It’s common for adolescents to hide their passions from their peers and family out of fear of humiliation, especially if your passion involves slash fiction, a genre of fan fiction that focuses on the relationships and sexual attraction of fictional characters of the same sex. The new film “Slash” follows high school freshman Neil (Michael Johnston) who writes his slash fiction in secret until he meets the older Julia (Hannah Marks) who pushes him to publish it online. But when the site moderator takes an interest in his stories, a new world opens up for Neil. It co-stars Michael Ian Black (“The State”), Missi Pyle (“Gone Girl”), Tishuan Scott (“Results”), Sarah Ramos (“Parenthood”), Peter Vack (“Mozart in the Jungle”), Violett Beane (“Tower”) and more. Watch an exclusive clip from the film below.
Read More: ‘Slash’ Review: A Sweet, Semi-Satisfying Coming-Of-Age Story for The Comic-Con Crowd
The film is directed by Clay Liford.
Read More: ‘Slash’ Review: A Sweet, Semi-Satisfying Coming-Of-Age Story for The Comic-Con Crowd
The film is directed by Clay Liford.
- 12/16/2016
- by Vikram Murthi
- Indiewire
Breathing life into a tired genre (coming of age and/or coming out in the American suburbs), Clay Liford’s Slash is an authentic portrait of a young man exploring his sexuality in a healthy way while actually not having sex. A kinder gentler picture than Liford’s horror comedy Wuss, Slash follows the adventures of 15-year old Neil (Michael Johnston) who pens erotic fan fiction about a masculine comic book hero Vanguard. In his postings he’s essentially kicking the bucket as he brings the story’s homoerotic subtext to the surface, trying it on for size.
Neil, though, is unsure of himself and the film thankfully allows him the space to explore this as his parents encourage him to not feel shame even as his private diary is made public in class. He finds himself a mentor in the older and cooler Julia (Hannah Marks), a girl from...
Neil, though, is unsure of himself and the film thankfully allows him the space to explore this as his parents encourage him to not feel shame even as his private diary is made public in class. He finds himself a mentor in the older and cooler Julia (Hannah Marks), a girl from...
- 5/12/2016
- by John Fink
- The Film Stage
Expanded from his 2013 short of the same name, Clay Liford’s Slash is a comedy of youthful sexual awakening set against the backdrop of slash fan-fiction, the amateur writing pursuit that places beloved pop culture characters in previously-undreamed-of erotic situations. In his first feature since 2011’s Wuss, Liford gives himself an extra challenge by committing to filming the sci-fi universe of Vanguard, a fictional character made up for the film (to duck the cost of obtaining intellectual property costs to existing characters). We interviewed Liford prior to the film’s premiere; below, Dp Ellie Ann Fenton discusses being equally inspired by the cinematography […]...
- 3/15/2016
- by Scott Macaulay
- Filmmaker Magazine - Blog
Here's your daily dose of an indie film, web series, TV pilot, what-have-you in progress -- at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a project you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. Slash Logline: "Slash" is an intelligent comedy about an awkward teenage boy named Neil, whose taboo fan fiction is discovered by his peers. Elevator Pitch: "Slash" is a comedy about a questioning teen who writes erotic fan fiction. Neil is a high-school freshman who writes slash fiction about a popular sci-fi hero: Vanguard. Everything changes when he meets an older student named Julia, who pushes him to publish his fan fic online. When the website’s moderator takes a special interest in Neil’s work, things get complicated, especially when the two kids travel to a nearby con. Production Team: Clay Liford - Writer/Director ("Wuss,...
- 9/8/2015
- by Indiewire
- Indiewire
As a film critic, I hear a lot about websites where thieves steal and repost other critics' reviews, sometimes not even bothering to remove identifying material.
But this week, I got my first experience in seeing a purported "filmmaker" post short films to his website that he might claim are his, but obviously do not belong to him. I know this because I saw one of the films in its original incarnation: the very funny short My Mom Smokes Weed, from Austin filmmaker Clay Liford -- it screened at Austin Film Festival in 2009 as well as a number of other film fests. And if you've watched any of Liford's movies (Wuss, Earthling), you know this is so very much his trademark work that anyone else trying to pass it off as his own is an idiot.
If you haven't seen My Mom Smokes Weed, now's your chance. I've embedded it below.
But this week, I got my first experience in seeing a purported "filmmaker" post short films to his website that he might claim are his, but obviously do not belong to him. I know this because I saw one of the films in its original incarnation: the very funny short My Mom Smokes Weed, from Austin filmmaker Clay Liford -- it screened at Austin Film Festival in 2009 as well as a number of other film fests. And if you've watched any of Liford's movies (Wuss, Earthling), you know this is so very much his trademark work that anyone else trying to pass it off as his own is an idiot.
If you haven't seen My Mom Smokes Weed, now's your chance. I've embedded it below.
- 8/14/2014
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
We return with another edition of the Indie Spotlight, highlighting recent independent horror news sent our way. Today’s feature includes details on a Wes Craven art exhibition, the first sighting of Megafoot, a 100 zombie films graphical print, first photos from Australian Horror film, Barrow, an interview with actor, writer, and filmmaker Sean Stone, and much more:
The Horror Legacy of Wes Craven Exhibit Details: “Wes Craven has been feeding our collective horror consciousness since 1972, when his first feature, “The Last House on the Left,” debuted. That film was gritty, raw and terrifying, it still causes a guttural reaction some 40 years later. In his career, Wes has created some of the most memorable moments in horror cinema, from the torture scene in “The Serpent and the Rainbow,” to the Johnny Depp’s explosive scene in “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” to the first glimpse of Michael Berryman’s savagery in “The Hills Have Eyes.
The Horror Legacy of Wes Craven Exhibit Details: “Wes Craven has been feeding our collective horror consciousness since 1972, when his first feature, “The Last House on the Left,” debuted. That film was gritty, raw and terrifying, it still causes a guttural reaction some 40 years later. In his career, Wes has created some of the most memorable moments in horror cinema, from the torture scene in “The Serpent and the Rainbow,” to the Johnny Depp’s explosive scene in “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” to the first glimpse of Michael Berryman’s savagery in “The Hills Have Eyes.
- 3/9/2014
- by Tamika Jones
- DailyDead
The Austin Film Society jury has chosen eight selections for the Afs ShortCase program, which annually presents to SXSW attendees a diverse mix of shorts created by Afs members. The 2014 jury included Austin filmmaker Clay Liford (Wuss), Afs programmer Lars Nilsen and Slackerwood contributor Debbie Cerda.
The ShortCase screening will take place during the first weekend of the fest, Saturday March 8 at 2 pm at the Marchesa. (Add the screening to your schedule here.) It's free and open to the public even if you don't have a SXSW badge or wristband -- but get there early, because last year this event filled up fast and a number of people were turned away.
