2021 Lake Travis Film Festival Announces Full Line Up and Events

 

The Lake Travis Film Festival’s 2nd edition is set to open in two weeks (June 10-13). The experiential festival celebrating independent cinema in beautiful Hill Country, just west of Austin, will kick off with an ambitious “Space Out” Opening Night Showcase with Sevgi Hirschhäuser’s Toprak, Matt Richmond’s Brauhaus: A German-American Fairytale, multiple short film programs and a special screenwriting workshop with noted screenwriter/producer J. V. Hart (Hook, Contact, Bram Stoker’s Dracula).

The four-day in-person film festival will present a film lineup with a decidedly international flavor that will showcase films featuring a wide assortment of genres, styles, and topics. LTFF also will firmly confirm itself as an event dedicated to female filmmakers, young filmmaker showcases, a music video showcase, a special animation presentation, and more screenings, fun events, and after parties in various popup locations throughout the cities of Bee Cave and Lakeway, Texas.

Lake Travis Film Festival Founder and Executive Director, Kat Albert, said, “Like the rest of the country, our community has been isolated for a year, and we want our event to give people a safe space to leave their homes and experience a little bit of normalcy. Filmmakers have been isolated too and they have missed the joy and satisfaction of seeing their films screened in front of live audiences. We were fortunate to have seemingly dodged the pandemic’s course to a great extent from our debut last year to this year’s second edition, but that also makes us want to return in the best way we can both for our filmmakers and our film fans.”

Opening Night will kick things off with an eclectic group of features and shorts led by off a “Space Out Showcase” slate of short films loosely revolving around NASA and outer space. The trio of films include; Zachary Scott’s Space Case, which features a compelling story about a social outcast who must choose between conformity or space travel; Verre De Wilde’s Spaceboy, which tells the story of two brothers who share their passion for space while the time is ticking on their time together; and Ann Michell’s Tracy’s Vision, a touching story of an extraordinary scientist with congenital eye disease who excels in his NASA position, reinforcing the value of a diverse workforce.

Following the “Space Out Showcase” intro, will be Sevgi Hirschhäuser’s Toprak. The Turkish drama which focuses on a teenager struggling with with his uncle and grandmother in a remote Turkish village. While the religious uncle is satisfied to live his life in poverty, the teenager wants to break free, leave for the city and attend university. However, when his grandmother falls sick, they will both have to make decisions that will change their lives forever. Also featured on Opening Night will be Matt Richmond’s documentary Brauhaus: A German-American Fairytale. The film looks at the closing of a beloved family-run restaurant and how a Chicago neighborhood copes with the impending emotional final days.

Adding to the Opening Night highlights, the Lake Travis Film Festival will also host a screenwriting workshop with Hugo and Saturn Award-winning screenwriter J. V. Hart at La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lakeway (1943 Medical Drive). Drawing on his career stretching over four decades with writing and producing credits including Hook, Contact, Bram Stoker’s Dracula, Muppet Treasure Island, and August Rush, Hart will discuss The Hart Chart, a story mapping tool he has created for writers. Attendance to the special event will be open to Badge Holders and Non-Badge Holders via a separate ticket available through Eventbrite. Tickets will be limited, and are on a first come basis. Breakfast, lunch, and source materials from Hart are included in the ticket price.

Closing Night will start with the Filmmaker Awards announcement and then wrap things up with Scott Wiper’s The Big Ugly. Starring Malcolm McDowell, Vinnie Jones, Leven Rambin, and Ron Perlman in a knock down, drag out B-movie fueled drama about a business deal between London mob bosses and a West Virginia oilman laundering dirty money going from bad to worse.

Two narrative features highlight the international thread running through LTFF this year. Ilir Pristine’s moody Canadian drama Florrie is about a woman who, while juggling 3 men in her life, is confronted by her complicated past and now feels the pressure to commit to just one man. Alex Gavin’s The Turn of the Screw is a mind-bending New Zealand drama         adapted from the classic Henry James novel. Set in an empty theatre over the course of one evening, an actress finds that she is a last minute replacement for another actress at the dress rehearsal of a stage production of “The Turn of the Screw,” set in 1890.

