In the midst of full-fledged festival season, the Austin Film Festival, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, announced its full lineup of big-screen offerings. The highly anticipated Texas fest runs Oct. 25–Nov. 1.
Three titles fresh from their Toronto International Film Festival premieres earlier this month will be featured, including AFF’s centerpiece film: Roadside Attractions’ “Ben is Back” starring Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges. The writer and director of the film, Peter Hedges, will attend this year’s fest.
The Steve McQueen and Gillian Flynn thriller “Widows” from 20th Century Fox, featuring an all-star ensemble including Viola Davis, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki, Cynthia Erivo, Colin Farrell, Brian Tyree Henry, Daniel Kaluuya, and Liam Neeson, will also screen at the festival. Peter Farrelly’s Universal Pictures dramedy “Green Book,” starring Mahershala Ali and Viggo Mortensen, also headlines the festival, as does Paul Dano’s directorial debut “Wildlife,” distributed by IFC Films and starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Carey Mulligan. Mike Leigh’s Amazon Studios period piece “Peterloo” and R3M Pictures’ Mickey Rourke boxing drama “Tiger” fill out the 2018 AFF marquee.
The festival’s full slate includes 23 world, North American, and U.S. premieres, plus the Season 2 premiere of Netflix’s “Friends From College” (creators Francesca Delbanco and Nicholas Stoller will be in attendance). The festival’s retrospective series will see screenwriter Tony Gilroy presenting his film “Dolores Claiborne,” writer Graham Yost presenting his film “Speed,” and writer Mick Garris, who will be in attendance for a special Halloween presentation of the classic “Hocus Pocus.”
The Texan film fest has differentiated itself over the last quarter century with a focus on writers’ contribution to film and television, this year running their Writers Conference alongside the festival Oct. 25–28. That conference boasts a roster of prominent screenwriters including the likes of Roger Corman, Larry Wilmore, Megan Amram, John August, Wendy Calhoun, and Nicole Holofcener. For more information on AFF, visit the official website.
UPDATE: Neon’s “Vox Lux,” from writer-director Brady Corbet and starring Natalie Portman as a traumatized pop star, will be AFF’s opening night film.