The short features and documentaries include:
Digging for the Water (Joshua Riehl) -- In the hilltop village of Creve, Haiti residents have no electricity or running water. Their only supply, which they must carry by hand from a neighboring village,...
The ShortCase screening will take place during the first weekend of the fest, Saturday March 8 at 2 pm at the Marchesa. (Add the screening to your schedule here.) It's free and open to the public even if you don't have a SXSW badge or wristband -- but get there early, because last year this event filled up fast and a number of people were turned away.
The short features and documentaries include:
Digging for the Water (Joshua Riehl) -- In the hilltop village of Creve, Haiti residents have no electricity or running water. Their only supply, which they must carry by hand from a neighboring village,...
- 3/3/2014
- by Mike Saulters
- Slackerwood
Here's the latest Austin and Texas film news.
Austin-based indie electronica band The Octopus Project won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at this year's Sundance Film Festival for their work on fellow Austinites David and Nathan Zellner's Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Debbie's review). This true-to-life drama follows a lonely Japanese woman who travels to America in search of the treasure mentioned in the movie Fargo.The Zellner Brothers discussed their inspiration for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, which debuted at Sundance, with The Wall Street Journal. Austinite Todd Rohal's Rat Pack Rat (Debbie's dispatch), about a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator who's hired to visit a Rat Pack fan, won Sundance's Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision. Austin filmmaker Clay Liford (Wuss) produced. In more Sundance Film Festival news, Austin-based filmmaker David Gordon Green continues to express his appreciation for Iceland (Prince Avalanche...
Austin-based indie electronica band The Octopus Project won the U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score at this year's Sundance Film Festival for their work on fellow Austinites David and Nathan Zellner's Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter (Debbie's review). This true-to-life drama follows a lonely Japanese woman who travels to America in search of the treasure mentioned in the movie Fargo.The Zellner Brothers discussed their inspiration for Kumiko, The Treasure Hunter, which debuted at Sundance, with The Wall Street Journal. Austinite Todd Rohal's Rat Pack Rat (Debbie's dispatch), about a Sammy Davis Jr. impersonator who's hired to visit a Rat Pack fan, won Sundance's Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision. Austin filmmaker Clay Liford (Wuss) produced. In more Sundance Film Festival news, Austin-based filmmaker David Gordon Green continues to express his appreciation for Iceland (Prince Avalanche...
- 1/27/2014
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
It's time to mourn the 'burbs. "White-bread suburbia is just one bad neighborhood," proclaims Maddie (Alicia Anthony), a world-weary teen who's only known decline. Writer-director Clay Liford's third feature maps this scared new world of suburban decay, where the colored poor and dysfunctional whites are left behind. These two groups collide in Wuss, a witty black comedy with sociological aspirations that hits unexpected emotional marks while nimbly sidestepping clichés. The latter accomplishment is all the more impressive given the film's familiar premise: a rookie white teacher in a failing multiracial school struggles to do good. Mitch "the Bitch" Parker (Nate Rubin) gets a job teaching English at the same high school he attended as a teen. By the end of his first week...
- 5/6/2013
- Village Voice
The trailer for Freestyle's upcoming indie drama The Playroom is now online and you can check it out in the player below. Directed by Julia Dyer ( Late Bloomers ), The Playroom stars Academy Award-nominee John Hawkes ( Winter's Bone , The Sessions ) and Molly Parker ("Dexter," "The Firm"). The film, which premiered in the gala/spotlight section of this year's Tribeca Film Festival, was produced by Stephen Dyer ( Hysteria ) and Angie Meyer (Wuss), and is slated for a day and date release on theatrical and DVD/VOD February 8, 2013. Set in the suburbs during the 1970s, the story unfolds like a dream wrapped around a family drama, one in which all members of the Cantwell family struggle to find their way in a rapidly changing world. Maggie (newcomer Olivia...
- 1/17/2013
- Comingsoon.net
Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have announced that they have acquired theatrical and all DVD and VOD rights to The Playroom , the critically acclaimed drama directed by Julia Dyer ( Late Bloomers ), which stars Academy Award-nominee John Hawkes ( Winter's Bone , The Sessions ) and Molly Parker ("Dexter," "The Firm"). The film, which premiered in the gala/spotlight section of this year's Tribeca Film Festival, was produced by Stephen Dyer ( Hysteria ) and Angie Meyer ( Wuss ), and is slated for a day and date release on theatrical and DVD/VOD February 8, 2013. Set in the suburbs during the 1970s, the story unfolds like a dream wrapped around a family drama, one in which all members of the Cantwell family struggle to find their way in a rapidly...
- 12/18/2012
- Comingsoon.net
Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired the theatrical, DVD and VOD rights to "The Playroom," a drama directed by Julia Dyer ("Late Bloomers"), which stars John Hawkes ("Winter's Bone," "The Sessions") and Molly Parker ("Dexter," "The Firm"). The film is slated for a day-and-date theatrical release and on DVD/VOD on Feb. 8, 2013. "The Playroom" premiered in the gala/spotlight section of this year's Tribeca Film Festival. It was produced by Stephen Dyer ("Hysteria") and Angie Meyer ("Wuss"). Set in the suburbs during the1970s, the family drama tells the story of Maggie...
- 12/17/2012
- by Liza Foreman
- The Wrap
Freestyle Releasing and Freestyle Digital Media have acquired theatrical and all DVD and VOD rights to “The Playroom,” directed by Julia Dyer. The drama, which premiered at the 2012 Tribeca Film Festival, is scheduled for a day-and-date release on theatrical and DVD/VOD Feb. 8. John Hawkes, Molly Parker and Olivia Harris star in the story of a suburban family during the 1970s comprised of a pair of hard-drinking parents and the teenaged daughter desperately trying to keep her three younger siblings distracted from the chaos. Stephen Dyer (“Hysteria”) and Angie Meyer (“Wuss”) produced. “Julia Dyer has created a beautiful time machine back to the ’70s,” said Freestyle president Susan Jackson. “The film is a bird’s eye view of a tumultuous period told from the perspective of children.” Jackson, head of acquisitions Chris Charalambous and Bill Straus of Bgp and Jonathan Gray of Gray, Krauss Stratford...
- 12/17/2012
- by Jay A. Fernandez
- Indiewire
For those of you who reside in the Big Apple and want to see one of Austin’s finest films of the last few years, Clay Liford‘s Wuss will be screening at the reRun Theater in Brooklyn on September 17 courtesy of Filmwax. Wuss is a masterful work of sound and vision, clearly exceeding the production values of most independent cinema. Liford’s uniquely desaturated, nearly monochromatic aesthetic visually binds this feature with his debut feature (Earthling), while clearly separating himself from most other filmmakers. If Wuss was produced in Hollywood, it would certainly include bright, cheery and over-saturated cinematography and a Billboard Top 40 soundtrack, but that is clearly not how Liford sees (or hears) the world. Lastly, Nate Rubin‘s lead performance as Mitch – a meek and measly twerp of a high school English teacher (technically, a substitute with a long-term assignment) who is otherwise known as “Little Bitch” — is nothing short of masterful. Speaking...
