This past Saturday, two Austinites took home Independent Spirit Awards! Chris Eska took home the "John Cassavetes Award" for his feature August evening, and Laura Dunn took home the "Truer than Fiction Award" for her film The Unforeseen, a documentary look at the controversy surrounding Austin's real estate development and its impact on the Edwards Aquifer and Barton Springs....

Dear Pillow poster by Rob Jones Dear Pillow DVD Release PartyMonday, November 12thAustin School of Film8pm, Free, Beer and snacks provided[info]Austin-made indie favorite Dear Pillow will hit the shelves tomorrow in DVD form (courtesy of Heretic Films), and tonight the Austin School of Film will host a party to celebrate the occasion. Written and Directed by Bryan Poyser (who we interviewed about his latest short Grammy's during SXSW), Dear Pillow tells the story of a......

ACL Previews Interview: Ghostland Observatory Previews: The Broken West, Big Sam’s Funky Nation & Rose Hill Drive Previews: Billy Joe Shaver and Fionn Regan Previews: Brandon Rhyder and Ocote Soul Sounds Interview: The Broken West Previews: Sylvia St. James, Jeffrey Steele, and Amy Cook Interview: Bloc Party ACL Fest Updates: Google Mashup, Contests, Eco-Chic Previews: Augustana, Amos Lee Interview: Peter, Bjorn, and John ACL Band Clash, Round 3: Wilco Vs My Morning Jacket Travis......

Go Texas Film! After a lengthy submission and selection process, the Austin Film Society has announced the recipients of the 2007 Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund. After receiving a whopping 218 applications (the most they've ever received), the AFS has awarded 21 Texas filmmakers $150,000 in cash and film stock (nearly double the amount of money awarded last year, and by far the most they've ever given away). The biggest individual grant went to June Lee,......

Last week, we told you a little bit about the 2007 Femme Film Texas Festival, featuring short films from female filmmakers around the globe. Centered on the themes of identity, perception, and reality, the festival is designed to demonstrate how we can all experience the same events differently, and what the variations in our experience mean. The festival takes place this Saturday, July 28, at The Hideout downtown. After the jump, we've included the full......

As you may have read months ago, Richard Linklater’s Fast Food Nation took Cannes by storm earlier this year. The hometown folks will get to see what all the hullaballo’s about next Tuesday, as the Austin Film Society and Sustainable Food Center will be screening the Austin premiere of the fictional adaptation of Eric Schlosser’s best-selling book. “We are thrilled to premiere this powerful film in Austin and to partner with Sustainable Food Center to......

Since 1996, the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund has awarded cash and production services to "emerging film and video artists in the state of Texas... whose work shows promise, skill, and creativity." The Austin Film Society recently announced the winners of its 2006 Production Fund; the awards panel, led by indie film legend Allison Anders, supplied 18 hard-working Texas filmmakers with $125,000 in goods and services, the largest amount the TFPF has awarded to date.......

Austin Film Society turns 20 this year, and tonight they're celebrating by hosting a huge party at Austin Studios. Acclaimed director and Austinite Richard Linklater and AFS founders will be debuting the brand spankin' new 20th Anniversary Retrospective Book, which AFS members (current and new) will receive a copy of. The free soiree comes replete with music, Ruby's BBQ and drinks from Tito's Vodka and Dos Equis/Capitol Beverage. They'll also have a whole new......

Kat Candler has only recently wrapped her latest film, jumping off bridges, and already big things are happening. First, the rough cut of the film was chosen for the 2005 Independent Feature Project's Rough Cuts Lab. Kat and her Storie Productions cohorts (Lorie Marsh and Stacy Schoolfield) will travel to NYC in September to be a part of the market magic. Then, The Texas Filmmakers Production Fund awarded the film a $5,000 grant, which......

This week is perhaps best summed up by the words of the English poet William Blake, who remarked: "The road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom." As much as we'd like to claim that we've actually read Blake, we stole that from 24-Hour Party People. Did we forget anything? Let us know. M O N D A Y film · The Austin Film Society presents the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund screening of "The......