In its second year, the Lake Travis Film Festival has already begun making a name for itself with its documentary programming. Highlights include; Alice Elliott’s Emmy Award-winning film, Miracle on 42nd Street, which looks at the Manhattan Plaza apartment complex which was legendary for housing such famous actors and singers like Alicia Keys, Terrance Howard, Donald Faison, Larry David, Samuel L Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito and Angela Lansbury; Kaye Cleave and James Daggett’s Australian production Catherine’s Kindergarten follows a mother’s momentous journey to a Nepalese mountain village to open a school in memory of her deceased daughter; Richard Wicksteed’s SanDance! A Journey to the Heart of San Culture is a South African film exploring the dance culture of Africa’s San First Peoples, as San dancers prepare to perform at Botswana’s Kuru Dance Festival; Nils R Cowan’s Spawning Grounds follows the effort by scientists, landowners, elected officials and Tribal leaders, to save a rare native salmon in one of America’s only Urban Wildlife Refuges; and Nico Perrino, Aaron Reese, and Chris Maltby’s Mighty Ira focuses on American Civil Liberties Union leader, Ira Glasser as he reflects on his life at the forefront of defending the rights of all Americans, from civil rights leaders to neo-Nazis.

Another highlight of this year’s Lake Travis Film Festival will be a special animation presentation of curated shorts by Brooklyn-based animator, Emmett Goodman. Viewing will be free and open to the public on the Great Lawn at the Hill Country Galleria (12700 Hill Country Blvd, Bee Cave, TX). Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs and to grab libations from Vista Brewery.

With an eye toward discovering new talent, LTFF has selected 35 feature-length scripts and 21 short film scripts for this year’s competition. The screenplays cover a wide array of genres from drama and comedy to horror and sci-fi. Screenplays will all be highlighted at the festival starting on Thursday, June 10 with the winners announced, along with the film categories at Star Hill Ranch (15000 Hamilton Pool Road, Bee Cave, TX) on Sunday, June 13.

 

 

2021 Lake Travis Film Festival Official Selections

 

OPENING NIGHT FEATURE SELECTIONS

 

Brauhaus: A German-American Fairytale 

Director: Matt Richmond       

Country: United States; 74 min         

Harry Kempf, his family and his Chicago neighborhood cope with the untimely end of a beloved family-run restaurant.

 

Toprak           

Director: Sevgi Hirschhäuser 

Country: Turkey; 106 min      

TOPRAK is the dramatic story of a simple family in rural Turkey dealing with poverty, family traditions, and religious heritage. Since the death of his parents, the teenage Burak has lived with his uncle Cemil and grandmother in a remote Turkish village. The small family unit has been trying to make a living by selling fruits. While the religious Cemil is satisfied to live his life in poverty, Burak struggles to leave for the city and attend university. When grandmother falls sick, both Burak and Cemil have to make tough decisions that will change their lives forever.

 

CLOSING NIGHT SELECTION

 

The Big Ugly 

Director: Scott Wiper 

Country: United States; 103 min  

Anglo-American relations go bad when London mob bosses invest in a West Virginia oil deal in hopes of laundering dirty money.

 

NARRATIVE FEATURES

 

After the Night with Valerie

Director: Alex Garnett

Country: United States; 98 min    

A recovering amnesiac’s memories are replaced by fantasies he believes actually occurred.

 

Florrie

Director: ilir pristine    

Country: Canada; 79 min      

Florrie, a 30-year-old woman dating 3 men simultaneously, is confronted by her complicated past and pressured by her friend to commit to just one man.

 

His Stretch of Texas Ground         

Director: Ralph Cinque          

Country: United States; 100 min       

Sheriff Joe Haladin is back, and this time, a vicious ex-con returns to Arlettsville and commits a crime so vile, it consumes the whole town and the whole country. But, evil knows no bounds. The sequel to My Stretch of Texas Ground.

 

Love is not Love      

Director: Stephen Keep Mills 

Country: United States; 95 min         

In a city where everyone is on the hunt for love, people turn love into a myth and chase the myth instead.

 

The Good Wolf         

Director: Wilfred H Shipley    

Country: United States; 75 min        

A fugitive and a 12-year-old boy meet in the woods and spend the summer together surviving and learning from one another… and hiding from the police.

 

The Turn of the Screw        

Director: Alex Galvin  

Country: New Zealand; 88 min          

Adapted from the famous Henry James novel, and set in an empty theatre over the course of one evening, Julia finds herself as a last minute replacement for another actress at the dress rehearsal of a stage play version of The Turn of the Screw, set in 1890.

