Austin Way Magazine - GreenGale Publishing - There is a place beyond the crowds, beyond the ropes, where dreams are realized and success is celebrated. You are invited.
Issue link: http://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/367813
, The popular Food & Film cocktail fundraiser at the Driskill always kicks off the festival with bites from many of the hottest restaurants in town. AFF this year will debut a more formal gala, The Film Party. Says AFF's Barbara Morgan, "Overlooking the beautiful Austin skyline from the 55th foor of the Austonian Club, The Film Party will play host to flmmaking luminaries, decadent cuisine and cocktails, and a one-of-a-kind, flm-inspired live auction." The Film Party: tickets $250, October 25, 7 pm, the Austonian Club. Film & Food: tickets $100, October 22, 7 pm, the Driskill Hotel. New this year photography by jack plunkett (franco); courtesy fx network, 2014 (fargo) "we hAve hOnOreD Our MiSSiOn OF ChAMPiOning STrOng nArrATive STOryTelling. nOw in Our 21ST yeAr, AFF reMAinS COMMiTTeD TO exPlOring An ever-ChAnging inDuSTry." —barbara morgan have Matthew Weiner join us once again, this time as our Outstanding Television Writer," says Erin Hallagan, creative director for the Austin Film Festival. "His body of work and keen sense of storytelling truly encapsu- late what AFF stands for." Weiner's appearance will follow the late-summer release of his feature film, Are you here, with Owen Wilson, Zach Galifianakis, and Amy Poehler. Joining Weiner as an honoree is Jim Sheridan, who will receive the Disting uished Screenwriter Award for his work on such movies as The Boxer and My left Foot. In addition to the panels and keynotes, the film festival is known for giving audiences a sneak peek at some of the most-talked about movies of the season, often with their stars or writers in attendance, such as nebraska last year with Will Forte. "Since day one, we have honored our mission of championing strong narrative storytelling," says cofounder and executive director Barbara Morgan. "Now in our 21st year, AFF remains committed to exploring an ever-changing industry through panels, workshops, screenings, Q&As, and unparalleled networking opportunities." Austin Film Festival, October 23–30, passes and badges available at various levels; austinfilmfestival.com AW Actor James Franco at the 2012 Austin Film Festival. why NOAH HAWLEY OF FarGO LOVes aFF Austin's noah haw- ley will return to the Film Festival on the heels of his critically acclaimed Fx series Fargo, inspired by the Coen brothers' flm of the same name. hawley, an author who has worked on Bones and created My Generation and The Unusuals for ABC, is working on the second season with a new cast, set in the late 1970s. hawley took a break from Fargo— slated to start flming in January—to talk to us about AFF. You've been a panelist and a judge at past AFFs. What keeps you coming back? As a writer, i love that it's the writer's flm festival and that the focus is really on the writing—which in the movie business tends to be the forgotten component. They've expanded into television, where the writer is the boss. everyone comes to the festival be- cause they know there's a real focus on that original voice. i like to give back and to try to hold the door open for the next person. What will you share with attendees about your experi- ence so far with Fargo? My hope is that what i contributed to the adaption game is this idea that there are no rules; you can be as creative as they let you be, and you push for that. Another aspect was, sure, you've written the script, but how do you get that flm made and not compromise on the vision for it? in my case, i'm following in the footsteps of the Coens—who are not just Oscar-winning writers, but also two of the greatest flmmakers of our time—so the execution of the material was critical. i will be talking about the conceptual process through the fnal execution. Are there any moments that stand out from past festivals? i've staffed on one show, Bones, created by hart hanson. hart was given an award at AFF two years ago on the same bill with Johnny Depp. i remember being with hart, who couldn't understand why he was on stage with Depp. it was such a funny moment for him, and i was glad that i was there to share that. What are you most looking forward to? This was the third year of the ATx Television Festival, so Aus- tin as a destination for creative people to talk about their busi- ness continues to grow, of course, as the city continues to grow. it's always really exciting to go now as a hometown guy. i love taking the bus downtown to it and then going home to my kids. it's a nice dynamic. At the same time, because i'm there with my kids, i can't really run around and do all the fun stuff. The cast of the first season of Fargo, Michael Schneider, Billy Bob Thornton, Allison Tolman, and Colin Hanks at a Television Academy event. COnTinueD FrOM PAge 62 64 AUSTINWAY.com CULtUre Festivalia