- 9/17/2012
- by Don Simpson
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Here's the latest in Austin and Texas film news.
Extras are needed today and tomorrow at The Mohawk for the upcoming film Thank You A Lot. Written and directed by Matt Muir, the film tells the story of a music agent whose job and the livelihood of his clients is threatened when he is forced to sign his reclusive, legendary musician father, played by real-life country artist James Hand. If you're interested, email your contact info to thankyoualotmovie [at] gmail [dot] com with "Extra" in the subject line.The Afs-sponsored Moviemaker Dialogue series will bring Austin filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner (Kid-Thing), Kat Candler (Hellion) and Clay Liford (Wuss) together for a conversation about their short film successes, and how this translates to feature-length film opportunities. The panel takes place at 7 pm on Wednesday, August 15 at the Austin Studios Screening Room.Academy Award-nominated actress Viola Davis will produce and star in an untitled Barbara Jordan biopic,...
Extras are needed today and tomorrow at The Mohawk for the upcoming film Thank You A Lot. Written and directed by Matt Muir, the film tells the story of a music agent whose job and the livelihood of his clients is threatened when he is forced to sign his reclusive, legendary musician father, played by real-life country artist James Hand. If you're interested, email your contact info to thankyoualotmovie [at] gmail [dot] com with "Extra" in the subject line.The Afs-sponsored Moviemaker Dialogue series will bring Austin filmmakers David and Nathan Zellner (Kid-Thing), Kat Candler (Hellion) and Clay Liford (Wuss) together for a conversation about their short film successes, and how this translates to feature-length film opportunities. The panel takes place at 7 pm on Wednesday, August 15 at the Austin Studios Screening Room.Academy Award-nominated actress Viola Davis will produce and star in an untitled Barbara Jordan biopic,...
- 8/6/2012
- by Jordan Gass-Poore'
- Slackerwood
We've been talking about John Wildman's horror flick Stripped for about two years now, and we are extremely happy to report that the little indie flick that's home to some stunning eye candy is finally gettin' cookin'!
From the Press Release
Wildworks Productions announced that the horror thriller Stripped, initially set to film two years ago in 2010, will begin principal photography in Dallas, Texas this June. Directed by John Wildman from a script co-penned by Wildman and Justina Walford, the film will star the previously announced trio of popular horror film scream queen Tiffany Shepis (pictured below; The Violent Kind, Night Of The Demons), adult film icon Michelle “Belladonna” Sinclair, who will make her mainstream feature film debut, and internationally accomplished actor Samrat Chakrabarti (The Waiting City, Kissing Cousins). The film also stars Michael Guarnera (“Desperate Housewives”, “NCIS”).
The effort to get the film before cameras is headed by executive producers Ruth Mutch,...
From the Press Release
Wildworks Productions announced that the horror thriller Stripped, initially set to film two years ago in 2010, will begin principal photography in Dallas, Texas this June. Directed by John Wildman from a script co-penned by Wildman and Justina Walford, the film will star the previously announced trio of popular horror film scream queen Tiffany Shepis (pictured below; The Violent Kind, Night Of The Demons), adult film icon Michelle “Belladonna” Sinclair, who will make her mainstream feature film debut, and internationally accomplished actor Samrat Chakrabarti (The Waiting City, Kissing Cousins). The film also stars Michael Guarnera (“Desperate Housewives”, “NCIS”).
The effort to get the film before cameras is headed by executive producers Ruth Mutch,...
- 5/4/2012
- by Uncle Creepy
- DreadCentral.com
Astute Austinites should avoid most of the major new releases this week (four words: Zac Efron, Steve Harvey) and stick with the arthouse fare and special screenings.
Among the antidotes to the horrors at your local multiplex is the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema "Seefest Austin: Films of Southeast Europe" series, which continues on Tuesday with a screening of The Way I Spent the End of the World. Set in 1989 Romania before the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's Communist dictatorship, this 2006 film follows 7-year-old Lalalilu and his 17-year-old sister Eva, who is charged with a political crime and unjustly sent to a reform school. Vowing revenge, young Lalalilu decides to kill the country's "beloved leader."
The Violet Crown is screening the Dallas-made Wuss on Tuesday, presented by The Show! as part of the Austin Auteurs series. Wuss (pictured above) is the story of a high-school teacher whose students repeatedly beat him...
Among the antidotes to the horrors at your local multiplex is the Austin Film Society's Essential Cinema "Seefest Austin: Films of Southeast Europe" series, which continues on Tuesday with a screening of The Way I Spent the End of the World. Set in 1989 Romania before the fall of Nicolae Ceaușescu's Communist dictatorship, this 2006 film follows 7-year-old Lalalilu and his 17-year-old sister Eva, who is charged with a political crime and unjustly sent to a reform school. Vowing revenge, young Lalalilu decides to kill the country's "beloved leader."
The Violet Crown is screening the Dallas-made Wuss on Tuesday, presented by The Show! as part of the Austin Auteurs series. Wuss (pictured above) is the story of a high-school teacher whose students repeatedly beat him...
- 4/20/2012
- by Don Clinchy
- Slackerwood
I first became aware of Jonny Mars during SXSW 2010, thanks to his role as Donnie in The Happy Poet. I have never been one to judge an actor on one performance, so it was not until I saw Mars the next time – as Steve Worth in Wuss – that I realized his talents as an actor. I remember wondering to myself, why hasn’t Mars run off to Los Angeles to become a big star? Then, after watching Mars truly own his couple minutes of screen time in Hellion, I knew it was time to pose that question to the man himself. Before I got a chance to speak with Mars, a funny thing happened: I learned that Mars is also a director, and his directorial debut, America’s Parking Lot (which premiered at SXSW 2012), is a multi-faceted documentary about the renowned Dallas Cowboys’ Gate 6 tailgaters. Mars once again astounded me, this...
- 4/9/2012
- by Don Simpson
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
Another full day, starting with Compliance, inspired by a series of particularly vicious pranks in past years. It's not a bad film, but it's hard to believe people are really that complacent, even knowing it's based on actual events. Of course, it might be that I was less receptive due to things like all the cell phones being checked during the screening, someone with a light in their badge (?!) during the movie, and after having discovered that Capital Metro eliminated all but two stops on Brazos for the #3 bus, which I hadn't taken since Brazos construction (finally) finished, so I ended up walking much farther than expected.
I was not late for Gayby, which is good, because like every screening I've been in, it was sold out. Gayby is funny, snarky, and can't avoid comparison to the recently released Friends with Kids. It's what I wish the latter was like.
I was not late for Gayby, which is good, because like every screening I've been in, it was sold out. Gayby is funny, snarky, and can't avoid comparison to the recently released Friends with Kids. It's what I wish the latter was like.