 

 

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

 

Catherine’s Kindergarten   

Director: Kaye Cleave, James Daggett         

Country: Australia; 70 min     

After the death of her only child, a mother takes a journey to a Nepalese mountain village to open a school in memory of her daughter — all while confronting her grief.

 

I Have No Wings      

Director: Nino Memanishvili  

Country: Georgia; 76 min      

After his beloved bird is confiscated, Makho struggles to get his life back as he faces major financial and emotional loss.

 

Mighty Ira      

Director: Nico Perrino, Aaron Reese, Chris Maltby  

Country: United States; 99 min         

American Civil Liberties Union leader, Ira Glasser reflects on his life at the forefront of defending the rights of all Americans, from civil rights leaders to neo-Nazis.

 

Miracle on 42nd Street        

Director: Alice Elliott   

Country: United States; 68 min         

Explore the Manhattan Plaza apartment complex which housed big names like Alicia Keys, Terrance Howard, Donald Faison, Larry David, Samuel L Jackson, Giancarlo Esposito and Angela Lansbury and led the way in the transformation of the neighborhood and local economy.

 

Mom & M       

Director: Jena Burchick         

Country: United States; 61 min         

Nikki, a transgender writer and Elise, a social media influencer navigates coming out while caring for a child who is battling leukimia.

 

SanDance! A Journey to the Heart of San Culture          

Director: Richard Wicksteed  

Country: South Africa; 60 min

Set in the transcendent dance culture of Africa’s San First Peoples, San dancers prepare to perform at Botswana’s Kuru Dance Festival.

 

Spawning Grounds 

Director: Nils R Cowan          

Country: United States; 54 min

In an effort to save a rare native salmon in one of America’s only Urban Wildlife Refuges, a community of scientists, landowners, elected officials and Tribal leaders bands together around science and Indigenous knowledge.

 

 

SHORT FILMS

 

“F News”

Director: Wendy Pennington

Country: United States; 7 min

 

51: After the Raid

Director: Gregory Pricoli

Country: United States; 43 min

 

5×7

Director: Michele Citoni

Country: Italy; 37 min

 

A Good Son

Director: Suzanne Weinert

Country: United States; 12 min

 

A Revolution Under the Bridge

Director: Lee Anderson

Country: United States; 5 min

 

A Serious Predicament

Director:          Jason Vandygriff

Country:          United States; 13 min

 

Abby and Emily Go to Palm Springs

Director: Hellin Kay

Country: United States; 14 min

 

Aida

Director: Christopher W. Graham

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Amphibians

Director: Drake Howard, Devin Finn

Country: United States; 13 min

 

Anna

Director: Éric PINÉDA

Country: France; 10 min

 

Ark of the Apocalypse

Director: Jeremy Seifert

Country: United States; 13 min

 

Blood on the Risers

Director: Caleb Fanning

Country: United States; 20 min

 

Bloom

Director: Lucy Owens

Country: United States; 15 min

 

Borne, Bottled

Director: Cassie Kramer, Jessica Ridenour

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Bumpy Rhodes

Director: Patrick Coleman

Country: United States; 17 min

 

Caprock

Director: James Fite

Country: United States; 15 min

 

Cheap Devils

Director: Shrader Thomas

Country: United States; 7 min

 

Crazy

Director: Holt Boggs

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Discount Pickles

Director: Felix Nora Morgan, Seth Meeks

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Estranged

Director: Samantha Siegel, Adam Siegel

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Face to Face

Director: Robert Hope

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Frank Parese, a Jersey Shore Veteran Story

Director: Jennifer Suwak, Steve Abruzzese

Country: United States; 20 min

 

Guest Room

Director: Joshua Tate

Country: United States; 13 min

 

Heading South

Director: Yuan Yuan

Country: China; 12 min

 

Hello Sunshine

Director: Luke Albert

Country: United Kingdom; 15 min

 

Hi.

