Austin Film Festival begins October 20^th, and the schedule is chock full of work by RTF students, alumni, and faculty members. Check out some of the following films and conferences:

SHORTS

BENNY (USA, 15min.)
Written by RTF Alums Huay Bing-Law and Evan Ho
Directed by Huay Bing-Law
An overweight teen contemplates doing something about his weight. At the local gym, he runs into his former babysitter, now a personal fitness trainer.

Z & Beau (USA, 12 min)
Written and Directed by RTF Alum Carlyn Hudson
A couple on the lam avoids traditional society until a mysterious stranger appears and ruins everything.
To precede: Treatment

Recess (USA, 3min.)

Directed by RTF Alum Bradley Montesi

A new student finds he may already have all the friends he needs.

Ronnie's Donuts (USA, 7min.)
Written and directed by RTF MFA Production student Nathan Efstation
When his donut store robbery goes bad, Ronnie finds his true calling.
To precede: High Road

Archer (USA, 15min.) 
Produced and shot by RTF Alum Chelsea Hernandez
After a long day reading to his deceased wife at the local cemetery, Mr. Archer is asked to leave by a young groundskeeper who is closing up. The two try to find common ground in a world of loneliness.
In Shorts 1

Playing Doctor (USA, 8min.)
Writen and Directed by RTF Alum Willie Rockefeller
Misdiagnosis has become a growing issue in our society, leaving us to ask, “Are doctors really...doctors?”
To precede: Freak Dance
 

FEATURES

Jeff Who Lives at Home (USA, 83 min.)
 US PREMIERE.
Writers/Directors: Jay Duplass (RTF Alum), Mark Duplass

Cast: Jason Segel, Ed Helms, Susan Sarandon, Judy Greer, Rae Dawn Chong

Like many of the characters who spring from the minds of Jay and Mark Duplass, Jeff (Segel) probably doesn’t even remotely resemble anyone you know, yet by the end of the film, he has come to inhabit and represent many of the emotional foibles and hopeful desires that we recognize in ourselves. Living in his mother’s basement without a job, Jeff can’t even bring himself to leave the house to run some simple errands. Instead, he sits around hoping that destiny will fall straight into his lap. After interpreting a strange coincidence as a sign that he my have finally discovered his fate, Jeff finds himself on a strange journey with his estranged brother that will take them both to some very interesting places. Jason Segel and Ed Helms give their best performances yet in a film that will move you in ways you may not expect. 


Strings (USA, 98 min)
 REGIONAL PREMIERE.
Writer: Mark Dennis (RTF Alum)

Director: Mark Dennis; Ben Foster (RTF Alum)

Cast: Billy Harvey, Karl Anderson, Elle LaMont, Chris Potter, Jack Lee, Daniel Dasent, Phillip Yeager, Gary Chason, Olivia Draguicevich

In the wake of his daughter's death, a troubled musician seeks out an experimental therapist to turn his life around. When the therapist calls for him to leave everything behind and take on a new identity, the musician realizes his new life isn't what it seems and his therapist is using patients to commit vigilante crimes. Providing the foundation for this action-packed film is a drama about a man grappling with who he has become while reaching for his past life. Shot in various locales with a stirring script by co-director Mark Dennis, the film showcases a strong ensemble cast of mostly Austin-based actors lead by Harvey and Anderson. 

An Ordinary Family (USA, 93 min)

Director: Mike Akel (Former RTF faculty)
Writers: Mike Akel; Matt Patterson
Editor: David Fabelo (RTF Alum)
Filmmaker Mike Akel brings his latest film to the festival after taking home both the Narrative Feature Jury and Audience Awards at the 2006 Austin Film Festival for his debut feature, Chalk. An Ordinary Family introduces us to the adult children of the Biederman family and their significant others as they gather for their annual summer reunion. The eldest brother, Thomas, is a married minister with deeply held religious convictions about what “family” means. However, things get tense when his recently outed brother, Seth, brings home his new boyfriend to meet everyone. Each family member has a different reaction, but Thomas is the most conflicted about his brother’s new life. Akel has the unique ability as a filmmaker to observe and expose the small moments in people’s lives as dynamic scenes, making the awkward things very significant.

You Hurt My Feelings (USA, 85 min.)
 REGIONAL PREMIERE.
Writer/Director: Steve Collins (RTF Alum)

Cast: John Merriman, Courtney Davis, Macon Blair

Rarely does a film as thoughtfully quiet as this one speak such volumes. John Merriman stars as Johnny, a male nanny who tries to win back his girlfriend after she takes up with a man who looks just like him. Although Johnny seems to have a genuine desire to create a family of his own, he can’t seem to bring himself to follow through on the idea. The film tracks the growth of the relationships between Johnny, his girlfriend, and her new man over four seasons in New England, as writer/director Steve Collins adds layer upon layer to these three fascinating characters. A drama with the humor of spring and the sorrow of winter, YOU HURT MY FEELINGS speaks with the honesty of a child about people struggling to let go of darkness and find love.

PANELS

Cindy McCreery, RTF’s newest screenwriting professor, will participate in two panels. Professor Stuart Kelban and Department Chair Paul Stekler will moderate several as well.

Roundtable: The Creative Side
October 20, 2:45pm-4:00pm
St. David’s Church, Crail Hall

Breaking Into the Business: A Conversation With Bryan Brucks, Cindy McCreery & Tim Talbott     
October 21, 10:45am-12:00pm
Driskill Hotel, Maximilian Room

Sustaining a Writing Career Outside of LA
Driskill Hotel, Jim Hogg Parlor
As the pace of technology catches up and film communities grow in cities throughout the world, writers are finding it easier and easier to work outside of Hollywood. Join the discussion on ways to maintain your writing career away from the main centers of film production.
James V. Hart, Tim McCanlies, Monte Williams
Moderated by Stuart Kelban

Authors and Screenwriters: Adaptations and Writing in Different Mediums
Driskill Hotel, Citadel Room
This panel covers the demands and benefits of writing for different industries; prioritizing research and writing time; using different writing processes; and recognizing how to trim, refine, and enhance a story's potential when adapting from the page to the screen.Presented with the Texas Book Festival.
Ernest Cline, Tom Perrotta, Pamela Ribon, Jenny Wingfield
Moderated by Stuart Kelban

Authors and Screenwriters: Adaptations and Writing in Different Mediums
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Parlor
This panel covers the demands and benefits of writing for different industries; prioritizing research and writing time; using different writing processes; and recognizing how to trim, refine, and enhance a story's potential when adapting from the page to the screen.Presented with the Texas Book Festival.
Noah Hawley, Brian McGreevy, Anne Rapp
Moderated by Stuart Kelban

Documentaries 101
Driskill Hotel, Hogg Parlor
Join these notable documentary filmmakers as they walk you thorough the production steps of a documentary feature. From an inventive idea to a marketable trailer to the time you’ll need to spend filming and editing, these experts will relate their own experiences and offer insight on how to maintain control of your concept while staying true to your real-life subject.
Karen Bernstein, Vince Clemente, Henry Corra, Vanessa Roth, Michael Urie
Moderated by Paul Stekler