- 3/13/2012
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
Austinite Jonny Mars may be best known for his roles in front of the camera in Texas independent films such as The Happy Poet and Wuss, but he's also spent a considerable amount of time over the last five years behind the camera directing his first film project, America's Parking Lot. In this documentary, Mars captures the story of Cy Dittmore and Stan "Tiger" Shults, two die-hard fans of "America's Team" and leaders of the legendary Gate 6 tailgate party, as they spend their last season with the Dallas Cowboys at the historic Texas Stadium. The economics and politics within the NFL threaten to dissolve the friendships and traditions these blue-collar tailgaters have built over 20 years.
I spoke recently with Jonny Mars as well as America's Parking Lot editor Robin Schwartz and sound engineer Eric Friend to discuss their film, which debuts at SXSW 2012 on Sunday afternoon.
Slackerwood: Describe America's Parking Lot in a few sentences.
I spoke recently with Jonny Mars as well as America's Parking Lot editor Robin Schwartz and sound engineer Eric Friend to discuss their film, which debuts at SXSW 2012 on Sunday afternoon.
Slackerwood: Describe America's Parking Lot in a few sentences.
- 3/10/2012
- by Debbie Cerda
- Slackerwood
Jonathan Lisecki's movie Gayby is making its world premiere at SXSW; it's a feature that expands the story from his short film of the same name. Lisecki's past work includes the 2008 Spirit of Slamdance Award-winning Woman in Burka, and you might remember him as the coach in Clay Liford's film Wuss from SXSW 2011. Austin filmmaker Liford was Director of Photography on Gayby, so you know it's going to look good; when you read the premise, you can be pretty sure it's one of the more memorable plots in an already edgy fest lineup.
Slackerwood: Describe your film for us in a couple of sentences.
Jonathan Lisecki: Gayby is an outrageous comedy about a straight girl and her gay best friend trying to have a baby. Insanely awkward sex scenes and vast complications ensue.
What’s one thing about the film that is going to make it impossible...
Slackerwood: Describe your film for us in a couple of sentences.
Jonathan Lisecki: Gayby is an outrageous comedy about a straight girl and her gay best friend trying to have a baby. Insanely awkward sex scenes and vast complications ensue.
What’s one thing about the film that is going to make it impossible...
- 2/29/2012
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
SXSW announced its film lineup today, which is full of all kinds of features and documentaries. The big splashy Hollywood news is that the movie 21 Jump Street, starring Channing Tatum and Jonah Hill, will premiere at the fest as its Centerpiece Film. In addition, the closing-night film will be the music documentary Big Easy Express from Emmett Malloy.
One marquee movie with a Texas connection is the Dallas-set Killer Joe, reuniting Bug filmmaker William Friedkin and playwright Tracy Letts, and starring Matthew McConaughey (and that's not the only film he's in that will play SXSW). Other notable movies playing the fest include Bobcat Goldthwait's God Bless America, the Will Ferrell-starring Casa de mi Padre and Guy Maddin's Keyhole ... among many many others announced.
SXSW Film has no Lone Star States category this year, but the overall lineup of narrative and documentary features includes many local and state connections.
One marquee movie with a Texas connection is the Dallas-set Killer Joe, reuniting Bug filmmaker William Friedkin and playwright Tracy Letts, and starring Matthew McConaughey (and that's not the only film he's in that will play SXSW). Other notable movies playing the fest include Bobcat Goldthwait's God Bless America, the Will Ferrell-starring Casa de mi Padre and Guy Maddin's Keyhole ... among many many others announced.
SXSW Film has no Lone Star States category this year, but the overall lineup of narrative and documentary features includes many local and state connections.
- 2/1/2012
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Here's your daily dose of an indie film in progress; at the end of the week, you'll have the chance to vote for your favorite. In the meantime: Is this a movie you’d want to see? Tell us in the comments. "Up Country" Tweetable Logline: A film about a fishing trip gone horribly wrong. Elevator Pitch: A couple of friends hire a guide to take them on a fishing trip in a remote part of northern Maine--a place so remote they don't bother to name the towns. But, when the guide takes all their gear, they find themselves stranded in the middle of nowhere. Production Team: Writer/Director: Lucas McNelly Cinematography by: Dustin Pearlman ("Who Shot Mamba?") Produced by: Sean Hackett ("Homecoming"), Lucas McNelly, David Young Cast: Kieran Roberts, Jonny Mars ("Wuss," "The Happy Poet"), Tyler Peck About the film: "Up Country is a film born out of necessity,...
- 1/16/2012
- Indiewire
Matthias Schoenaerts, Bullhead AFI Fest 2011, currently being held in Los Angeles, has announced the winners of its audience and jury awards. The Breakthrough section Audience Award winner was Alexandra-Therese Keining's Swedish romantic drama With Every Heartbeat, starring Ruth Vega Fernandez and Liv Mjönes as two women who meet and fall in love at a family wedding. Michaël R. Roskam's Belgian [not Dutch, as previously stated in this post] crime drama Bullhead, that country's Best Foreign Language Film Oscar entry, was the winner in the New Auteurs section. The film's star, Matthias Schoenaerts, was given the Acting Award for his portrayal of a Limburg cattle farmer enmeshed in shady activities. In the Young Americans section, the winner was Clay Liford's comedy Wuss, the story of a high-school teacher whose life takes a turn for the worse after he gets beaten up by his own pupils. David Gelb's Philip Glass-scored documentary Jiro Dreams of Sushi, about sushi master Jiro Ono,...
- 11/11/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
AFI Fest 2011 presented by Audi announced today the features and short films that are the recipients of this year.s Audience and Jury Awards. The films will screen today in an encore run at the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood, CA.
.It has been an exciting year for world cinema and emerging international filmmakers,. said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director of AFI Fest presented by Audi. .We’ve had incredibly enthusiastic audiences for all of the screenings at AFI Fest. It’s wonderful to discover the films that especially resonate with audiences and put a spotlight on filmmakers as part of awards season critical acclaim.. .It has been eight fantastic days of screenings here in Los Angeles with over 150 filmmakers from around the world attending to present their works,. said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming for AFI Fest presented by Audi. .What a wonderful way to end AFI Fest.s 25th Edition...
.It has been an exciting year for world cinema and emerging international filmmakers,. said Jacqueline Lyanga, Director of AFI Fest presented by Audi. .We’ve had incredibly enthusiastic audiences for all of the screenings at AFI Fest. It’s wonderful to discover the films that especially resonate with audiences and put a spotlight on filmmakers as part of awards season critical acclaim.. .It has been eight fantastic days of screenings here in Los Angeles with over 150 filmmakers from around the world attending to present their works,. said Lane Kneedler, Associate Director of Programming for AFI Fest presented by Audi. .What a wonderful way to end AFI Fest.s 25th Edition...
