronicling the work of Fast Food Nation still photographer Matt Lankes. Sounds like a full evening, huh? Click here to get information on how you can attend some, or all, of what's sure to be a memorable night in Austin.

The November title for the Austin Film Society's Texas Documentary Tour, is Mystelle Brabbee's Highway Courtesans, a doc that had its North American premiere at SXSW in 2005. Mystelle's powerful documentary is an epic look at the world of young prostitutes in India. The film will screen at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown on Wednesday, November 8 at 7 p.m. Plus, Mystelle will be in attendance for a Q&A. Check out more details here, and see it for yourself.

Attention all film folks in Austin and around the world: the Austin Film Society is seeking applicants to fill the Director of Artist Services position. This is one of the core staff roles at AFS, and a wonderfully important part of the process. A big aspect of the Director of Artist Services gig, includes overseeing the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund (TFPF), the annual grant program for state-wide artists. The description of duties also includes:

Manages artist services programs with the assistance of interns and volunteer board and committee members. Reports to Executive Director via weekly meetings. Collaborates with other AFS departments--programming, outreach, development, communications and Austin Studios. Engages with the film and nonprofit arts community on AFS's behalf. Attends mixers, workshops, and screenings as a representative of AFS.

Administers fiscal sponsorship program. Reviews applications for completeness, appropriateness, and merit and recommends projects to Board for sponsorship. Counsels producers, especially regarding funding. Acts as liaison to grant-making agencies on behalf of sponsored projects. Helps applicants go through grantors’ funding process. Pro-actively reminds projects of deadlines and reporting requirements. Safeguards legal procedures through project oversight.

Interested? Get more information about the application process.

Things are heating up for the "I'm For 4" campaign, as the Austin elections are coming up fast. To mark the occasion, as well as the sixth anniversary of Austin Studios, the Austin Film Society is hosting a party Saturday night. And, it's open to the public, you just have to RSVP on the AFS site.

So, if you love Austin filmmaking and wanna hear more about Prop. 4, come down to Austin Studios Stage 4 on Saturday night, 6-9 p.m. More information can be found here.

Ahead of its screening as part of the Austin Film Society's Texas Doc Tour, Anne Lewis chats with filmmaker Doug Block about 51 Birch Street, in the Austin Chronicle:

Austin Chronicle: What did you want people to take away from 51 Birch Street?

Doug Block: Call mom; call dad. It's that simple. Don't wait until one of them is gone to realize you have stuff to talk to them about or things to say. You're an adult now. I think that there's always the question: Do we really want to know our parents? How do you get past how you relate to them – which is really based on being a kid? Your relationship is based on being 8 years old, and then suddenly you're 30, 40, 50 and still relating to them like you're 8. There's no way to break through that.

The October selection for Austin Film Society's Texas Documentary Tour, is Doug Block's powerful doc, 51 Birch Street. A sensation on the festival circuit these last 12 months (where it played Toronto, IDFA, SXSW, among many others), the film is a gripping portrait of Block's family, especially the relationship between himself and his parents. Shortly after Doug's trip to SXSW this year, the film recently entered into a deal with Truly Indie, which will open the film theatrically in New York on October 18. It will then roll out nationwide. But, Austin audiences will get a chance to see it before the national release, and have Doug Block in person for a Q&A. The screening will happen on Wednesday, October 11, 7:00 p.m. at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown. Be there, for a film that has won over audiences around the globe.

Appropriate programming alert: The monthly Texas Documentary Tour, presented by the Austin Film Society, will host a special screening of 2006 festival-circuit hit The Trials of Darryl Hunt. What better place to see the year's most acclaimed death row documentary, than in the capital of Texas? The screening, which will feature co-director Annie Sundberg in attendance, happens on Wednesday, September 13, at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown.

The next Essential Cinema Series hosted by the Austin Film Society is "Surviving the Blacklist: Joseph Losey in Europe," a collection of films by notable expat filmmaker Losey. It all begins September 5 with Eva and wraps up on October 10, with The Romantic Englishwoman. In between, audiences can spend every Tuesday night at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown, watching a handful of Losey's classics on the big screen. Here's an excerpt of how AFS Programmer Chale Nafus describes the series, via the Web site:

During the second wave of anti-Communist hearings by the House Committee on Un-American Activities in 1951, a subpoena was issued for Hollywood filmmaker Joseph Losey to appear in Washington, DC. Instead of waiting around to be served the summons, Losey and his wife took an extended vacation in Europe. His name was then added to the well-known (but officially denied) blacklist of all entertainment workers suspected of leftist political activities or attitudes.

For the rest of his life Losey worked in the UK and Europe as a director, initially under an assumed name. His work was always interesting and uniquely his own, but it wasn’t until EVA (1962) and THE SERVANT (1963) that Losey gained an international reputation. Besides working on the latter film, noted playwright Harold Pinter developed two more screenplays with Losey: ACCIDENT and THE GO-BETWEEN. They were a perfect match. But then, some would say unfortunately, the expatriate American director met the Burtons, Richard and Liz. Together, in a drunken spree, they brought the world one of the unheralded camp classics, BOOM! That same year and more sedately Elizabeth Taylor turned in a fine performance for Losey in SECRET CEREMONY (1968). Burton also worked more civilly with Losey as leader of the anti-Stalinists in THE ASSASSINATION OF TROTSKY (1972).