Reel Independents Film Series at the Austin Public Library

The Hulu/laptop combo has proved to be a great one, but watching stuff for free doesn’t always have to feel quite so conventional. Change things up this summer by heading to the Austin Public Library for a slightly more social alternative; each month you’ll have two chances to see an independent film free of charge (and free of “limited commercial interruption”) that you probably wouldn’t have discovered otherwise.

The May Film Series offering is The Pope’s Toilet, the story of an Uruguayan town turned upside down when Pope John Paul II decides to visit. The plot centers on a particularly entrepreneurial citizen named Beto, who plans to profit from the masses by installing a euphemism in his front yard and charging for its use. What happens when toilet humor meets South American religious fervor? Visit the St. John Branch on May 6 or the Ruiz Branch on May 20 to find out.

June and July hold just as much discovery possibility with The Trap, a noir-ish Serbian drama, and In Love We Trust, a tale of heartbreak and ethical dilemmas set in China. Both films have been showered with acclaim in their own countries and elsewhere, so step away from the sitcom reruns, shut down your hard-working computer and join your fellow humans for a little culture, why don’t ya?

Remember, all bi-monthly semimonthly screenings are free, show time is always at 6:30 and you don’t even need to flash a library card to get in.