- 11/10/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Ruth Vega Fernandez, Liv Mjönes, With Every Heartbeat Rwanda Genocide, Sushi Chef, Matthias Schoenaerts: AFI Fest 2011 Awards Audience Awards Breakthrough Section (award accompanied by a $5,000 cash prize) With Every Heartbeat by Alexandra-Therese Keining New Auteurs Section Bullhead by Michaël R. Roskam World Cinema Section A tie: Jiro Dreams Of Sushi by David Gelb and Kinyarwanda by Alrick Brown Young Americans Section Wuss by Clay Liford Live Action And Animated Short Film Section Jury Awards As in previous years, a jury determines the AFI Fest 2011 Live Action and Animated Short Film Section Awards. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences recognizes each winner as a qualifier for the annual Academy Awards. The Short Film Jury — comprised of filmmakers Barry Jenkins and Gerardo Naranjo (AFI Conservatory Class of 2001) and festival programmer Kim Yutani — announced the awards with their statements. Live Action Short Film Section Grand Jury Prize: Frozen Stories from...
- 11/10/2011
- by Andre Soares
- Alt Film Guide
As this year’s AFI Fest presented by Audi winds to a close with this evening’s Closing Night Gala of The Adventures of Tintin, it’s time to start celebrating the films and talents that made this year’s festival such a massive success. The festival announced their full listing of award winners and prize recipients at their annual awards brunch, held this morning. There are a number of winners here that have already racked up some wins and notice throughout the festival season, including Michael R. Roskam‘s Bullhead, Athina Rachel Tsangari‘s Attenberg, and Clay Liford‘s Wuss, but the festival also paid special notice to Bullhead star Matthias Schoenaerts, along with their selections of shorts. The festival ends this evening with that very special Tintin screening, which both Ms. Loring and I will be attending, with animated bells on. Look for Allison’s review of the film tomorrow, one...
- 11/10/2011
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
AFI Fest 2011 wraps up tonight with the closing gala premiere of The Adventures of Tintin. Awards were handed out this morning to a crowded Roosevelt Ballroom which attendees were informed hosted the very first Academy Awards ceremony. There was only a bit less fanfare (and no Muppets) for this morning's ceremony where the following films were recognized: Young Americans section - Audience Award Wuss - Director: Clay Liford Breakthrough section - Audience Award With Every Heartbeat - Director: Alexandra-Therese Keining World Cinema section - Audience Award Kinyarwanda - Director: Alrick Brown (Tie) Jiro Dreams Of Sushi - Director: David Gelb New Auteurs section - Audience Award Bullhead - Director: Michael Roskam New Auteurs section - Critics Special Acting Prize Matthias Schoenaerts - Bullhead New...
- 11/10/2011
- Screen Anarchy
Up until last year, film festivals had always been a bit of a mystery to me. I had gone to a few conventions before and been shown advanced screenings of films, but to actually go to an event where all you did was watch films seemed a bit beyond my reach. Didn’t help either that I had never really lived in areas with affordable or frequent festivals. That is, up until last year when I was introduced to AFI Fest. They hooked me in with free tickets and the promise of engaging cinema from around the world. To say I had fun is a bit of an understatement. As the credits to the last film rolled, I decided that I would come back next year in a more professional manner and write about it.
Which brings us to now. AFI Fest 2011 Presented by Audi is a little over a...
Which brings us to now. AFI Fest 2011 Presented by Audi is a little over a...
- 10/24/2011
- by Jonathan Hardesty
- Flickchart
We're deep in the heart of the 18th Austin Film Festival we've been spotlighting the Austin films, but Uncertain, TX has so many Texas filmmakers working on it, we just had to do a quick interview with director Eric Steele and producer Adam Donaghey, both based up in the Dfw area. Austin's Clay Liford (Wuss, Earthling) did the cinematography. Uncertain, TX may be Steele's first feature film, but he's been active in the local film community. Steele, Donaghey, Barak Epstein and Jason Reimer are all part of Aviation Cinemas, which revived the historic Texas Theatre in 2010.
Describe your film for us, in a quick and dirty paragraph.
Eric Steele: Uncertain, TX is, in essence, the worst bed and breakfast experience imaginable. Two drifters happen upon an old bed and breakfast in a bayou town near the Louisiana/Texas border and encounter a very odd family who psychologically torments them during their stay.
Describe your film for us, in a quick and dirty paragraph.
Eric Steele: Uncertain, TX is, in essence, the worst bed and breakfast experience imaginable. Two drifters happen upon an old bed and breakfast in a bayou town near the Louisiana/Texas border and encounter a very odd family who psychologically torments them during their stay.
- 10/22/2011
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
With AFI Fest 2011 presented by Audi rapidly approaching, the festival has just announced their first slate of film selections, including the full line-up for three of the festival’s most unique and important sections – Young Americans (which features film from up-and-coming American filmmakers), New Auteurs (which gives a platform for first and second features from around the world), and Spotlight (which picks one filmmaker for special recognition and screenings of their work). This year’s AFI Fest is already shaping up to be a fine festival for the fall season (alliteration is so choice), and the announcement of these selections only highlights that. Today’s announced films include a bevy of already buzzed-about titles from the festival circuit, including Sophia Takal’s Green, Athina Rachel Tsangari’s Attenberg, Michaël R. Roskam’s Bullhead, Markus Schleinzer’s Michael, Justin Kurzel’s Snowtown, Clay Liford’s Wuss, Alison Bagnall’s The Dish & The Spoon, and...
- 10/13/2011
- by Kate Erbland
- FilmSchoolRejects.com
The B-Movie Underground and Trash Film Festival brings their unique collection of international sleaze on Sept. 7-11 in the city of Breda in the Netherlands. Violence, gore, general grossness and perversion are, once again, near and dear to the heart of this fun fest.
From the U.S., the But Fest is screening a few modern underground classics while also celebrating a few of the old masters. Included in the lineup are Usama Alshaibi‘s mind-blowing Muslim sex worker flick Profane, Zach Clark‘s wild weekend of debauchery Vacation! and Dan Nelson & Drew Bolduc‘s over-the-top The Taint.
Plus, But is honoring Cinema of Transgression mastermind Nick Zedd with several screenings of his classic works, such as Thrust in Me, Police State and Whoregasm, as well as his recent public access TV series Electra Elf.
Other films from around world include horror hits like César Ducasse & Mathieu Peteul’s Dark Souls,...
From the U.S., the But Fest is screening a few modern underground classics while also celebrating a few of the old masters. Included in the lineup are Usama Alshaibi‘s mind-blowing Muslim sex worker flick Profane, Zach Clark‘s wild weekend of debauchery Vacation! and Dan Nelson & Drew Bolduc‘s over-the-top The Taint.
Plus, But is honoring Cinema of Transgression mastermind Nick Zedd with several screenings of his classic works, such as Thrust in Me, Police State and Whoregasm, as well as his recent public access TV series Electra Elf.
