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Film festivalgoers in New York City and Park City, Utah may have been the first audiences to experience the South Austin convenient store (actually the Stassney Food Mart) hangout of the twentysomethings in subUrbia, but the film's director Richard Linklater (who is also artistic director of the Austin Film Society) is making sure that a special Austin audience is very next in line. AFS is bringing subUrbia home for a special benefit screening at the Paramount Theatre on Monday, February 10 -- a month before it is due to open -- with Linklater and other special guests in attendance to introduce the film. The premiere will benefit the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund, which awarded $30,000 to 11 up-and-coming Texas filmmakers last September, one of whom is at Sundance with the short the grant money allowed him to finish. Though film society members have the first crack at seats, tickets for the general public will be available for $15 beginning Thursday, January 30. And all ticket holders are invited to a reception in Linklater's honor following the show. Call
322-0145 to join AFS or to reserve tickets after the appropriate date. AFS screenings this week include Satyajit Ray's favorite of all his films, The Lonely Wife (1964), about the housewife of a politico in British-ruled India, bored until the arrival of her husband's cousin, an entertaining writer (Free admission, Tue, Jan 28, Union, 9pm), and Springfield Rifle, by Hungarian director André de Toth (1952) which stars Gary Cooper as a federal official who joins forces with a band of outlaws to retrieve a shipment of government arms (Wed, Jan 29, 7:30pm, Dobie)... The Association of Independent Video and Filmmakers (AIVF) meets on Monday, January 27, 8pm, at the Electric Lounge to share the secrets of shooting on a low budget. Cinematographer guest speakers include some local experts: Lee Daniel (subUrbia), Phil Curry (Purgatory County), and Deb Lewis (The High Road -- now playing at the Dobie). Austin AIVF is also accepting applications for a downtown multimedia art installation for display during SXSW. For information call 322-9707... A few new Super 8 film alliances are springing up around town, one, the re-organization of some folks from the former experimental film group in*situ, has become the Austin Cinemaker Co-op. The group is currently soliciting films embodying the theme Reel of Fortune for a festival on February 17. Entries in the form of processed film with only in-camera edits and a $5 fee must be received by February 3. Send or hand-deliver your entry to the Co-op at 906 E. Fifth, Suite 106. Call
469-0144 for more information... Resident script doctor Aubrey Horton is giving a free lecture on screenwriting on Tue, Jan. 28 at Book People, 7:30pm. In February he'll teach two evening workshops -- one for beginners (4 weeks; Tuesdays 2/4-2/25, $90) and one advanced
(8 weeks; Wednesdays 2/12-4/2, $280) -- at St. Ed's. Reserve by Jan. 31; call 835-7639... The Ritz Lounge continues its free Tuesday Austin Film Series on Jan. 28 with Jeff Stolhand's romantic comedy, Seeking the Cafe Bob (1994) at 8pm and 10pm. The Union Theater's free Films by Russian Women series (also Tue, 7pm) progresses with Larisa Shepitko's The Ascent (1976) whose surface story of two Russians on the run in German-occupied territory gives way to bold statements on Soviet officialdom.