Film Flam

"Clowns Never Lie"

Austin-based but Madrid-born, filmmaker Mario Troncoso has a great excuse to re-cross the Atlantic come May: He's going to Cannes.

A graduate of the University of Texas and seasoned video editor, Troncoso will screen his narrative short film "Clowns Never Lie" in the Short Film Corner at the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. There are plans afoot to raise money to send the writer/director and cast members to the fest; when we hear about it, you will too.

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There are only so many variations on the whole Alamo Drafthouse-march-toward-world-domination lede, so we'll just tell this one straight: The super-robust local theatre chain has announced plans to build a new state of the art venue in North Austin, adjacent to the Lakeline Mall, in the under-construction Lakeline Market Shopping Center. The first phase of this new retail center, which will be anchored by an HEB-Plus, is projected to open in November 2012; no word yet if the 10-screen Drafthouse Lakeline will be opening then, too.

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Speaking of hyperproductive: ATX-based Twitchy Dolphin Flix, which seems to produce a new film about as often as an oil change, is premiering its latest "National Lampoon's esque comedy," Turkey Day, at the BareBones Film Festival in Muskogee, Okla. Twitchy Dolphin previously took Best Drama prize at last year's fest for its film Look At Me Again.

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If you're following this column, chances are you're a movie geek. That geekdom can pay off Tuesday night (3/27) at the Cinema41-hosted Trivia41, an all-film trivia quiz night. (OK, by "pay off" we mean "free pitcher of reasonably priced beer," which is plenty reward if you ask us.) That's Tuesday night, 8-11pm, a the Dive Bar & Lounge (1703 Guadalupe St.).

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Hemlock Grove, you may recall, is the upcoming Netflix original series based on the same-named novel by Brian McGreevy, a graduate of UT's Michener Center for Writers. Just announced are the horror series' newly cast leads: Famke Janssen (X-Men's Jean Grey) and Bill Skarsgard, of the Skarsgard acting dynasty (can we call it a dynasty yet?). McGreevy is adapting the series with longtime writing partner Lee Shipman, another Michener Center alum; McGreevy will also be in town April 9 for a book launch event at the ND, pairing a staged reading with a horror movie screening and open bar. You'll hear more about that in our April 6 issue.

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Tickets go on sale Tuesday for the next Page 2 Screen event, this time featuring novelist Walter Kirn, whose 2001 book Up in the Air was adapted into a George Clooney vehicle that garnered a whole heapage of Oscar noms. (Previously, Kirn's novel Thumbsucker also went from page to screen under the stewardship of Mike Mills.) The event – which includes a booksigning, a screening of the 2009 film, and Q&A moderated by Evan Smith – takes place April 19 at Stateside at the Paramount, with proceeds going to benefit the Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit writing & tutorial center for kids.

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The Hunger Games and pixel-powered indie game Canabalt have at least one thing in common: a super-addictive quality. OK, now make that two things in common: Adam Saltsman. Lionsgate drafted the locally based indie game developer behind Canabalt and Gravity Hook, along with other creative minds Saltsman calls an "indie dream-team," to make The Hunger Games: Girl on Fire, an iOS game available for free download. Get the app before you hit up a Hunger Games screening – it's the perfect way to tune out all those crap pre-movie commercials.

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