Other films from around world include horror hits like César Ducasse & Mathieu Peteul’s Dark Souls,...
- 9/7/2011
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
Directors: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Writers: Bob Ray, Spencer Parsons, Rusty Kelley, Berndt Mader, Amy Grappell, Karen Skloss, Duane Graves, Justin Meeks, Paul Gordon, Johnny Stranger, David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Jay Duplass, John Bryant, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Ben Steinbauer, Elisabeth Sikes, Mike Dolan, Geoff Marslett, Bradley Beesley, Bob Byington, Clay Liford, Carlyn Hudson, Miguel Alvarez, Scott Meyers, Pj Raval, Chris Eska Starring: Bob Ray, Chris Doubek, Maggie Lea, Hilah Johnson, Robert Lambert, Leslie Naugle, John Wesley Coleman, Kelli Bland, Justin Meeks, Jonny Mars, Ashley Spillers, Jen Tracy Duplass, Jay Duplass, Chris Trew, Sam Wainwright Douglas, Anna Margaret Hollyman, Luke Savisky,...
- 9/4/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
5 Projects to Root For: A New Austin Film With Alex Karpovsky, the Endangered Acoustic Guitar & More
In this week's in-production column, indieWIRE takes a look at a film from a new crop of Austin filmmakers, Sean Gallagher's "Good Night," which stars Jonny Mars ("Wuss," "The Happy Poet") and Alex Karpovsky ("Tiny Furniture"). Also in this week's column, a film about the current crisis of acoustic guitars, a contemporary update of "Aladdin" and "Pandora's Box," the story of one of Detroit's oldest projects, and a failed Kickstarter ...
- 6/2/2011
- Indiewire
"Wuss is a masterful work of sound and vision, clearly exceeding the production values of most independent cinema. Liford’s uniquely desaturated, nearly monochromatic aesthetic visually binds his two features together, while clearly separating himself from most other filmmakers. I bet if Wuss was produced in Hollywood, it would certainly include bright, cheery and over-saturated cinematography and a Billboard Top 40 soundtrack, but judging solely from Earthling and Wuss, that is not how Liford sees (or hears) the world." Below is our conversation with Clay Liford in downtown Austin, TX, for SXSW Film 2011:...
- 5/31/2011
- by Don Simpson
- SmellsLikeScreenSpirit
Here's the latest Austin movie news:
Local movie Five Time Champion was a big winner at the Dallas International Film Festival last weekend, taking home the Texas Filmmaker Award ($20K in cash/goods/services). Read Don's review of the movie from SXSW and you may understand why. In addition, now-Austin filmmaker Clay Liford won a special jury prize for Wuss, the Dallas-shot film that premiered at SXSW last month (my review). For more about Austin movies at Dallas Iff, don't forget to read Peter Martin's column from yesterday.Austin Film Festival has teamed up with Klru-tv for a dozen episodes of a new series called On Story: Presented by Austin Film Festival. Each episode will include a short film by a Texas filmmaker that has screened at Aff, plus clips of panels, interviews, etc. from past fests. You can watch the show on Saturday nights at 7:30 on Klru-q,...
Local movie Five Time Champion was a big winner at the Dallas International Film Festival last weekend, taking home the Texas Filmmaker Award ($20K in cash/goods/services). Read Don's review of the movie from SXSW and you may understand why. In addition, now-Austin filmmaker Clay Liford won a special jury prize for Wuss, the Dallas-shot film that premiered at SXSW last month (my review). For more about Austin movies at Dallas Iff, don't forget to read Peter Martin's column from yesterday.Austin Film Festival has teamed up with Klru-tv for a dozen episodes of a new series called On Story: Presented by Austin Film Festival. Each episode will include a short film by a Texas filmmaker that has screened at Aff, plus clips of panels, interviews, etc. from past fests. You can watch the show on Saturday nights at 7:30 on Klru-q,...
- 4/14/2011
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Rating: 3/5
Writer/Director: Clay Liford
Cast: Nate Rubin, Alicia Anthony, Ryan Anderson, Tony Hale
I’ll be honest, sad sack main characters tend to rub me the wrong way. I get easily frustrated with their lack of decision-making abilities, self-victimization, and general lameness. It’s hard to relate to, or more importantly like, these characters when they dwell so long in self-centeredness. And it’s even harder for a writer to create a sympathetic main character who embodies these traits. However, despite my general malaise toward these guys and gals, I was pleasantly surprised by how amiable Mitch (Nate Rubin) was in director Clay Liford’s third feature film, Wuss.
Read more on Diff 2011 Review: Wuss...
Writer/Director: Clay Liford
Cast: Nate Rubin, Alicia Anthony, Ryan Anderson, Tony Hale
I’ll be honest, sad sack main characters tend to rub me the wrong way. I get easily frustrated with their lack of decision-making abilities, self-victimization, and general lameness. It’s hard to relate to, or more importantly like, these characters when they dwell so long in self-centeredness. And it’s even harder for a writer to create a sympathetic main character who embodies these traits. However, despite my general malaise toward these guys and gals, I was pleasantly surprised by how amiable Mitch (Nate Rubin) was in director Clay Liford’s third feature film, Wuss.
Read more on Diff 2011 Review: Wuss...
- 4/11/2011
- by Gwen Reyes
- GordonandtheWhale
The 2011 Dallas International Film Festival Announces
Award Winners
Jess + Moss receives the $25,000 Target Filmmaker Award for Best Narrative Feature
Elevate receives the $25,000 Target Filmmaker Award for Best Documentary Feature
Five Time Champion receives the $20,000 in Cash, Goods and Services for the Mps Studios Texas Filmmaker Award
If A Tree Falls: A Story Of The Earth Liberation Front receives the Environmental Visions Award
Zero Percent receives the $10,000 Embrey Family Foundation Silver Heart Award
The Legend Of Beaver Dam, The Robbery and Paths Of Hate are named winners for Best Short Film, Student Short and Animated Short
Audience Awards go to Snowmen for Narrative Feature, Wild Horse Wild Ride for Documentary and The Legend Of Beaver Dam for Short
Dallas, TX, April 9, 2011 . For the second year running, the .Dallas Film Society Honors. presented by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation provided an elegant forum for the awards presentation at the Dallas International Film Festival presented by Cadillac.
Award Winners
Jess + Moss receives the $25,000 Target Filmmaker Award for Best Narrative Feature
Elevate receives the $25,000 Target Filmmaker Award for Best Documentary Feature
Five Time Champion receives the $20,000 in Cash, Goods and Services for the Mps Studios Texas Filmmaker Award
If A Tree Falls: A Story Of The Earth Liberation Front receives the Environmental Visions Award
Zero Percent receives the $10,000 Embrey Family Foundation Silver Heart Award
The Legend Of Beaver Dam, The Robbery and Paths Of Hate are named winners for Best Short Film, Student Short and Animated Short
Audience Awards go to Snowmen for Narrative Feature, Wild Horse Wild Ride for Documentary and The Legend Of Beaver Dam for Short
Dallas, TX, April 9, 2011 . For the second year running, the .Dallas Film Society Honors. presented by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation provided an elegant forum for the awards presentation at the Dallas International Film Festival presented by Cadillac.
