“Two are relatively well known Hollywood productions depicting the foremost revolutionary, Pancho Villa and Emiliano Zapata. Three films from Mexico, all directed by Fernando de Fuentes in the 1930s, tell tales of courage, loyalty, betrayal, friendship, deception, warfare, land, victory, loss, love, and death,” writes Austin Film Society Director of Programming Chale Nafus. “De Fuentes was not afraid to present his own critique of revolutionary leaders, corrupt officials, and the legends of the Revolution. Censored, underrated, and nearly forgotten, Fernando de Fuentes and his unblinking camera have been rediscovered and can now be presented in honor of his accomplishments and in recognition of the Mexican Revolution.”

For complete film descriptions and high resolution publicity stills, visit www.austinfilm.org. The schedule is as follows:

September 14 – VAMONOS CON PANCHO VILLA Directed by Fernando de Fuentes. Mexico, 1936, digital, Cinemateca and Facets Film & Video, B&W, 1.37:1, 92 min. Spanish with English subtitles

September 21 – VILLA VILLA! Directed by Jack Conway (with help from Howard Hawks and William A. Wellman). USA, 1934, an MGM production, archival 35mm print from Warner Classics, B&W, 1.37:1, 110 min.

September 28 – EL COMPADRE MENDOZA Written and directed by Fernando de Fuentes and Juan Bustillo Oro. Mexico, 1934, digital, Cinemateca and Facets Film & Video, B&W, 1.37:1, 85 min. Spanish with English subtitles

October 5 - VIVA ZAPATA! Directed by Elia Kazan. USA, 1952, a 20th Century Fox Film production, archival 35mm print from Academy Film Archive, B&W, 1.37:1, 113 min.

October 12 – EL PRISIONERO 13 Directed by Fernando de Fuentes. Mexico, 1933, digital, Cinemateca and Facets Film & Video, B&W, 1.37:1, 76 min. Spanish with English subtitle

Admission is FREE for new or current AFS members and $6 for non-members. Tickets may be purchased online at www.austinfilm.org. Online ticket sales close at 3 PM on the day of the screening for each film. Remaining tickets will be available inside the theater on the day of the screening. Reserved tickets not claimed by 6:55 PM will be made available for sale.

Austin Film Society’s Essential Cinema is funded and supported in part by the City of Austin through the Cultural Arts Division and by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts and an award from the National Endowment for the Arts, which believes that a great nation deserves great art.

Austin Film Society promotes the appreciation of film and supports creative media production by screening rarely seen films, giving grants and other support to emerging filmmakers, and providing access and education about film to youth and the public. Through Austin Studios, which AFS opened in 2000 in partnership with the City of Austin, AFS helps attract film development and production to Austin and Texas. Gala film premieres and the annual Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards raise funds as well as awareness of the impact of film on economy and community. Austin Film Society is ranked among the top film centers in the country and recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and Directors Guild of America. For more information on Austin Film Society, visit www.austinfilm.org

Cash grants totaling $93,000 and $6,000 worth of Kodak film stock and $5,000 in in-kind services from Seattle-based Alpha Cine Labs will be dispersed to 24 projects to recipients of the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund, adding to cash grants totaling $7,000 in stipends already dispersed to 10 Texas filmmakers via the Travel Grant program. The largest grant this year went to Ausinite Patrick Bresnan’s documentary feature VIETNAM APPRECIATION DAY, about a subculture of Vietnam War reenactors in suburban Pennsylvania. He received a $9,000 post-production grant for the film.

“The Austin Film Society is humbled by the hundreds of individuals and companies that contributed to make this year’s Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund possible,” said Rebecca Campbell, executive director of the Austin Film Society. “It goes to show how committed our community is to independent, diverse voices in filmmaking.”

Three Austin filmmakers who made award-winning first features received $7,000 grants to help complete their second films. Bob Byington will follow up the festival darling comedy HARMONY AND ME with SEVEN CHINESE BROTHERS, set to star Patton Oswalt (RATATOUILLE, BIG FAN). Kyle Henry received a grant to complete the 4th and final segment of his omnibus feature FOURPLAY, which began an innovative festival-and-digital-download release earlier this summer. And, Chris Eska, winner of the John Cassavetes Award at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards for his debut AUGUST EVENING, received a grant for the Civil War-set drama SEPTEMBER MORNING.

