2019 Austin Film Festival Preview
The 25th Austin Film Festival kicks off this Thursday, October 24th and runs through the following Thursday, October 31st. I always have a great time at AFF. It features a good mix of big name Oscar contenders and small films seeking distribution. It’s also one of the most affordable festivals. A film pass will only set you back $75, and it gives you access to see every film at the festival. You can also purchase single tickets for $12 or $13 depending on the venue. With opening night fast approaching, I thought it would be fun to highlight some of the marquee films.
The Obituary of Tunde Johnson
Thursday, October 24th at 7PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Tunde Johnson should be happy, but there is emptiness, a sorrow inside of him he just can’t shake. He is adored by his wealthy, artist/intellectual Nigerian parents, his childhood best friend Marley and is also deeply in love with Soren, his closeted boyfriend who is the captain of the Lacrosse team. Tunde lives day in, day out, as Soren’s dark secret, as he is forced to deceive Marley and live in the shadows of her relationship with Soren. Prescription pills are his only way to cope and get through the day. After coming out to his own parents, Tunde makes his way to Soren’s birthday party, with the goal of convincing Soren to finally come out his conservative pundit father. However, before he arrives, Tunde is pulled over by the police and shot to death. He immediately awakens and is forced to live in a brutal time loop.”
My Thoughts: This sounds like Russian Doll crossed with a civil rights film, which could be interesting. There’s no trailer out yet, so I’m not sure what to expect here. The film didn’t generate a lot of buzz after its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, but given that AFF’s two previous opening night films were Lady Bird and Vox Lux, I’m going to give it the benefit of the doubt.
Harriet
Friday, October 25th at 6:30PM at Galaxy Highland
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Based on the thrilling and inspirational life of an iconic American freedom fighter, Harriet tells the extraordinary tale of Harriet Tubman’s escape from slavery and transformation into one of America’s greatest heroes. Her courage, ingenuity, and tenacity freed hundreds of slaves and changed the course of history.”
My Thoughts: This looks like a pretty standard biopic, but Tubman is an extraordinary person with an extraordinary story, so hopefully the film rises to the level of its subject matter. Cynthia Erivo was great in Widows last year, and I’m excited to see her in a lead role in a high profile film.
Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Friday, October 25th at 8:45PM at Galaxy Highland
AFF Plot Synopsis: “France, 1760. Marianne is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Héloïse, a young woman who has just left the convent. Because she is a reluctant bride-tobe, Marianne arrives under the guise of companionship, observing Héloïse by day and secretly painting her by firelight at night. As the two women orbit one another, intimacy and attraction grow as they share Héloïse’s first moments of freedom. Héloïse’s portrait soon becomes a collaborative act of and testament to their love. Winner of a coveted Cannes prize and one of the best reviewed films of the year, Portrait of a Lady on Fire solidifies Céline Sciamma as one of the most exciting filmmakers working in the world today. Noémie and Adèle Haenel turn the subtle act of looking into a dangerous, engrossing thrill, crafting the most breathtaking and elegant performances of the year. To watch Marianne and Héloïse fall in love is to see love itself invented onscreen. With contemporary themes in period dress, Portrait of a Lady on Fire is one of the greatest love stories ever told.”
My Thoughts: I’m really excited to see this. Portrait of a Lady on Fire won Best Screenplay at the Cannes Film Festival in May, and it was one of the best reviewed films at that festival. I’m not familiar with Céline Sciamma’s filmography, so I can’t provide much insight on what to expect, but it looks like a beautiful film from the clips in the trailer.
The Two Popes
Saturday, October 26th at 5:45PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “From Fernando Meirelles, the Academy Award-nominated director of City of God, and three-time Academy Award®-nominated screenwriter Anthony McCarten, comes an intimate story of one of the most dramatic transitions of power in the last 2,000 years. Frustrated with the direction of the church, Cardinal Bergoglio (Jonathan Pryce) requests permission to retire in 2012 from Pope Benedict (Anthony Hopkins). Instead, facing scandal and self-doubt, the introspective Pope Benedict summons his harshest critic and future successor to Rome to reveal a secret that would shake the foundations of the Catholic Church. Behind Vatican walls, a struggle commences between both tradition and progress, guilt and forgiveness, as these two very different men confront their pasts in order to find common ground and forge a future for a billion followers around the world. Inspired by true events.”