- 4/11/2011
- by Melissa Howland
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Have you ever wondered what 17 minutes in Heaven is like with Clay Liford and Nate Rubin (writer/director and star of Wuss)? Well, you finally have your chance to experience what is a truly life-changing event. All I can say in the attempt to capture the essence of our discussion is it is the closest thing an interview can get to immaculate conception.
Read more on Diff 2011 Video Interview: Wuss writer/director Clay Liford and actor Nate Rubin...
Read more on Diff 2011 Video Interview: Wuss writer/director Clay Liford and actor Nate Rubin...
- 4/7/2011
- by James Wallace
- GordonandtheWhale
Wuss
Directed by Clay Liford
Written by Clay Liford
USA – 2011
Wuss may not be director Clay Liford’s first feature, but it certainly feels like it is. Adequately made, and competently acted, Wuss could be, and for a while appears to be, an excellent dark indie comedy. But the film’s stylistic inconsistency and simplistic characterizations cripple the film and obscure whatever messages or themes Liford may be trying to convey.
The most consistent thing about the film is Nate Rubin’s skilled portrayal of Mitch, the titular wuss. He is first seen at a high school reunion where he slowly, so awkwardly, must reveal to a high-school crush that, yes, he still lives in the same small town with his mom, and, yes, he actually teaches at this very high school. The situation feels well worn, but Rubin owns it. From there Mitch gets bullied by his slimy principal...
Directed by Clay Liford
Written by Clay Liford
USA – 2011
Wuss may not be director Clay Liford’s first feature, but it certainly feels like it is. Adequately made, and competently acted, Wuss could be, and for a while appears to be, an excellent dark indie comedy. But the film’s stylistic inconsistency and simplistic characterizations cripple the film and obscure whatever messages or themes Liford may be trying to convey.
The most consistent thing about the film is Nate Rubin’s skilled portrayal of Mitch, the titular wuss. He is first seen at a high school reunion where he slowly, so awkwardly, must reveal to a high-school crush that, yes, he still lives in the same small town with his mom, and, yes, he actually teaches at this very high school. The situation feels well worn, but Rubin owns it. From there Mitch gets bullied by his slimy principal...
- 4/3/2011
- by Emmet Duff
- SoundOnSight
Filed under: SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical
Clay Liford is a genius. Clay Liford is also the friendliest guy in Texas (perhaps a bit too friendly when he drinks). He's one of the five best directors in the state, he's a perennial festival favorite, and he's about to save filmmaking and maybe also the universe. I knew all of these things about Clay Liford before I even got to the screening of his latest feature, 'Wuss,' because everyone on the SXSW shuttle to the Rollins Theater piped up to tell me how much they love that guy. From the moment I told the lady sitting next to me what movie I was on my way to see, that bus erupted into a fit of hyper excitement as if 'Wuss' were Pee-Wee Herman's secret word.
Thanks to the Lone Star State sidebar here at SXSW, one of the...
Clay Liford is a genius. Clay Liford is also the friendliest guy in Texas (perhaps a bit too friendly when he drinks). He's one of the five best directors in the state, he's a perennial festival favorite, and he's about to save filmmaking and maybe also the universe. I knew all of these things about Clay Liford before I even got to the screening of his latest feature, 'Wuss,' because everyone on the SXSW shuttle to the Rollins Theater piped up to tell me how much they love that guy. From the moment I told the lady sitting next to me what movie I was on my way to see, that bus erupted into a fit of hyper excitement as if 'Wuss' were Pee-Wee Herman's secret word.
Thanks to the Lone Star State sidebar here at SXSW, one of the...
- 3/20/2011
- by David Ehrlich
- Cinematical
Filed under: SXSW Film Festival, Cinematical
Clay Liford is a genius. Clay Liford is also the friendliest guy in Texas (perhaps a bit too friendly when he drinks). He's one of the five best directors in the state, he's a perennial festival favorite, and he's about to save filmmaking and maybe also the universe. I knew all of these things about Clay Liford before I even got to the screening of his latest feature, 'Wuss,' because everyone on the SXSW shuttle to the Rollins Theater piped up to tell me how much they love that guy. From the moment I told the lady sitting next to me what movie I was on my way to see, that bus erupted into a fit of hyper excitement as if 'Wuss' were Pee-Wee Herman's secret word.
Thanks to the Lone Star State sidebar here at SXSW, one of the...
Clay Liford is a genius. Clay Liford is also the friendliest guy in Texas (perhaps a bit too friendly when he drinks). He's one of the five best directors in the state, he's a perennial festival favorite, and he's about to save filmmaking and maybe also the universe. I knew all of these things about Clay Liford before I even got to the screening of his latest feature, 'Wuss,' because everyone on the SXSW shuttle to the Rollins Theater piped up to tell me how much they love that guy. From the moment I told the lady sitting next to me what movie I was on my way to see, that bus erupted into a fit of hyper excitement as if 'Wuss' were Pee-Wee Herman's secret word.
Thanks to the Lone Star State sidebar here at SXSW, one of the...
- 3/20/2011
- by David Ehrlich
- Moviefone
For me, SXSW 2011 may be the year of the charmingly disturbing film ... although come to think of it, I saw a few of those in 2010 too. I've always said that I don't want to watch movies with unsympathetic main characters, but in the past couple of years, filmmakers -- those in Texas particularly -- have made me change my mind if the film is sufficiently good (or better yet, funny). The latest film from Texas filmmaker Clay Liford (who just moved from Dallas to Austin) is Wuss, a movie about a pathetic wet noodle of a loser, someone you'd shrink away from at a party or in the office breakroom, who is far more compelling than you might initially guess.
Part of the credit here must go to Nate Rubin, who portrays the character described in the title, Mitch. Mitch manages at first to draw the attention of a charming woman at his high-school reunion,...
Part of the credit here must go to Nate Rubin, who portrays the character described in the title, Mitch. Mitch manages at first to draw the attention of a charming woman at his high-school reunion,...
- 3/18/2011
- by Jette Kernion
- Slackerwood
Director Clay Liford first made these pages last year when his low budget scifi film Earthling screened at SXSW and he's making a return appearance to the festival in 2011 with his new feature Wuss.Wuss is the story of a high school teacher who faces constant ridicule after he's repeatedly beaten up by several of his own students. Having nowhere else to turn, he eventually teams up with another of his students to fight back. This student, a young girl, is feared school-wide because of a dark family reputation. She also has an unfortunate nickname grafted to her due to her predilection for smoking discarded cigarettes. Bonded in battle, the student and teacher form a friendship that stretches the use of the word inappropriate.With...