Two feature documentaries also received $7,000 grants – Ruth Villatoro’s THE CANTINERA, which follows the daily lives of three “cantineras” in Houston – women hired by Latin bars to drink with their male clients; and Susanne Mason’s RETURN TO SENDER which examines the difficult transition faced by prisoners after they are released.

Projects from outside of Austin also fared well this year. Four filmmakers from Houston received grants – Villatoro’s THE CANTINERA, Roberto Minervini’s narrative feature MARFA RED, Jenalia Moreno & Nancy Sarnoff’s documentary STITCHED and Mary Magsamen & Stephan Hillerbrand’s experimental short FOUR PLACE SETTING. 
Two projects by El Paso filmmakers received grants – Elvira Carrizal-Dukes’ narrative feature OCHOA and Mikey Reyes & Carlos Corral’s narrative short RED SANDS. San Antonio filmmaker Will Shipley received a grant for his narrative short MENTIROSO and Laredo filmmaker Marcela Moran received a grant for her documentary short JORNALEROS.

AFS raises funds for TFPF through the annual Texas Film Hall of Fame
and major premieres like ME AND ORSON WELLES, PREDATORS and MACHETE.
AFS also successfully raised $40,000 for TFPF through online donation
and direct mail campaigns this summer. The final grant decisions were made by a panel of three acclaimed filmmakers from outside of the state – Sam Green, the Oscar-nominated director of the documentary THE WEATHER UNDERGROUND; Emily Hubley, director of many award-winning animated shorts and the feature THE TOE TACTIC which premiered at SXSW in 2008; and Alex Rivera, director of the sci-fi feature SLEEP DEALER, winner of two awards at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

AFS Director of Artist Services Bryan Poyser administered the 2010 TFPF and he was assisted by TFPF coordinators Elin Dunigan and Emily Robinson.

Special thanks to the sponsors of the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund: the Texas Commission on the Arts, the City of Austin Cultural Funding Program, Alpha Cine Labs, Kodak, the Four Seasons Hotel, Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas and The Mohawk.

Photos (300 dpi) available upon request.

2010 Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund Recipients

59 SECONDS
Angela Torres Camarena
15 min narrative
$3,500 production, post-production & distribution

BIG BOY
Thomas Hackett
90 min narrative
$3,000 post-production

THE CANTINERA
Ruth Villatoro
80 min documentary
$7,000 for production

DEAD TO RIGHTS: THE WILLINGHAM CASE
Stephen Mims & Joe Bailey
90 min documentary
$3,000 production

FOUR PLACE SETTING
Mary Magsamen & Stephan Hillerbrand
14 min experimental
$1,000 post-production & distribution
$1,000 Alpha Cine Labs services

FOURPLAY
Kyle Henry
85 min experimental narrative
$7,000 post-production

THE GLIDERS OF ARCOSANTI
Jaime Cano
28 min narrative
$2,000 production & post-production

THE HAPPY POET
Paul Gordon & David Hartstein
85 min narrative
$2,000 distribution

JORNALEROS
Marcela Moran
30 min documentary
$1,000 production & post-production

JUST BETWEEN US 
Karen Skloss
7 min experimental narrative
$1,000 production & post-production
$4,000 Alpha Cine Labs services

MARFA RED
Roberto Minervini
85 min narrative
$7,000 post-production & distribution

MENTIROSO
Wilfred Shipley
10 min narrative
$2,000 production

OCHOA 
Elvira Carrizal-Dukes
90 min narrative
$2,000 post-production

PARENTS BEHAVING BADLY AT AN 8TH GRADE BASKETBALL GAME
Scott Meyers
90 min narrative
$4,000 post-production

RED SANDS
Mikey Reyes & Carlos Corral
18 min narrative
$2,000 post-production

RETURN TO SENDER
Susanne Mason
60 min documentary
$7,000 production

SAY HELLO TO MR. GO: AN ELEGY FOR SOUTH LOUISIANA
Don Howard
57 min documentary
$3,000 production
$3,000 Kodak film stock

