The Austin Film Festival has revealed the lineup for its 30th anniversary, running October 26 through November 2 — and IndieWire can share it exclusively here.
Highlights from the program include an opening night premiere of Emerald Fennell’s lusty Patricia Highsmith homage “Saltburn,” with Fennell attending, and the closing night bow of British actor-turned-filmmaker Jack Huston’s Venice premiere “Day of the Fight,” his feature directing debut starring Michael Pitt. Huston will head to the festival for a Q&A. Austin will also host a screening of Jeff Nichols’ freewheeling Midwestern motorcycle gang drama “The Bikeriders,” starring Jodie Comer, Austin Butler, and Tom Hardy. Writer/director Nichols will be in attendance for a Q&A. The festival will also bring Lena Headey to Austin for her feature film “The Trap.”
Other buzzy fall festival titles en route to Austin include “All of Us Strangers,” “Finestkind,” “Fingernails,” and “The Holdovers.” The film program for the 30th festival also includes the world premieres of the drama “Re: Uniting, the Texas film “ImPossible,” and “The Problem with People,” written by and starring Paul Reiser, who will be in attendance and will speak at the Writers Conference.
Austin will host a costumed (?!?) retrospective of “Iron Man 3” with writer/director Shane Black leading a discussion on the making of the movie post-screening. Other films scheduled include “The Promised Land,” “Sunlight,” “Studio One Forever,” and a screening of the pilot episode of the upcoming Paramount+ series “Lawmen: Bass Reeves,” executive produced by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan, Chad Feehan, who also created the show for television, and series lead David Oyelowo.
Austin Film Festival is also celebrating the launch of its new Writer’s Writer award, honoring both established storytellers and emerging voices. Austin Film Festival will present Cord Jefferson with the inaugural award to celebrate his breakout new film “American Fiction,” which won the People’s Choice Award at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival.
Austin Film Festival also revealed the full Writers Conference schedule, which will take place the first four days of the Festival, October 26-29. Also scheduled to appear at this year’s Conference are Dan Erickson, Tracy Oliver, Damon Lindelof, Lauren Shuler Donner, Lee Eisenberg, Celine Song, Karyn Kusama, Charmaine DeGraté, Nicole Perlman, Meg LeFauve, Joanna Calo, Scott Alexander, and Larry Karaszewski.
Marquee Features:
Saltburn – USA/UK
OPENING NIGHT SELECTION
Writer/Director: Emerald Fennell
In Attendance: Emerald Fennell
The Trap – UK
CENTERPIECE SELECTION/WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Lena Headey
In Attendance: Lena Headey
Day of the Fight – USA
CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION
Writer/Director: Jack Huston
In Attendance: Jack Huston
The Bikeriders – USA
Writer/Director: Jeff Nichols
In Attendance: Jeff Nichols
American Fiction – USA
Writer/Director: Cord Jefferson
In Attendance: Cord Jefferson
Problem With People – USA/Ireland
WORLD PREMIERE
Writers: Paul Reiser, Wally Marzano-Lesnevich
Director: Chris Cottam
In Attendance: Paul Reiser, Wally Marzano-Lesnevich, & Chris Cottam
The Holdovers – USA
Writer: David Hemingson
Director: Alexander Payne
All of Us Strangers – UK
Writer/Director: Andrew Haigh
Finestkind – USA
Writer/Director: Brian Helgeland
In Attendance: Brian Helgeland
Not an Artist – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writers: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher, Matt Walsh
Directors: Alexi Pappas, Jeremy Teicher
Smoking Tigers – USA
Writer/Director: So Young Shelly Yo
In Attendance: So Young Shelly Yo
Bucky F*cking Dent – USA
Writer/Director: David Duchovny
Chestnut – USA
Writer/Director: Jac Cron
Fingernails – USA
Writer/Director: Christos Nikou
Last Straw – USA
Writer: Taylor Sardoni
Director: Alan Scott Neal
Lawmen: Bass Reeves – USA
Writer/Creator: Chad Feehan
Director: Christina Alexandra Voros
The Promised Land – Denmark
Writer: Nikolaj Arcel, Anders Thomas Jensen
Director: Nikolaj Arcel
Monster – Japan
Writer: Yûji Sakamoto
Director: Kore-eda Hirokazu
Robot Dreams – Spain
Writer/Director: Pablo Berger
Scab Vendor – USA
Directors: Lucas de Barros, Mariana Robles Thome
The Disappearance of Shere Hite – USA
Director: Nicole Newnham
Narrative Features
Grapefruit – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Chase Joliet
Autumn – Portugal
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: António Sequeira
Bolt from the Blue – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Jack Martin
Christmess – Australia
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Heath Davis
Invaders from Proxima B – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Ward Roberts
The Highest Brasil – Ireland
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Jeremy Curl
Re: Uniting – Canada
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Laura Adkin
Midnight at the Paradise – Canada
Writer: Bill Robertson
Director: Vanessa Matsui
Secret Art of Human Flight – USA
Writer: Jesse Orenshein
Director: H.P. Mendoza
Summer of Violence – USA
Writer/Director: Nicki Micheaux
Sunlight – Ireland
Writer: Ailbhe Keogan
Director: Claire Dix
The Battle – Brazil
Writer/Director: Vera Egito
Documentary Features:
Born To Fly – Sweden
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Director: Brennan Robideaux
Studio One Forever – USA
Director: Marc Saltarelli
The Philadelphia Eleven – USA
Director: Margo Guernsey
This Is Not Financial Advice – USA
Directors: Chris Temple, Zach Ingrasci
First We Bombed New Mexico – USA
Writer: Joel Marcus
Director: Lois Lipman
Home Is A Hotel – USA
Director: Kevin Wong
Susan Feniger. FORKED – USA
Director: Liz Lachman
Aitamaako’tamisskapi Natosi: Before the Sun – Canada
Director: Banchi Hanuse
Dark Matters:
Wild Eyed and Wicked – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Gordon Shoemaker Foxwood
Inhabitants – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Matt McClung
The Veil – USA
Writer/Director: Cameron Beyl
Jonah – Canada
Writers: Trevor Vandelac, Ben Van Kleek
Director: Ben Van Kleek
Unfinished Business from Beyond – Mexico
NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE
Writer: Eduardo Espindola
Director: Ian Martin
Cannibal Mukbang – USA
Writer/Director: Aimee Kuge
Comedy Vanguard:
Don’t Tell Larry – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writers/ Directors: Greg Porper, John Schimke
For When You Get Lost – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer: Jennifer Sorenson
Director: Michelle Steffes
Soweto Blaze – South Africa
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Brad Katzen
Egghead & Twinkie – USA
Writer/Director: Sarah Kambe Holland
Villains Inc. – USA
Writers: Matt Moen, Jason Gray, Jeremy Warner
Director: Jeremy Warner
Sour Party – USA
Writers/Directors: Amanda Drexton, Michael A. Drexton
All the Wrong Ingredients – USA
Writer/Director: Nicholas Livanos
Texas Features:
I’ll Be There – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer: Cindy McCreery
Director: Andrew Shea
The Stars At Night – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writer/Director: Elizabeth Buckley
ImPossible – USA
WORLD PREMIERE
Writers: Brandon Lewis, Seckita Lewis
Director: Seckita Lewis
Home Free – USA
Writer: Lenny Barszap
Director: Aaron Brown