My Thoughts: The plot description doesn’t really do much for me, but I’m happy to watch Anthony Hopkins and Jonathan Pryce talk to each other for two hours. The film received strong reviews at the Telluride Film Festival, so I’m cautiously optimistic.
Atlantics
Sunday, October 27th at 2:30PM at Alamo Drafthouse Village
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Along the Atlantic coast, a soon-to-be-inaugurated futuristic tower looms over a suburb of Dakar. Ada, 17, is in love with Souleiman, a young construction worker. But she has been promised to another man. One night, Souleiman and his co-workers leave the country by sea, in hope of a better future. Several days later, a fire ruins Ada’s wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread. Little does Ada know that Souleiman has returned.”
My Thoughts: This film won the Grand Prix (second place award) at the Cannes Film Festival. That’s all I know about it. What more do you want? You should obviously go see it.
Clemency
Sunday, October 27th at 4:30PM at Galaxy Highland
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Years of carrying out death row executions have taken a toll on prison warden, Bernadine Williams. The emotional wedge in her marriage grows. Memories of a recently botched execution plague her daily. As she prepares to execute another inmate, Bernadine must confront the psychological and emotional demons her job creates, ultimately connecting her to the man she is sanctioned to kill.”
My Thoughts: Well that sounds dark as shit. Clemency won the Grand Jury Prize at Sundance over some of the year’s best films so far including The Farewell and The Last Black Man in San Francisco, so I’m really looking forward to this one.
A Hidden Life
Sunday, October 27th at 5:00PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Based on real events, from visionary writer-director Terrence Malick, A Hidden Life is the story of an unsung hero, Franz Jägerstätter, who refused to fight for the Nazis in World War II. When the Austrian peasant farmer is faced with the threat of execution for treason, it is his unwavering faith and his love for his wife Fani and children that keeps his spirit alive.”
My Thoughts: Terrence Malick’s recent films have been a bit unapproachable, but A Hidden Life promises to be a return to form. While Knight of Cups and Song to Song were more atmospheric, A Hidden Life is based on a true story and seems to be much more invested in its plot and characters. It received great reviews at Cannes, and I’m excited to see its beautiful cinematography on the big Paramount screen.
Waves
Monday, October 28th at 7:15PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Set against the vibrant landscape of South Florida, and featuring an astonishing ensemble of award-winning actors and breakouts alike, Waves traces the epic emotional journey of a suburban African-American family — led by a wellintentioned but domineering father — as they navigate love, forgiveness, and coming together in the aftermath of a loss. From acclaimed writer/director Trey Edward Shults, Waves is a heartrending story about the universal capacity for compassion and growth even in the darkest of times.”
My Thoughts: Waves is being released by A24, which seems to be incapable of producing a less-than-excellent film. This is director Trey Edward Shults’ third project with A24 after Krisha in 2015 and It Comes at Night in 2017. I’m interested to see Emmy-winning This Is Us actor Sterling K. Brown take a shot at a compelling movie role following his rather bland performances in Black Panther and The Predator.
Honey Boy
Wednesday, October 30th at 7:00PM at The Stateside Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “From a screenplay by Shia LaBeouf, based on his own experiences, award-winning filmmaker Alma Har’el (Bombay Beach, LoveTrue) brings to life a young actor’s stormy childhood and early adult years as he struggles to reconcile with his father and deal with his mental health. Fictionalizing his ascent to stardom, and subsequent crash-landing into rehab and recovery, Har’el casts Noah Jupe (A Quiet Place) and Lucas Hedges (Boy Erased, Manchester by the Sea) as Otis Lort, navigating different stages in a frenetic career. LaBeouf takes on the therapeutic challenge of playing a version of his own father, an ex-rodeo clown and a felon. Dancer-singer FKA twigs makes her feature-film debut, playing neighbor and kindred spirit to the younger Otis in their garden-court motel home. Har’el’s feature narrative debut is a one-of-a-kind collaboration between filmmaker and subject, exploring art as medicine and imagination as hope through the life and times of a talented, traumatized performer who dares to go in search of himself.”