- 3/14/2011
- Screen Anarchy
SXSW is just around the corner, so we here at Gatw will be educating you on many of movies that will be debuting at the 2011 festival. Over the weekend, writer/director Clay Liford sent me the first poster and trailer for his latest flick, Wuss, which will be having its world premiere at SXSW in just a few weeks.
Read more on SXSW 2011 Exclusive: First poster and trailer for Clay Liford’s Wuss…...
Read more on SXSW 2011 Exclusive: First poster and trailer for Clay Liford’s Wuss…...
- 2/14/2011
- by Chase Whale
- GordonandtheWhale
Congratulations to filmmaker Clay Liford, whose latest feature Wuss will have its world premiere in the Lone Star States category at SXSW 2011 next month.
Remember Clay? Last year at SXSW, My Blackberry Ate My Clay Liford Interview when I talked with him and producer Barak Epstein about Clay's cerebral science-fiction genre-crossing movie Earthling, and touched briefly on his 2008 short My Mom Smokes Weed. The man is batting a thousand -- getting two features into SXSW two years in a row is no mean feat. He spent a Sunday brunch at Olivia a couple of weeks ago chatting with Jette and me about his latest projects -- we all ate smoked gouda grits, and the Blackberry did not eat the interview this time.
As it happens, My Mom Smokes Weed star Nate Rubin plays the lead in Wuss. Rubin stars as Mitch, a high-school teacher who can't seem to escape the...
Remember Clay? Last year at SXSW, My Blackberry Ate My Clay Liford Interview when I talked with him and producer Barak Epstein about Clay's cerebral science-fiction genre-crossing movie Earthling, and touched briefly on his 2008 short My Mom Smokes Weed. The man is batting a thousand -- getting two features into SXSW two years in a row is no mean feat. He spent a Sunday brunch at Olivia a couple of weeks ago chatting with Jette and me about his latest projects -- we all ate smoked gouda grits, and the Blackberry did not eat the interview this time.
As it happens, My Mom Smokes Weed star Nate Rubin plays the lead in Wuss. Rubin stars as Mitch, a high-school teacher who can't seem to escape the...
- 2/8/2011
- by Jenn Brown
- Slackerwood
Clay Liford is a festival darling. His first short film, My Mom Smokes Weed, premiered last year at Sundance, and then two months later his first feature, Earthling, had its world premiere at SXSW, going on to garner acclaim at more prestigious festivals (including Spain’s Sitges Fest).
Read more on SXSW 2011: First look at Clay Liford’s Wuss…...
Read more on SXSW 2011: First look at Clay Liford’s Wuss…...
- 2/4/2011
- by Chase Whale
- GordonandtheWhale
The South by Southwest Film Festival announced its feature film line-up Wednesday, piling heaps of cinematic goodness on an already stellar program that includes Jodie Foster’s The Beaver, Duncan Jones’ Source Code, Ti West’s The Innkeepers, Conan O’Brien’s tour documentary, and the latest Simon Pegg-Nick Frost comedy, Paul, with Seth Rogen.
Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) returns to the festival with her latest film, Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried, after the writer-director spoke on a screenwriting panel in 2009.
Plus a few favorites from the Sundance Film Festival last month, like Tom McCarthy’s Win Win, Morgan Spurlock’s The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and Max Winkler’s Ceremony.
I’m extremely excited, even if I’m already having flashbacks to intense sleep deprivation. Like the last two years, I’ll be on the ground covering as much of the festival as I can within the packed 9 days of screenings,...
Catherine Hardwicke (Twilight) returns to the festival with her latest film, Red Riding Hood starring Amanda Seyfried, after the writer-director spoke on a screenwriting panel in 2009.
Plus a few favorites from the Sundance Film Festival last month, like Tom McCarthy’s Win Win, Morgan Spurlock’s The Greatest Movie Ever Sold, and Max Winkler’s Ceremony.
I’m extremely excited, even if I’m already having flashbacks to intense sleep deprivation. Like the last two years, I’ll be on the ground covering as much of the festival as I can within the packed 9 days of screenings,...
- 2/3/2011
- by Jeff Leins
- newsinfilm.com
‘Tapping into the cultural zeitgeist,’ at SXSW 2011
Austin, Texas – The SXSW 2011 Feature Film Lineup was unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The festival lineup will consist of 130 features, in nine full days of programming, promising to deliver a film-going experience unlike previous years.
With a reputation for taking chances on relatively unknown filmmakers, the SXSW panel of judges carefully picked 130 films from 1,792 feature-length film submissions, (1,323 U.S. and 469 international). The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
The main competition categories return with eight Narrative Features, and eight Documentary Features, both competing for their respective Grand Jury Prize. New for films in competition this year, are awards for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and acting.
(The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.)
Here are a few of the Features to be screened, among many others.
Narratives:
The Beaver (World Premiere)
Dir.
Austin, Texas – The SXSW 2011 Feature Film Lineup was unveiled Wednesday afternoon. The festival lineup will consist of 130 features, in nine full days of programming, promising to deliver a film-going experience unlike previous years.
With a reputation for taking chances on relatively unknown filmmakers, the SXSW panel of judges carefully picked 130 films from 1,792 feature-length film submissions, (1,323 U.S. and 469 international). The program consists of 60 World Premieres, 12 North American Premieres and 16 U.S. Premieres.
The main competition categories return with eight Narrative Features, and eight Documentary Features, both competing for their respective Grand Jury Prize. New for films in competition this year, are awards for screenplay, editing, cinematography, music, and acting.
(The Midnighters and SXFantastic feature sections, along with the short film program, will be announced next week.)
Here are a few of the Features to be screened, among many others.
Narratives:
The Beaver (World Premiere)
Dir.
- 2/3/2011
- by Albert Art
- HeyUGuys.co.uk
Readers of Sound On Sight can be sure that we will indeed be covering the SXSW Film Festival once again. As previously reported, Duncan Jones’ latest film Source Code is opening the festival and there will also be premieres for the documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop, Greg Mottola’s Paul, and Jodie Foster’s The Beaver. Now the full line-up has been announced it is incredible.
Hit the jump to check out the line-up, and be sure to visit our site during the event.
The 2011 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 11 – 19th in Austin, Texas.
SXSW Film Announces 2011 Features Lineup
Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers.
Hit the jump to check out the line-up, and be sure to visit our site during the event.
The 2011 SXSW Film Festival runs from March 11 – 19th in Austin, Texas.
SXSW Film Announces 2011 Features Lineup
Austin, Texas – February 2, 2011 – The South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Conference and Festival is thrilled to announce the features lineup for this year’s Festival, March 11 – 19, 2011 in Austin, Texas. The 2011 lineup continues the SXSW tradition of tapping into the cultural zeitgeist, highlighting emerging talent and breakthrough performances and supporting first-time filmmakers.
- 2/3/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
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