SEPTEMBER MORNING
Chris Eska
85 min narrative
$7,000 production

SEVEN CHINESE BROTHERS
Bob Byington
90 min narrative
$7,000 production

STITCHED 
Jenalia Moreno & Nancy Sarnoff
60 min documentary
$1,500 production

UNTITLED GAY RETIREE DOCUMENTARY
PJ Raval
90 min documentary
$5,000 post-production

UNTITLED ZAYTUNA PROJECT 
Maryam Kashani
70 min experimental documentary
$3,000 production
$3,000 Kodak film stock

VIETNAM APPRECIATION DAY
Patrick Xavier Bresnan
90 min documentary
$9,000 post-production

WAR STORIES
Ricardo Ainslie
90 min documentary
$3,000 production & post-production

2010 Travel Grant Recipients (To Date)

David Modigliani
61 BULLETS
IFP Project Forum

Tammy Nguyen Lee
OPERATION BABYLIFT: THE LOST CHILDREN OF VIETNAM
San Diego Asian Film Festival

Michel O. Scott
THE HORSE BOY
International Documentary Festival Amsterdam

David Lowery
ST. NICK
Thessaloniki Film Festival

Amy Grappell
QUADRANGLE
Sundance Film Festival
Rotterdam Film Festival

Sam Douglas
CITIZEN ARCHITECT
Hot Docs

Kyle Henry
FOURPLAY: SAN FRANCISCO
Outfest

Clay Liford
EARTHLING
Outfest

Chris Ohlson
MELVIN
IFP Rough Cuts Labs

Paul Gordon
THE HAPPY POET
Traverse City Film Festival

Austin Film Society promotes the appreciation of film and supports creative filmmaking by screening rarely seen films, giving grants and other support to emerging filmmakers, and providing access and education about film to youth and the public. Through Austin Studios, which AFS opened in 2000 in partnership with the City of Austin, AFS helps attract film development and production to Austin and Texas. Gala film premieres and the annual Texas Film Hall of Fame Awards raise funds as well as awareness of the impact of film on economy and community. The Austin Film Society is ranked among the top film centers in the country and recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts and Directors Guild of America. For more information on Austin Film Society, visit www.austinfilm.org.

But we can’t do it without your help! Below you will find an email interview with Jim Stedman and 05Minute Productions, a TFPF recipient in 2004. More information on the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund >>

AFS: What is your name, the title of your project, the year and amount of your grant?

JS: Jim Stedman, PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, 2004, $2,000

What is the movie or project about?

PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS takes a futuristic glimpse into a world where technology has taken the place of psychiatric pharmaceuticals. With the flick of a button a self-medicating society can now program their cell phone or PDA to change their moods at will. But as with any “feel good” remedy ignoring the problem does not always make it go away.

What did you use your grant money for? How did the grant help forward your project along?

The TFPF grant money allowed us to shoot our short the way we’d envisioned it. It helped us to secure the cast and crew we wanted (including flying our lead actress, Camille Chen, in from Los Angeles). It was also used toward post production/distribution packaging.

Are there any memorable moments in receiving the grant?

I think being awarded a TFPF grant was a very memorable moment. We’d submitted projects for several years with no luck. The TFPF grant was something we’d wanted to add to our list of filmmaking accomplishments. When we got the word, we were just happy to be included in the company of TFPF grant recipients (past and present).

What festivals did your film screen at?

The film screened on Filmmaker’s Focus. Honestly, we had trouble getting this film into festivals because of its odd subject matter and runtime. We tried to cut it down to a more festival-friendly time but the story didn’t make sense. We’ve run into this issue before but ultimately every project has helped us to move forward and improve on our filmmaking. It’s just part of the business – some films get into everything, some into none.

What are other sources for funding of your work?

We’ve worked with Producers both in Austin and LA as well as on privately funded projects. We’ve been funded by competitions such as the Chrysler/Hypnotic/Universal Studios Million Dollar Film Contest. We also fund our own projects, as do many independent filmmakers, if we feel strongly about the subject matter.

Since receiving the grant, how has it affected your career as a working artist?

The TFPF grant has helped give our projects legitimacy. Having the Austin Film Society/TFPF stamp of approval goes a long way toward putting together a production, finding cast/crew and funding.

