Short Cuts

All the Rick That's Fit to Print Dept.: Hot on the heels of the Chronicle's recent story about the 10-year anniversary of Richard Linklater's Slacker (well, warm on the heels, at least) comes a brace of other Linklater-related news. First, from Cathy Crane over at Detour Film Production, is a call out to anyone who was involved in that groundbreaking indie film amid rumors of a possible Slacker reunion to (possibly) be held sometime this summer. To that end, Detour is seeking updated contact information on everyone from cast to crew to in between. If you were in or worked on the film (and that's a lot of people, many of whom have no doubt scattered), please contact Detour at 322-0031 or e-mail Crane at cathy@detourfilm.com. Second, good news for everyone who's managed to see Linklater's newest, the semi-Slacker-esque film Waking Life and wondered if it might suffer the same slow distro deal as its 1991 predecessor. Last Friday's trade papers carried the announcement that the film has had its worldwide rights acquired by Fox Searchlight (distributors of such indie hits as The Full Monty and Quills), with the goal of having it in stateside theatres by the fall of 2001. Financial details of the agreement were undisclosed as we go to press, but at the very least Linklater's already widely praised film -- shot here in Austin with Flat Black Films co-producer Tommy Pallotta and Flat Black animation director Bob Sabiston -- should see the light of day before the year is out… As mentioned in this space last week, this coming Monday's AIVF salon at 7pm at the Bad Dog Comedy Theater will feature a talk from the Austin Film Society's Elisabeth Sikes on the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund 2001. This dovetails nicely with this week's official announcement that TFPF will begin accepting applications for the 2001 year beginning May 1, with a postmark deadline of July 2, 2001. Since 1996 the fund has granted $230,000 to 92 filmmakers, and this September, they'll up that total by $50,000 with grants ranging in size from $5,000 to $1,000. Application forms are available now by writing to Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, 1901 E. 51st St., Austin, TX, 78723, or by calling 322-0145, or by e-mailing tfpf@austinfilm.org… Two new calls for entries were announced this week. The first comes from the eighth annual Austin Film Festival and Heart of Film Screenwriters Conference (to be held in Austin, Oct. 11-18, 2001) and includes their screenplay, film, and the newly created prime-time television competitions. Submissions to the screenplay competition should be postmarked by May 15, television by June 15, and film by July 15. Entry fees are $40, $25, and $40, respectively. More information, including entry forms, late deadlines, and everything else, can be found at www.austinfilmfestival.com or by calling 800/310-FEST. The other call for entries arrives from Austin's masters of Super-8 and small-gauge filmmaking, the Cinemaker Co-op. Their Through the Looking Glass 4x4 festival (that's a maximum of four splices and four minutes running time) has a May 18, 6:30pm deadline and entries will be screened on Sunday and Monday, June 3-4 (location TBA). Entry is free to members, $5 for non-members, and entry forms are available at the Cinemaker offices (1705 Guadalupe, Suite 210) or by calling 236-8877… Finally, the AFS, Artisan Films, Ain't It Cool News, and the Alamo Drafthouse will co-sponsor the premiere of Jon Favreau's directorial debut, Made, Friday, May 4, 7:30pm and 10pm, at the Alamo. Tickets are $25 for the early show (with private party) and $10 for the late show (introduced by Favreau) and will be on sale at the Alamo box office from noon to midnight beginning April 27. Call 476-1320 for more info.