The Austin Film Festival announced its second wave of film selections on Thursday, and there are several films of note.
One of the most significant is “Jockey,” written by Clint Bentley and Austinite Greg Kwedar and directed by Bentley.
It premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival, and its star, Clifton Collins Jr., won a special jury award for his acting. He plays a jockey who is wrapping up his career with a big race but suddenly is confronted by a younger jockey who may be his son. Sony Pictures Classics has picked up distribution rights.
Sundance film review: ‘Jockey’ offers a touching story of dreams deferred
Then there’s “Ranch Water,” which will have its world premiere at the festival. It’s written and directed by University of Texas alumni Sophie Miller. It follows a group of women who are on the brink of graduating college and deciding their futures.
Another film of Texas interest is the documentary “Commissioner of Power,” which details how Terry Todd, who with his wife Jan co-founded the H.J. Lutcher Stark Center for Physical Culture and Sports at the University of Texas. The documentary is written and directed by Todd Sansom.
The AFF lineup also includes “Cusp,” a Showtime documentary that looks at the lives of three girls in a rural Texas town during summer break.
“Buck Alamo,” which was shot in Austin, focuses on an ailing musician named Buck who spends his final days trying to reconnect with his estranged family. It’s written and directed by Ben Epstein, and the AFF screening will be its North American premiere.
Another world premiere will be “The One You’re With,” directed by Chad Werner. It explores romance during quarantine as a first date leads to spending 60 days in quarantine together. Werner is an Austin native.
“The King of North Sudan“ will have its U.S. premiere at the festival. It’s written by Danny Abel and Brett Blake and directed by Abel. The documentary focuses on Jeremiah Heaton, who tries to make his daughter a princess by claiming a plot of land in Sudan.
“Addict Named Hal” will have its Texas premiere, and it looks at the lives of a group of addicts in a halfway house. It’s written and directed by Lane Michael Stanley.
Nadia Szold directs the documentary “Larry Flynt for President,” which follows the pornographic publisher’s presidential run in 1983.
The Austin Film Festival runs from Oct. 21 through 28. For more information and tickets and safety protocols, visit austinfilmfestival.com.
