Get Your Updates Right Here: Austin Film Festival 2010

The Austin Film Festival is now less than two months away, and the information about who will be doing what where has been steadily trickling in. Several details have yet to be revealed, but we like what we see so far.

The Awards. Each year this screenwriting-focused festival hands out awards to three impressive artists in the field. Previous honorees have included Ron Howard, Mitchell Hurwitz, Lawrence Kasdan and Mike Judge; this year David Simon (The Wire, Treme) and David Peoples (Blade Runner, 12 Monkeys) will be recognized as Outstanding Television Writer and Distinguished Screenwriter, respectively.

The Lineup. Only ten films have officially been announced, but they look enticing, indeed. Fair Game stars Naomi Watts and tells the story of screwed-over CIA agent Valerie Plame. I Didn’t Come Here to Die illustrates that volunteer work can be a dangerous business. Make Believe, coming from the creators of The King of Kong, follows the lives of six young magicians trying to make it big, and The Space Between explores the unusual partnership that arises between a child and a flight attendant in the days following 9/11. See descriptions of all ten films here.

The Panelists. As usual, an impressive group of screenwriters and movie industry experts is slated to attend the conference portion of the festival. To name just a few, artists looking to break into the biz will have the chance to interact with people like Michael Arndt (writer for Toy Story 3), Alvaro Rodriguez (writer for Machete), Alison Macor (author of Chainsaws, Slackers and Spy Kids) and Graham Reynolds (composer of A Scanner Darkly and beloved Austinite).

The Parties. Tickets are on sale now for The 8th annual Food and Film Festival, a famously indulgent affair that will feature cuisine from Austin’s finest restaurants, silent and live auctions, music and an open bar. Held at the Driskill Hotel, this will be the best place to catch sight of John Lee Hancock (writer/director of The Blind Side) and any film celebrities who feel like stopping by. This event will be held Oct. 20th and tickets are $70 for AFF members, $80 for non-members.

We’ll keep you updated as more information is released. And one last thing: You have until Sept. 30 to buy your discounted badges, so get on it, film fans!