It’s too late to submit an entry to the first annual Bootstrap Film Festival, but sensitive entrepreneurs, aspiring Linklaters and anyone interested in the Octopus Club’s colorful art auction or stories about mystical cab drivers may want to check out this interactive, hybrid event to be held this Thursday night. more ›

David Berman, the head honcho behind the massively influential Silver Jews, made a turnaround these past couple of years that has both shocked and delighted his many loyal fans. While Berman became renowned through Silver Jews releases like The Natural Bridge and American Water, not to mention a turn at poetry with 1999’s Actual Air, he more recently experienced a religious rebirth and crawled out of his “hell-hole life,” as he described it, discovering an only hinted-at passion for Judaism as well as a renewed appreciation for everyday life. more ›

Okay, as much as we love Beverly Hills Cop (and Family Guy), we've actually got a more important topic to cover here. The Austin Film Festival is continuing its popular Conversations in Film series this Sunday, August 5th, with a special session on Story and Structure: What to Think About Before You Write the Script. Leading this conversation is none other than Dan Petrie, Jr., who's worked on such top films as Turner and Hooch,... more ›

Highlights from this week's IST List: Folk-pop crooner Page France brings the sparkling jingle-jangle of Page France and the Family Telephone to Emo's, alongside Bishop Allen, The Teeth, and Frank Smith Sidebar's turning three, and they're buying you a drink on the house to celebrate. Join them for Ruby's BBQ, DJ Supafly, and giveaways Alas, one of our favorite social butterflies is flying away to--where else?--New York City. Before he leaves, join Dave "KidIndie"... more ›

Whether you like Michael Moore or think he's an anti-American nutjob, the guy's coming out with a new movie. Sicko is a study of America's (failing) health care system. Moore talks to victims (like a man who had to choose which of his two severed fingers to reattach, because he couldn't afford both) and perpetrators (oft-repentant health insurance agents) of the U.S. health care system, then trots (okay, maybe plods) around the globe in search... more ›

If your first thought upon hearing of the new movie I'm Reed Fish is "Who's Reed Fish?" you're certainly not alone. Who is Reed Fish? Is that even a real name? How could his (her?) parents be so cruel/awesome? Why don't more people have animal last names (we want to meet a Mr. Platypus)? Shouldn't Reed Fish & Co. be the name of a hedge fund company? And are there real live "reed fish"? (Yes,... more ›

We love a good cry, and we are expecting a Niagra Falls worthy Wednesday night, as Austin Film Festival brings us Away From Her, the directorial/screenwriting debut of Canadian powerhouse Sarah Polley. You may remember Polley from Dawn of the Dead, My Life Without Me and of course, the Road to Avonlea series. (Come on, we know you have the entire Anne of Green Gables spinoff on VHS right next to your NKOTB action figures.)
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This Sunday, March 18th, the Austin Film Festival and 'Specially for Children will present a free sneak screening of New Line Cinema's family sci-fi film, The Last Mimzy. The screening (which will take place at the Regal Arbor Cinema as part of the AFF's Target Family Film Series) will help raise funds for a film-themed infusion room for teenagers with cancer and blood disorders at the Children's Ambulatory Blood and Cancer Center. Based on the... more ›

Turk Pipkin is a Texas original who has built a colorful and successful career as a writer, comedian, performer and actor. After appearing in dozens of productions and writing several books, Pipkin decided to focus his creative energies on an issue of global importance. Through his interviews with nine Nobel laureates, Pipkin’s documentary Nobelity, focuses on the most pressing problems in our world today and how we can attempt to leave the planet a better... more ›

Almodóvar gets a rare and worthy second look: Beginning next Friday, October 6th, the Arbor has a two-week treat for fans of Pedro Almodóvar. The controversial and flamboyant director of All About My Mother and Talk To Her will receive the retrospective treatment, as the Arbor shows new prints of eight of Pedro's films until October 19th. Titles include early classics Matador and Law Of Desire, which are not even available on DVD in... more ›

Tired from a long weekend of listening to music, dancing, drinking and sweating? What better way to unwind than feeding your mind than a nice evening in a cool theatre with a film? Sounds good, right? Well, you're in luck. The Austin Film Society is hosting a FREE advance screening of Boynton Beach Club, a sweet comedy about a group of senior citizens living in an "Active Adult" community in Boynton Beach, Florida. The group... more ›

*This post comes from new Austinist film contributor Christopher Sharpe.* Update: Additional screening to be held tonight at University of Texas, Burdine #216, one block south of Dean Keeton between University and Wichita @ 7:30pm. Five years after the September 11th attacks, video stores could probably devote an entire section to 9/11 conspiracy documentaries. Unfortunately, most of them suck. With a few notable exceptions, 9/11 docs range from amateurish depictions of interesting ideas to completely... more ›

Poverty, famine, political corruption, a fragile ecosystem that is growing more fragile by the day. The world is facing some serious concerns and we must be very conscientious in the way we move forward if we want to have any hope of leaving it a better place for our children. Author, actor, filmmaker Turk Pipkin felt the weight of these pressing global concerns, so he went and found some of the world’s brightest people... more ›

: : FRIDAY : : [film] New Movies @ Your Local Theater! [music] Willie Nelson @ Stubb's (also Saturday) [music] The Queers, The Vibrators, The Independents (outside) and Wolf Eyes, Prurient and Rubble (inside) @ Emo's [music] CD release show for The Lovely Sparrows & Big Blue Marble @ Beerland [music] The Arm and New Model Army @ Elysium [film/lecture] Rabia Clark presents her short film, "The Dervish Project", 7pm @ Ventana del Sol... more ›

M O N D A Y [3] film · "Bamako Chic"'s creator Maureen Gosling, a former Austin resident, is back in town hosting a special fundraising screening of "Blossoms of Fire" - her 16mm documentary film about the people of Juchitán, Oaxaca, Mexico - at Austin Studios. (7pm, map) music · 54 Seconds play Lucky Lounge (10pm) in-store · Billy Joe Shaver at Waterloo Records (5pm) film · aGLIFF runs through Saturday - check their... more ›

Tomorrow night, the Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival (aGLIFF) hosts the 5th Annual My Gay Movie (MGM) screening and awards ceremony, intended to give recognition to up-and-coming filmmakers across the country - with an emphasis on those in Austin, naturally. Last year's award categories still crack us up: · Best exploitation of household pets · Best impersonation of character from Gone With the Wind · Best lesson on accessorizing · Best product... more ›