Austin Film Society Announces SXSW Shortcase

If you're getting worried about your endurance for features at SXSW Film, the Austin Film Society will be setting your mind at ease. They just announced the 2013 AFS ShortCase lineup of micro-length gems to soothe your frazzled cinematic nerves. And the best part? The show is free and open to the public.

The shorts were picked from a list of 65 titles submitted by Austin Film Society members and the program was whittled down to seven by AFS program and operations manager Ryan Long, marketing and events coordinator Austin Culp, and Debbie Cerda of Slackerwood. Their selection includes the latest work from Austin's Jacob Hamilton, who received a $15,000 grant from the Texas Filmmakers Production Fund to complete his basketball bio short Kenny Sailors: Jump Shot. He's joined by another resident of the 512, writer/director/UT alum Elizabeth Walker, with her supernatural-tinged short Fotograf.

Also making the cut are Jenny Godard's Happy Voodoo, which has become an international festival circuit regular, and sci-fi comedy Asternauts, which recently snagged a nomination in the 2012 Jerry Goldmsith Awards for Adrian Sieber's soundtrack.

This is just one of a series of SXSW Film events aimed at the community across the festival. For more info, visit the SXSW Community Screenings page.

Austin Film Society presents Shortcase at SXSW, 4pm, March 10, Vance Theater at the George Washington Carver Museum, 1165 Angelina. More info at www.austinfilm.org/shortcase. Here's the full lineup:

Asternauts
D: Marta Masferrer, 16 mins.
Life is pretty dull for small-town farmer Earl McKnutt and his childlike brother Joel: Wake up, feed the cows, and sit on the porch until it's time to turn in. That is until one night a mysterious object from outer space crash-lands in their pasture killing their best bull and milking cow … www.asternauts.com.

First Date
D: Steven DeGennaro, 13 mins. A man's date becomes a nightmare when he's hit with an attack of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. www.firstdatemovie.com

Fotograf
D: Elizabeth Walker, 11 mins.
Morozov is a soul-stealing photographer who makes his living targeting the unsuspecting citizens of a small Russian city through personalized advertisements made with knowledge gained from his meticulous stalking. After colliding head first with fiery ballerina Dusha, he goes through his routine ambush, until he is surprised by his first genuine emotional connection. www.facebook.com/fotograffilm.

Happy Voodoo
D: Jenny Goddard, 8 mins.
Damien uses voodoo dolls to alter the lives of his three best friends. www.nikkofilms.com.

Kenny Sailors: Jump Shot
D: Jacob Hamilton, 7 mins.
Over 60 years have passed since Kenny Sailors, inventor of the modern day jump shot, has retired from the game of basketball and now at age 92, he is finally receiving the attention many think he deserves for his contribution to the game. www.jacobryanhamilton.com

Sahasi Chori (Brave Girl)
D: Erin Galey, 9 mins.
When a young Nepali girl leaves her Himalayan village for the first time it begins a fateful journey of unexpected events, leaving her to figure out what she's willing to sacrifice for the good of her family. www.bravegirlmovie.com.

You Can't Always Get What You Want
D: Scott Calonico, 9 mins.
Recently declassified White House tapes show President Lyndon Baines Johnson struggling with daily issues in the Oval Office, including troublesome overseas operators, a lack of attractive Negros in governmental positions and limited dessert options. www.scottcalonico.com.