What we’re about
Watching good movies in the Austin area and hanging out before/after the screenings at bars/restaurants close to the venues.
This group's purpose is to cultivate a community of folks who share the love of Cinema.
Any attempt to define "arthouse" movies, as it usually goes with definitions, is doomed to fail. A rough demarcation, nevertheless, could do some good. I see the artistic value of a cinematic production in its conscious or unconsciousness attempt for reaching emotional/intellectual depth, to defamiliarize the familiar, to bring out some unknown to the view, to shake and enrich our existence. As such, the attempt is more important than the result and the failures valuable in one way or another.
We do not need to watch Godard backwards to count as an "arthouse movie" club, although that sounds fun. But we won't watch the 537th remake of Superman or James Bond here. Everyone else does. Let's do something more interesting.
You can contact the Organizer by text: 804-573-9168 for any feedback or questions.
Meetup structure:
- Meet at the lobby of the theater with other members prior to the screening.
- Event Host will wait for all the participants to converge in the lobby after the screening
- The group will proceed to the designated hangout space for the discussion.
- The Discussion:
- Introductions
- Each participant will share their one sentence that best captures the film. Imagine you had to pitch the film (you just watched) as an idea to some hypothetical producers, how would you summarize it in one line?
- Open-ended discussion
- Close-out and Rating: At the conclusion of the discussion, each participant will rate the film on the scale of four stars. Event Host will tally all the ratings and calculate the average rating and post it in the event's message board.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- LEILA AND THE WOLVES - HEINY SROURAFS Cinema, Austin, TX
Directed by Heiny Srour
Lebanon/UK, 1984, 1h 30min, DCP, In Arabic with English subtitles“Feminist masterwork.”
—The Guardian“A film of monumental resolve and ambition.”
—MUBIThrough shared memories of Arab women in Palestine and Lebanon, Leila uncovers their overlooked contributions in this profound exploration of identity and resistance. Writer-director Heiny Srour crafts “a film of monumental resolve and ambition, determined to address the contradictions within the anti-colonial struggle” (Celluloid Liberation Front). NOTE: This is a Free Member Monday for AFS members, so there is free admission for all AFS members. You can still purchase a ticket, even if you are not a member.
Ticket: https://www.austinfilm.org/screening/leila-and-the-wolves/
Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQw5x__CMq0&embeds_referring_euri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.austinfilm.org%2F&source_ve_path=OTY3MTQ
Discussion venue AFTER the screening: Easy TigerMeetup Structure
1: Meet at the lobby of the theater with other members prior to the screening. (Look for movie poster, Deserto Rosso). I will post in Meetup and in the Discord so it’s easy to find me.
2: If you missed or arrived late then meet the Event Host who will wait for all the participants to converge in the lobby after the screening at the same spot.
3: The group will proceed to the designated hangout space for the discussion. - BLUE SUN PALACE - CONSTANCE TSANGAFS Cinema, Austin, TX
Directed by Constance Tsang
USA, 2024, 1h 56min, DCP, In Mandarin with English Subtitles“Tsang brings a perceptive subtlety to the story, creating a whole world inside the parlor and its inhabitants, while letting us discover along with them what lies beyond. Instead of leaning into trauma or misery, the filmmaker gives us complex characters who nonetheless speak very little — everything happens in their expressions, the quick flash of a twitch across a cheek when the other isn’t looking.” —Alissa Wilkinson, New York Times (Critic’s Pick)
“By its final grace note, one that considers the reality that some wounds aren’t meant to heal, “Blue Sun Palace,” a soulful and passionate meditation on loss, shines as a new gem of slow cinema.” —Robert Daniels, RogerEbert.com
Winner of the French Touch prize in the Critics’ Week lineup of the 2024 Cannes Film Festival.
Within the confines of a massage parlor in Flushing, Queens, Amy (Wu Ke-Xi) and Didi (Haipeng Xu) navigate romance, happiness, and the obligations of family thousands of miles from home. Despite the physical and emotional toll their work extracts, the women who live at the parlor have fortified an impenetrable sisterhood.
When tragedy strikes on Lunar New Year, Amy is forced to consider her own destiny for the first time ever. Despite finding solace in the company of Cheung (Lee Kang-sheng), Amy must leave the city and prioritize her own spirit in order to survive.
In an unseen part of New York, BLUE SUN PALACE explores the lives of transient souls trying to find a sense of permanence.- write up by Austin Film Society
Ticket
Trailer
Discussion venue AFTER the screening Yellow RangerMeetup Structure
1: Meet at the lobby of the theater with other members prior to the screening. (Look for movie poster, Deserto Rosso: poster image link ) 2: If you missed or arrived late then meet the Event Host who will wait for all the participants to converge in the lobby after the screening at the same spot. 3: The group will proceed to the designated hangout space for the discussion. - In The Rearview - dir: Maciek Hamela (2023, Poland/France/Ukraine)AFS Cinema, Austin, TX
Featuring a pre-show musical performance by renowned Ukrainian composer Alex Syedin and a virtual Q&A with director Maciek Hamela after the film.
When the Russian invasion of Ukraine began in 2022, many thousands of people became refugees in their own country, fleeing to safer areas. This documentary depicts some of those travelers on their journeys in an innovative way. Cameras were mounted inside the cars of volunteers who helped drive the refugees to safety, and this film shows the unfortunate Ukrainians as they tell their own stories as the cars bump along over confusing and unsafe routes. A remarkable document. Co-presented by Austin arts organization Dot Dot Dot Connect and Ukrainian National Women’s League of America (UNWLA) Branch #147 Austin and San Antonio. -- Write-up by the Austin Film SocietyTickets can be bought online at this link.
Meetup Structure:
1: Meet at the lobby of the theater with other members prior to the screening. (Look for movie poster, Deserto Rosso: poster image link )2: If you missed or arrived late then meet the Event Host who will wait for all the participants to converge in the lobby after the screening at the same spot.
3: The group will proceed to the designated hangout space for the discussion.
The Discussion Format:
1: Introductions (Names, favorite movies/directors etc.)
2: Each participant will share their one sentence that best captures the film. Imagine you had to pitch the film (you just watched) as an idea to some hypothetical producers, how would you summarize it in one line?
3: Open-ended discussion
4: Close-out and Rating: At the conclusion of the discussion, each participant will rate the film on the scale of four stars. Event Host will tally all the ratings and calculate the average rating and post it in the event's message board. Event Host will also write up a summary of the discussion and they will post it in the message board. - Cinematalk Summer Get-Together at the Austin Greek Fest!Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church, Austin, TX
Cinematalk will hold its Summer get-together / picnic at the Austin Greek Fest. Come and hang out with other cinema-loving folks of our community! In addition, our friends from the New Yorker Short Story Reading Club will also be joining us.
Things To Know:
When: May 24th, Saturday 5:00pm-7:00pm
Where: Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church 414 St Stephens School Rd SThere is a 5$ entry charge
There will be food and drink stalls to purchase refreshments.VERY IMPORTANT: The venue has a cashless policy. All transactions will require a credit-card.
How To Find Us: Text 804-573-9168 to find our spot inside
