LAFF Showcases AFS Alumni

A few days ago, the Los Angeles Film Festival announced their line-up and two new world premieres in the mix were made by Austin filmmakers...

I'LL COME RUNNING by Spencer Parsons, which received ta 2007 TFPF distribution grant and a production grant back in 2004 under the previous title CHOO-CHOO-CHOOSE YOU. The film was shot in Austin and Denmark and stars up-and-coming indie darling Melonie Diaz (RAISING VICTOR VARGAS, BE KIND REWIND) as a Texas waitress whose one night stand with a Danish tourist sends her life into an unexpected direction.

TRINIDAD by PJ Raval & Jay Hodges, which also received a couple TFPF grants, in 2004 & 2006, under a different title, BEST KEPT SECRET. It also screened as a Doc-in-Progress last year here at AFS and was executive produced by (now former) SXSW Festival Producer and AFS board member Matt Dentler. The documentary takes a look at Trinidad, a small Colorado town that just happens to be the sex change capital of the world.

A couple other AFS-related films continue their post-Sundance festival run with stops at LAFF: Jay & Mark Duplass's BAGHEAD and Margaret Brown's THE ORDER OF MYTHS, which just got picked up for distribution by Cinema Guild, the same company currently playing Laura Dunn's THE UNFORESEEN around the country.

Both of the world premieres are playing in the festival's competition sectios, which have proven incredibly fruitful for Austin filmmakers lately - Steve Collins' GRETCHEN, Chris Eska's AUGUST EVENING and Mike Akel's CHALK all came home winners from LAFF in recent years. Let's hope the Austin luck continues!