Short Cuts

If you're an Austin Film Society (AFS) member, you should already know this, and if you're not the news certainly presents a good incentive to join: Steven Soderbergh is coming to Austin to present the premiere of his new movie Out of Sight as a benefit for the Texas Filmmakers' Production Fund (TFPF). The Soderbergh-directed film is based on an Elmore Leonard crime novel (adapted by Scott Frank, the same screenwriter who adapted Get Shorty for the screen) and stars George Clooney, Jennifer Lopez, Ving Rhames, Albert Brooks, Don Cheadle, and Dennis Farina. The screening is scheduled for Monday, June 22 at the Lincoln Theatre and the $12 tickets provide admission to the screening and a Q&A party afterwards at an off-theatre site. Tickets will be sold to members only between 10am-2pm on Monday, June 15 through Wednesday, June 17. Additionally, anyone interested in making a $100 contribution to the AFS will be listed as a Host Sponsor and invited to Richard Linklater's reception for Soderbergh prior to the screening. Call 322-0145 to purchase...

Speaking of the TFPF, this is a blanket reminder that July 1 is the deadline for application submission. See http://www.austinfilm.org/tfpf.html for details or call the AFS office number listed above...

Another submission deadline coming up is the July 17 cutoff for sending films and videos in to the CinemaTexas International Short Film, Video, and New Media Festival. The festival is in its third year and is scheduled for September 16-20 on the UT campus. Projects need to be under 45 minutes in length and works that explore short cinema as a free genre rather than as industry calling cards are encouraged. For an entry form, call 471-6497, fax 471-4077 or e-mail cinematx@uts.cc.utexas.edu. Entry forms can also be downloaded at http://uts.cc.utexas.edu/~cinematx...

The monthly meeting of Reel Women is scheduled for Wednesday, June 17, 7:30pm, at the Hogg Foundation. The speaker will be Allison Supancic, who will present an overview of grant research. Space is limited so please call 280-8706 to reserve a spot...

Filmmaker Bob Ray, whose "Sweet Sweetroll's BaadAsssss Spin" aired recently on the Independent Film Channel and who is about to begin production on a feature called Rock Opera, will be talking about his work this Friday, June 12, 7pm on David Dannheim's ACTV show Austin Film Viewpoint on cable channel 10...

Ben Tomlin, a local filmmaker who is currently a student at NYU is shooting a modern Western short called "Border" in the Seguin-Lockhart area, July 8-20. A casting call is being held Sunday, June 14, 9am-6pm, at the Clarion Hotel (2200 S. I-35). Parts are available for a white male, age 60-80; a tall male or female (6'9" or over), age 20-30; a Hispanic male, age 40-50; and a Hispanic male, age 8-12. Parts are also available for extras. For info call or fax Wes Hutchison at 454-5324...

The nation's oldest Chicano/Latino film festival, CineFestival, is taking place this weekend in San Antonio. A number of new feature films are being shown, including Single Action, which stars Carlos Gallardo (the star of El Mariachi) who also directed and produced this new film. The festival is also highlighted by a special tribute to ace cinematographer Gabriel Figueroa of Mexico. Most of the events take place at the Guadalupe Theatre (1300 Guadalupe at Brazos). The festival continues through Sunday, June 14; for more info call 210/271-3151.