The 28th annual Austin Film Festival returns to multiple venues, both downtown and at the Galaxy Theaters until October 28th. There is plenty to experience with both the conference and the films, so here is a quick peek at some films and updates on the conference.
Conference – the Austin Film Festival staff and special guest Ryan P. Hall provide the Opening Remarks in The Austin Club to kick off the 28th Annual Festival and Conference. Following this is A Conversation with Jeff Nichols.
There are new panels, conference additions and some changes due to cancellations. All speakers and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice.
Panelist cancellations since the program book was printed: Will Berson, Craig Brody, Phil Hay, Brian Helgeland, John Hoberg, Mary Laws, Kat Likkel, Scott Myers, Nick Offerman, Larry Postel, Scott Rosenberg, Kegan Schell, Virgil Williams
Panel Cancellations: A Conversation with Nick Offerman | Saturday, October 23 at 3:00 pm; Script-to-Screen: Judas and the Black Messiah; and the Virtual Conversation with Tracy Oliver.
FILM HIGHLIGHTS
The Same Storm 7pm at Paramount Theater
The Same Storm is an intimate, emotional glimpse into the lives of twenty-four characters persevering over the spring and summer of 2020. The film focuses on our great ache for human connection and demonstrates our fierce determination to maintain relationships when familiar avenues we’ve long taken to touch one another are abruptly closed off. In attendance: Peter Hedges (director), Raúl Castillo (cast member)
Ghosts of the Ozarks 7:15pm at the State Theater (and Monday, 10/25 at Galaxy Theater, 6:30pm)
In 1866, a young doctor is summoned by his uncle to a remote town in the Ozarks only to discover upon his arrival that the utopian paradise is not all that it seems to be. In attendance: Jordan Wayne Long (writer / director), Matt Glass (director), Tara Perry (writer / actor), Thomas Hobson (actor)
Ragged Heart 7:15pm at St. David’s Church (and Wednesday, 10/27 at Galaxy Theater, 6:15 pm)
When his estranged daughter Miranda tragically dies, Wyatt sets out to complete the last song she wrote, hoping to somehow redeem himself and let her rest in peace. In attendance: Evan McNary (writer/director) and Mike McNary
Karmalink 10:45 pm at the State Theater
In near-future Phnom Penh, a teenage boy teams up with a street-smart girl from his neighborhood to untangle the mystery of his past-life dreams. What begins as a hunt for a Buddhist treasure soon leads to greater discoveries that will either end in digital enlightenment or a total loss of identity. In attendance: Jake Wachtel (writer/director), Valerie Steinberg (producer)
The French Dispatch 10:30pm at Paramount Theater (limited capacity)
The French Dispatch brings to life a collection of stories from the final issue of an American magazine published in a fictional 20th-century French city. writer/director: Wes Anderson
Cast: Benico del Toro, Adrien Brody, Tilda Swinton, Léa Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Timothée Chalamet, Lyna Khoudri, Jeffrey Wright, Mathieu Amalric, Stephen Park, Bill Murray and Owen Wilson
It Hatched 10:30pm at St. David’s Church (and Wednesday, 10/25 at Galaxy Theater, 10:25 pm)
It Hatched follows the couple Mira & Pétur who journey from Nashville, TN to Iceland, where they’re planning to open a guesthouse in a remote fjord. Their plans are soon altered when an ancient Icelandic demon starts harassing them with vivid night terrors. What follows is a chain of events that include Pétur facing dementia, Mira laying an infant-sized egg and both of them squaring up against the tall task of…parenting. (Iceland)
Source: Austin Film Festival