But we can’t do it without your help! Below you will find an email interview with Miguel Alvarez, a TFPF recipient in 2006 and 2008. If you can donate $25 or more, you will receive an invitation to the 2010 recipients party on Monday, August 30 at the Mohawk. More information on the Texas Filmmakers’ Production Fund >>

AFS: What is your name, the title of your project, the year and amount of your grant?

MA: Miguel Alvarez, VETERANS (2006) $2,000, and MNEMOSYNE RISING (2008) $5,000.

What is the movie or project about?

VETERANS: A documentary portrait of my grandfather and father, two men whose lives are ultimately defined by the wars they’ve waged both abroad and within themselves.

MNEMOSYNE RISING: A solitary deep-space transmitter pilot begins to experience unusual flashbacks when he learns he’s being sent back to Earth.

What did you use your grant money for? How did the grant help forward your project along?

VETERANS: The money paid for Super8 film stock and processing, as well as sound design and tape masters.

MNEMOSYNE RISING: The grant paid for 35mm film stock and some production design costs.

In both cases, I wouldn’t have been able to finish shooting the film without either grant.

Are there any memorable moments in receiving the grant?

In 2006, the grant for VETERANS was the first I had ever received.  It helped legitimize the project in my mind.  In 2008, MNEMOSYNE RISING was such an ambitious project and finding out I received the grant was just a great relief that I wasn’t going to go broke.

What festivals did your film screen at?

We just released MNEMOSYNE RISING earlier this year, but so far we’ve played SXSW, Cine Las Americas Film Festival, Comicpalooza, Texas Filmmakers Showcase, Dragon*Con, and more upcoming hopefully.

Did your film win any awards?

At the Cine Las Americas Film Festival, MNEOSYNE RISING received an Honorable Mention in the Narrative Shorts competition.

What are other sources for funding of your work?

I’ve received money/services from the National Hispanic Foundation for the Arts, Kodak, Panavision, and of course, family.

Since receiving the grant, how has it affected your career as a working artist?

Well, once you’ve been funded, it’s easier to receive funding from other sources!

Festival Co-founder H.Cherdon Bedford says “The old Hollywood model is dying and independent filmmakers need a perspective shift. Texas Film Friday provides a new platform for Texas film and video artists to promote their works and build a loyal fan base, the key to success in new media markets. We must become truly independent, and create our own opportunities for success. Texas Film Friday has been created for just that purpose.”

The inaugural event, the First-Ever Texas Film Friday, will be held on Friday, November 12, 2010, from 7:00pm to 10:00pm, in Austin, Texas, at Austin Conservatory of Professional Artists studio at 908 East 5th Street, #106. The evening will include a screening of selected entries, ranging from short films to web series episodes to commercials, all Texas-made. Booth space is available for sponsors, vendors and related organizations. The audience will be encouraged to provide feedback.

Call for Submissions
Texas Film Friday is now accepting short films and video submissions including narratives, documentary, experimental, both short films and series, up to 20 minutes in length. Full submission details available online at http://www.texasfilmfriday.com/

Texas Film Friday is presented by Austin Film Meet and Texas Film Scene in association with Humblebee Media, Missing Shoe Films, Subcreations Productions, Ideal Scene Productions and Austin Conservatory of Professional Artists.

Submission Deadlines:
Regular Deadline: October 15, 2010  ($40)
Final Deadline: November 30, 2010  ($60)

Submit your film >>

Stekler’s documentaries on American politics include, LAST MAN STANDING: POLITICS, TEXAS STYLE, GEORGE WALLACE: SETTIN’ THE WOODS ON FIRE, winner of a Sundance Film Festival Special Jury Prize and VOTE FOR ME: POLITICS IN AMERICA, which won an Emmy, Peabody and duPont-Columbia Journalism award.

