Results tagged “affdocumentary”

There are lots of goodies on tap tonight, from the festival's most outrageous documentary to a Chinese historical epic. Docs are definitely on show, starting with Floored, about the traders on Chicago's stock exchange. Already one of the most interesting jobs in America, we're expecting some memorable characters up in here.

It’s a game they hadn’t played since grade school, everyone holds a beer while they play, and they run the wrong way around the bases. The appeal of a game of kickball is obvious. But somewhere amid all the drinking, swearing, mock brawls, and (oh yeah) the kickball games themselves, this film becomes about something more than kickball.

Friday. Day two of Austin Film Festival. Everything’s really getting going now, but you’re already worn out from yesterday’s insanity. Not to worry, we have you all set! We’ve even taken into account that some panels might be full, so we’ve gone ahead and given you a backup. That’s just the kind of friends we are.

Terry Hitchcock, the self-professed "dreamer of the family," found himself grounded in harsh reality when his wife passed away from breast cancer in 1984. After losing his job shortly thereafter, Hitchcock was starting to fade away. The daunting task of single parenthood loomed large overhead, channeling fears of constant uncertainty, crushing loneliness, and general hardship; he had three kids to usher through adolescence, not to mention a major grieving process. Hitchcock discovered that he still needed to learn how to be a parent and that's what he did for over ten years before realizing he felt incredibly passionate about the lack of knowledge, resources, and empathy for single-parent families. Inspired by his hero, Terry Fox, Hitchcock decided to bring attention to single parenthood by challenging himself to run 75 consecutive marathons in 75 consecutive days. **Insert Forrest Gump reference here**

Though still considered something of a force in terms of culture and energy, once upon a time in the late 1970s, New York City was the true epicenter of all things gritty, wild and revolutionary in terms of music, art and fashion. That’s according to the AFF Documentary Feature Downtown Calling, which focuses on a few transformative years in one of the world’s liveliest cities.