My Thoughts: This movie seems like it could be really great or really shitty. I’m not the biggest Shia LaBeouf fan, but this looks like a compelling, personal story. The film currently has a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes but only 65% on Metacritic, implying that most critics like it but don’t love it.
Marriage Story
Wednesday, October 30th at 7:15PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Marriage Story is Academy Award®-nominated filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s incisive and compassionate portrait of a marriage breaking up and a family staying together. The film stars Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver. Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta co-star.”
My Thoughts: This film has the best cast of anything at the festival, and Noah Baumbach is incredible at crafting intimate family dramas. It received great reviews out of Toronto, and Driver is getting a lot of buzz as a Best Actor contender. This is the film I’m most excited about at the festival this year.
Ford v Ferrari
Thursday, October 31st at 5:30PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “Academy Award®-winners Matt Damon and Christian Bale star in Ford v Ferrari, inspired by the remarkable true story of the visionary American car designer Carroll Shelby (Damon) and the fearless British driver Ken Miles (Bale), who together battled corporate interference, the laws of physics, and their own personal demons to build a revolutionary race car for Ford Motor Company and take on the dominating race cars of Enzo Ferrari at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in France in 1966.”
My Thoughts: It’s Christian Bale and Matt Damon. This thing’s gotta have a fairly high floor, right? The plot sounds like standard inspirational patriotic bullshit, but I’m pretty confident the lead actors will make it watchable. Tracy Letts also stars, and he always picks interesting films.
Just Mercy
Thursday, October 31st at 9:15PM at The Paramount Theatre
AFF Plot Synopsis: “A powerful and thought-provoking true story, “Just Mercy” follows young lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Jordan) and his history-making battle for justice. After graduating from Harvard, Bryan had his pick of lucrative jobs. Instead, he heads to Alabama to defend those wrongly condemned or who were not afforded proper representation, with the support of local advocate Eva Ansley (Larson). One of his first, and most incendiary, cases is that of Walter McMillian (Foxx), who, in 1987, was sentenced to die for the notorious murder of an 18-year-old girl, despite a preponderance of evidence proving his innocence and the fact that the only testimony against him came from a criminal with a motive to lie. In the years that follow, Bryan becomes embroiled in a labyrinth of legal and political maneuverings and overt and unabashed racism as he fights for Walter, and others like him, with the odds — and the system — stacked against them.”
My Thoughts: Director Destin Daniel Cretton made a name for himself in 2013 with the fantastic Short Term 12, which launched the careers of Brie Larson, Rami Malek, and LaKeith Stanfield. His follow-up film Glass Castle was a bit of a let down, and I’m guessing Just Mercy falls somewhere in between. The plot description sounds like a pretty standard biopic, but I’m hopeful that Larson, Michael B. Jordan, and Jamie Foxx will make the film interesting.
In addition to the above movies, there are a lot of small films that don’t yet have distribution that are screening all week. Don’t be afraid to check out a random movie that you know nothing about. Stay tuned later this week as I post my daily thoughts from the festival. You can view the full AFF schedule here.
Michael Dixon is a mild mannered accountant by day and a mild mannered movie watcher by night. He will not do your taxes for you. He lives in Austin, Texas with his lovely television and collection of fine whiskies. You can’t purchase his book anywhere because it doesn’t exist. See the rest of his festival coverage at the links below.
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 1
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 2
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 3
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 4
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 6
Austin Film Festival 2019: Day 7
