by Marjorie Baumgarten
Certain things we
take for granted — like movies and their perpetual motion. But filmmaking hasexisted as a business, a science, an art, and an alternate reality, for a scant
100 years. And as people around the world prepare centennial celebrations of
the invention of cinema, here in Austin, another milestone is being celebrated:
the 10th anniversary of the Austin Film Society.
The 10-year-long continued existence of the AFS has been no small feat in
itself. Born in 1985, the group’s genesis was the desire to see some movies
they had never seen before. The society was spearheaded by Richard Linklater
and Lee Daniel, who would go on to make the movies Slacker, Dazed and
Confused, and Before Sunrise together. These two had met at a
now-defunct Super-8 club in Austin and shared, among other things, the desire
to see some of the experimental and more obscure films that rarely made it to
Austin screens. Instead of griping, they took it upon themselves to organize
these screenings.
The first public AFS screenings were midnighters at the Dobie Theatre. Over
the years, screenings were held wherever space could be found: at the old
Varsity Theatre, Austin Museum of Art at Laguna Gloria, ACC, UT, Continental
Club, Chances, Dobie, and between 1988 and 1990 at their own venue, Austin
Media Arts, a cleared-out space above Quackenbush’s on the Drag that also
doubled as a staging area during the shooting of Slacker. Daniel
describes the space in the comprehensive program book compiled for the 10th
anniversary. “In 1988 we renovated a space on the Drag above Quackenbush’s
Coffee Shop and we called it Austin Media Arts. The space formerly housed a
psychedelic ice cream parlor called `Nothing Strikes Back.’ Well, we struck
back that spring with an onslaught of Godard films, plus new films from `edgy’
directors such as Jon Jost, Willie Varela, and James Benning. We didn’t make
any money, but we sure had a bitchin’ time…. I loved the challenges and risks
of trying to get an audience to sit through home movies, or Pasolini’s
Salo. I loved projecting those films, because I wanted to be right where
the magic takes place. In that ramshackle lean-to of a projection booth, I must
have projected a couple of hundred movies for the Film Society.”
The screenings were constant, irregular, and eclectic — everything from
Kenneth Anger to Robert Bresson, Vincente Minnelli to Michael Snow, Chantal
Akerman to Ingmar Bergman, and much more. The viewing of one film would
inevitably lead to the desire to see some other. The programming was
idiosyncratic yet diverse, a self-programmed film education. Linklater, who
never had much formal film training, has commented, “I always thought that in a
real film program you should just watch films. You should just spend four years
watching every film and then get busy making them.”
In another sense, this tenth anniversary is a celebration of passion — movie
passion. The AFS works because the people of Austin support these screenings.
It has always been an all-volunteer effort. Through the years, a vast number of
people too numerous to mention have donated their time and energies to the AFS.
However, a few whose contributions have been critical to the organization’s
survival must be mentioned: Denise Montgomery, one of the driving forces of the
Austin Media Arts center; Katie Cokinos, who managed AFS from 1990-1995; and
George Morris, the former Austin Chronicle writer and ACC professor
whose death from AIDS in 1989 only reinforces his role as a guiding light.
Screenings and appearances by visiting filmmakers have also been supported by
funds from the Texas Commission on the Arts and the City of Austin, as well as
exhibitors and distributors, though primary support comes from the people who
attend the events.
That passion is captured by Denise Montgomery in her description for the
anniversary program book of the Austin Media Arts center. “There were couches,
bean bags, folding chairs and a bring-your-own-drinks atmosphere… It was our
playground. It’s how we lived and what we did with all our time. The films were
the center of the space, but the experimental music and art happenings gave the
space a glimmering edge of freshness and vigor: a collective energy of people
pursuing their passions…. Through our endeavors, we grew into a cohesive
group of flickers and artists.”
That growth still continues and at this 10th anniversary juncture, the AFS is
reaching for new challenges. The form of their celebration is practically
unprecedented: a year-long retrospective, that began back in August, of 42 free
screenings of some favorite programs from the past 10 years. These screenings
are funded by membership contributions and two benefit screenings held in the
last year: the Pulp Fiction premiere with Quentin Tarantino in
attendance and the Before Sunrise premiere at the Paramount.
Additionally, a handsome and elaborate program book has been organized for the
occasion. Included are fascinating, first-person remembrances, a complete
listing of everything they’ve ever shown, program notes on all the films on the
anniversary schedule, information about AFS membership, and reproductions of
all the cool posters and flyers produced through the years. Program books are
available at the screenings and several other locations around town.
One of the most notable recent changes in the Film Society is its
concretization. With offices housed in Linklater’s Detour Film production
complex, it is also staffed by two new, talented, part-time employees,
Elizabeth Peters, the managing director, and Jerry Johnson, the director of
programming. Their presence brings a regularity to the organization, as well as
a fresh surge of commitment and knowledge. They both are available for general
advice as well. “We’re not really set up staffing-wise to do that,” says
Peters, “but we’ll make appointments with people and sit down with them and
give them advice about where to find things locally and available resources.”
The project they’re most excited about is their new program of administered
grants to independent filmmakers. Established in 1987 as a non-profit
organization, the Austin Film Society plans to serve as an umbrella
organization for individual funding efforts. This activity is all the more
important in light of the draconian budget cuts to arts organizations
throughout the country. Linklater stresses that the AFS-administered grants and
sponsored projects program “came about in lieu of the demise of the regional
NEA grants. That was a real loss to local filmmakers. We’re hoping to pick up
the slack.” Peters can point out fistfuls of figures that show how the federal
budget allots 5/100ths of one percent of its funds on the arts. Furthermore,
numbers show that the NEA actually worked to draw money out of the public
sector and that for every dollar the NEA spent, $12 of private money followed
it. Using their grants to attract money from private and corporate sources is
something the AFS hopes to accomplish.
Ambitious projects such as free screenings and grant-giving require money,
however. Toward that end, the AFS will be staging another benefit in the near
future (details to come later) and they are actively seeking new membership
donations (which are tax-exempt). These are the funding sources that keep these
programs in operation. Some people have come to regard the 10th anniversary
screenings as weekly Tuesday night meetings. You can count on seeing an
interesting film with an adventuresome crowd. “I honestly think I’m as, or
more, proud of what the Film Society has accomplished and been able to
do over the years as I am any of my own undertakings,” comments Link-later. “It
feels natural to make films, but showing `difficult’ films that don’t even
register with most of the population, has always seemed a bigger struggle.”
You can stop by any Tuesday night to say thanks. n
The Austin Film Society may be contacted by phone: 322-0145; e-mail
AustinFilm@mail.utexas.edu
This article appears in October 27 • 1995 and October 27 • 1995 (Cover).