Austin Film Festival & Writers Conference (AFF), the premier film festival recognizing the writers’ contributions to film, television, and new media, announced today the full schedule of films and panels for the 27th annual Festival, this October 22-29, to be held exclusively online. AFF’s feature film slate includes the returning marquee selections highlighting upcoming film releases from reputable distributors. Gravitas Ventures joins the Festival with the US Premiere of Dave Not Coming Back, which chronicles the 283 meter cave dive of two friends Don and Dave, who find a dead body after breaking a world record, as well as the Utopia title Golden Arm written by Ann Marie Allison and Jenna Milly and directed by Maureen Bharoocha. The annual Writers Conference, scheduled for the first five days of the Festival, October 22-26, released today a new batch of programming with panels featuring conversations with Gina Prince Bythewood, director of Netflix’s The Old Guard and writer/director of Love & Basketball, in addition to Alec Berg and Bill Hader, creators of the Emmy award winning series Barry.

The slate will feature 22 world, North American, and US premieres directly hailing from AFF’s four feature film competition categories, including: the world premiere of director Felipe Mucci’s Two Deaths of Henry Baker written by and starring Sebastian Pigott with Gil Bellows, Tony Curran, Joe Dinicol, Jess Salgueiro, and Dani Kind.  Produced by Neshama Entertainment, MarVista Entertainment and Particular Crowd; The Badger, starring Vishka Asayesh by Iranian indie writer/director Kazem Mollaie; and Good, written/directed by Justin Etheredge along with co-writer Nathan Allen starring Keith David, Nefetari Spencer, and Kali Racquel. Other world premiere titles include the Marshall Cook directed comedy Film Fest, co-written by Cook and Paul Alan Cope, starring Matt Cook, Diona Reasonover, CJ Vana, Laird Macintosh, and Will Sasso; along with Chelsea McEvoy’s and Ryan Tebbutt’s insightful documentary Re-Inventing The Wheel with a deep-dive into the Okanagan wheelchair community of Kelowna, Canada.

The Festival will showcase other world premieres highlighting Texas productions and talent including the World Premiere of Austin & LA based writer/director Justin Corsbie’s debut feature, Hard Luck Love Song, staring Michael Dorman (Amazon’s Patriot, Invisible Man), Sophia Bush, RZA, Dermot Mulroney, Brian Sacca, Melora Walters and Academy Award nominated Eric Roberts, and Queens of Pain co-directed by Cassie Hay and Amy Winston, chronicling the lives of three skaters for Gotham Girls Roller Derby (one of the most successful teams in New York sports history).

AFF also announced the world, North American, and US Premieres for a number of international films representing the countries of Spain, Denmark, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Cameroon, Iran, France, and Poland. Titles include the romantic comedy Time for Love, written/directed by Miguel Velez and starring Marcin Franc and Marta Sutor; the blistering dark comedy Standard written/directed by Fernando González Gómez; Carl Marlott’s thrilling sci-fi roller coaster The Blue Orchid; the filmmaking debut of Olivier Assoua with The Eagle’s Nest; and director O’Neil Bürgi’s dynamic documentary ALE chronicling a 19-year-old wrestling student’s unexpected journey to becoming a full-fledged wrestler.

Austin Film Festival revealed today their full Writers Conference schedule. The Conference features a roster of prominent screenwriters in film and television, including conversations with Gillian Flynn,  creator of Amazon Prime’s dystopian-thriller Utopia and writer of Widows, Sharp Objects, and Gone Girl; three time Oscar nominated writer John Logan, creator of Showtime’s Penny Dreadful and writer of Skyfall, Hugo, and The Aviator; Oscar winner Kevin Willmott, co-writer of BlacKkKlansman and Da 5 Bloods. Other notable panelists include Paul Feig, Prentice Penny, Scott Frank, Howard Gordon, Tracey Scott Wilson, Ed Solomon, Leslye Headland, Rolin Jones, and Emily V. Gordon.

The Catch (World Premiere)

Writer/Director: Matthew Ya-Hsiung Balzer

Paper Tiger (World Premiere)

Writer/Director: Paul Kowalski

Wake Show (World Premiere)

Writer: Aldo Miyashiro, Érika Villalobos, Abril Cárdenas

Director: Aldo Miyashiro

Vagabonds (Texas Premiere)

Writer: Philippe Dajoux, Rebecca Bitan

Director: Philippe Dajoux

Good (World Premiere)

Writer: Justin Etheredge, Nathan Allen

Director: Justin Etheredge

Two Deaths of Henry Baker (World Premiere)

Writer: Sebastian Pigott

Director: Felipe Mucci

Hard Luck Love Song (World Premiere)

Writer: Justin Corsbie, Craig Ugoretz, inspired by the song “Just Like Old Times” by Todd Snider

Director: Justin Corsbie

Dave Not Coming Back (US Premiere)

Director: Jonah Malak

Golden Arm (Texas Premiere)

Writer: Ann Marie Allison, Jenna Milly

Director: Maureen Bharoocha

Death of a Telemarketer (Texas Premiere)

Writers/Director: Khaled Ridgeway

Reboot Camp (World Premiere)

Writer/Director: Ivo Raza

Film Fest (World Premiere)

Writer: Marshall Cook, Paul Alan Cope

Director: Marshall Cook

Standard (North American Premiere)

Writer/Director: Fernando González Gómez

Murder Bury Win (Texas Premiere)

Writer/Director: Michael Lovan

Time for Love (World Premiere)

Writer/Director: Miguel Velez

Blinders (North American Premiere)

Writer: Tyler Savage, Dash Hawkins

Director: Tyler Savage

The Blue Orchid (North American Premiere)

Writer: Carl Marott, Hans Frederik Jacobsen

Director: Carl Marott

The Arbors (Texas Premiere)

Writer: Clayton Witmer, Chelsey Cummings

Director: Clayton Witmer

The Eagle’s Nest (US Premiere)

Writer/Director: Olivier Assoua

Open Field (World Premiere)

Director: Kathy Kuras

Re-Inventing The Wheel (Texas Premiere)

Director: Chelsea McEvoy

The Book Keepers (World Premiere)

Director: Phil Wall

Kusasa (Texas Premiere)

Director: Shane Vermooten

Wildflower (Texas Premiere)

Director: Matt Smukler

Baato (Texas Premiere)

Director: Lucas Millard

ALE (World Premiere)

Director: O’Neil Bürgi

The Get Together (World Premiere)

Writer: Will Bakke, Michael B. Allen

Director: Will Bakke

Horton Foote: The Road To Home (World Premiere)

Director: Anne Rapp

Fugitive Dreams (US Premiere)

Writer: Jason Neulander, Caridad Svich

Director: Jason Neulander

Queens of Pain (World Premiere)

Director: Cassie Hay, Amy Winston

Austin Film Festival (AFF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to furthering the art, craft, and business of writers and filmmakers and recognizing their contributions to film, television, and new media. AFF champions the work of aspiring and established writers and filmmakers by providing unique cultural events and services, enhancing public awareness and participation, and encouraging dynamic and long-lasting community partnerships. AFF is supported in part by the Cultural Arts Division of the City of Austin Economic Development Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts. All attendees and events are based on permitting schedules and are subject to change and/or cancellation without notice. For media credentials, please contact Kelly Lafargue at marketing@austinfilmfestival.com. Virtual Badges and Virtual Film Passes are available for purchase online or by phone at 1-800-310-FEST.

Source: Hollywood Reporter / DEADLINE / Official website of Austin Film Festival

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