Austin American Statesman’s Article >>

• Tonight, Bob Ray wraps up the West Coast leg of his “Down & Dirty Austin Tour” with a screening of his new doc TOTAL BADASS at the Alamo South Lamar. This is the “true Texas tale of hilarious, crazy-ass writer/publisher/singer/weed-dealer/sex addict/Guinea pig enthusiast/dad/pirate radio host/raconteur and general man-about-town Chad Holt.” Expect some fun road-stories about the tour from Bob & Chad in attendance.
• Tomorrow night sees the homecoming of Austin filmmaker Ben Steinbauer’s hilarious award-winning doc WINNEBAGO MAN, opening in Austin after rolling through theaters in New York, LA and many cities in between and many more to come. For the occasion, the Austin Chronicle has put Ben’s film on the cover.
• Sunday night is a special screening of Bob Byington’s RSO [Registered Sex Offender] at the Ritz, to celebrate the impending Netflix debut of both RSO and Bob’s more recent film HARMONY AND ME. If you’re an AFS member, or one of the first 50 people to buy an advance ticket, you’ll go home with your very own DVD of HARMONY.

Add to this the August 30th Alamo screening of Paul Gordon’s THE HAPPY POET in advance of its international premiere at the Venice Days side-bar of the Venice Film Festival, former Austinite Jenn Garrison’s doc PRIZEWHORES enjoying a 10th anniversary screening on Sept. 14th and Bradley Beesley’s acclaimed doc SWEETHEARTS OF THE PRISON RODEO opening on Sept 17th and it would seem that Austin filmmakers are kicking ass and the Alamo Drafthouse is taking names. And that’s a beautiful thing.

MORPHING
Linking students together through creative camera work without dialogue, MORPHING captures the personality and magic of the tweener years at Pearce Middle School. This project was the collective effort of ten students in the Pearce Middle School program, instructed by AFS FIlmmaking Mentor Stephen Beyleu.  The students filmmakers include:  Anna Selana, Selliu Bambereta, Demetria Harris, Tionne Massey, Mariella Medrano, Juana Morales, Marcos Rodriguez, Joshua Scott, and Dvaughncee Simms.

NINJA STORIES
A five-part flipbook animated tale of a ninja who is constantly at odds with other foes. The film’s heavy dependence on swordplay, acrobatics and bloodshed confirm the Kuroswan influence on the young filmmaker, Erik Hendrik. His instructor at Travis High was AFS Filmmaking Mentor Radames Pera. In addition, this past May the film received the top award at the school-wide Travis High Arts Festival.

Check out the film in the AFS Youth Media Screening Room:

Too often young people at certain area schools are talked about in the terms of what they “can’t do” or are viewed by some as academic statistical liabilities. Here are two good examples of what they can do.

The AFS Film Club Workshop program is now gearing up for the new year, with plans to serve nine schools with over 400 free community workshops taught by AFS Filmmakers.

About the film:
He looked like just another day laborer from the streets, and the perfect fall guy for a crooked political assassination. But he turned out to be Machete (Danny Trejo), a legendary ex-federale with a deadly attitude and the skills to match. Left for dead after clashing with notorious Mexican drug kingpin Torrez (Steven Seagal), Machete has escaped to Texas, looking to disappear and forget his tragic past. But what he finds is a web of corruption and deceit that leaves a bullet in a senator and Machete a wanted man.

Machete sets out to clear his name and expose a deep conspiracy. Helping Machete even the odds are Luz (Michelle Rodriguez)—a sexy  taco-truck lady with a rebellious spirit and revolutionary heart, and Padre (Cheech Marin)—a priest who’s good with blessings, but better with guns. Carving a path of bullets, blood, and broken  hearts, Machete’s quest ultimately leads him back to Torrez for an epic battle of revenge and redemption.

Red carpet arrivals will begin at 7:30 PM. Press wishing to cover the red carpet MUST obtain credentials by emailing Agnes Varnum at agnes@austinfilm.org. No admittance to the red carpet area without prior credentials.

There will be a pre-sale ticket purchase window for Austin Film Society members, MACHETE crew and Fantastic Fest badgeholders from August 17th until August 20th at Noon. Tickets will go on sale to the general public on at 12 PM Saturday, August 21 through (866) 9PROTIX, protixonline.com or the Paramount Theatre box office.

All tickets include Q&A with the filmmakers and entrance to the official after-party at Austin Studios. Pricing as follows:

Special thanks to Troublemaker Studios, The Paramount Theater and The Austin Chronicle.

Proceeds from this event benefit the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund and the Texas Motion Picture Alliance (TXMPA).