Director: Olivia Nash

Country: United States; 7 min

 

House Slaughter

Director: Thomas Peck

Country: United States; 19 min

 

Hundred Flowers Project

Director: Joel Mendez-Zarate

Country: United States; 13 min

 

IRA: Cashing In

Director: Catherine Vouvray

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Javelina Run

Director:Lisa Belcher

Country: United States; 19 min

 

Keys

Director: Cameron Berkman

Country: United States; 9 min

 

Killing Time

Director: Cody Lovorn

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Limbo

Director: Anthony von Seck

Country: Canada; 17 min

 

Liminal Spaces

Director: Michael Wiggin

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Lotus

Director: Beibei Xu

Country: United States; 14 min

 

Macy’s Goes to War

Director: Duncan Putney

Country: United States; 6 min

 

Magician of the Heart

Director: Sandeep Sharma

Country: United States; 24 min

 

Mailer Daemon

Director: John Mudge

Country: United States; 20 min

 

McCrorey Rd.

Director: Shane Coffey

Country: United States; 20 min

 

Misfit

Director: Steve Segal

Country: United States; 6 min

 

Mors Bonum

Director: Paulina Manseau

Country: Not Specified; 12 min

 

My Dinner with Werner

Director: Maverick Moore

Country: United States; 18 min

 

Nemeku Lights

Director: Travis Patten

Country: United States; 29 min

 

Ordinary

Director: Jeneffa Soldatic

Country: United States; 15 min

 

Pack Co.

Director: Ronny Tibbs

Country: United States; 15 min

 

Play Date

Director: Herb Cremer, Joe Cremer

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Remnant

Director: Sandra Urquhart

Country: United States; 9 min

 

Rise Above: WASP

Director: Kara White

Country: United States; 20 min

 

SaaSy

Director: Joe Stanton Kelly

Country: United States; 13 min

 

Sac de Merde

Director: Greg Chwerchak

Country: United States; 14 min

 

San Marcos River Project

Director: Nick Breaux

Country: United States; 21 min

 

Sidestep

Director: Natasha Straley

Country: United States; 11 min

 

Softcore

Director: Travis Jones, Austin Tinius

Country: United States; 24 min

 

Space Case

Director: Zachary T Scott

Country: United States; 19 min

 

Spaceboy

Director: Verre De Wilde

Country: Belgium; 22 min

 

Take Me Home

Director: Russell Reed

Country: United States; 27 min

 

Tell Me Who I Am

Director: Luca Caserta

Country: Italy; 18 min

 

Thank You for Staying

Director: Ty Clancey

Country: United States; 12 min

 

The Annunciation

Director: WonChan Sohn

Country: United States; 45 min

 

The Method of Places

Director: Aman Johnson

Country: United States; 12 min

 

The Reunion

Director: Laura Galt

Country: United States; 11 min

 

The Story of Special Woodstock

Director: Erin Rooke

Country: Canada; 43 min

 

The Substitute

Director: Malibu Taetz

Country: Canada; 14 min

 

The Time of Your Life

Director: Frank Juarez

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Tracy’s Vision

Director: Ann Michel

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Two-Headed Beast

Director: Nate Southard

Country: United States; 10 min

 

Un Métier Comme Un Autre (A Job Like Any Other)

Director: Annick Roussy

Country: Canada; 21 min

 

When You Clean a Stranger’s Home

Director: Sharon Arteaga

Country: United States; 7 min

 

Yellow Ribbons

Director: Caleb Gritsko

Country: United States; 13 min

 

You are Me & I am You

Director: Melissa Kirkendall

Country: United States; 15 min

 

 

MUSIC VIDEOS

 

Ave Maria

Director: Jeremy Culver

Country: United States; 4 min

 

Ghost

Director: Manuel Alejandro Vargas

Country: United States; 5 min

 

I am the ONE!

Director: Theo Eifrig

Country: France; 5 min

 

I Tell All My Friends About You

Director: April Lee

Country: United States; 5 min

 

If I Should Die

Director: Niia

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Kae Astra – Softly Tread

Director: Jackie Pardue Scripps

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Macaroni Salad

Director: Niia

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Personal

Director: April Lee & Brian De La O

Country: United States; 4 min

 

Red Room

Director: Sheila V.A.

Country: United States; 5 min

 

Skylark Hollow – Light by Night (Official Music Video)

Director: Cody Tilton

Country: United States; 4 min

 

The Man (Official Music Video)

Director: Benjy Berkowitz, Quinn Dailey

Country: Not Specified; 3 min

 

The Message

Director: Joe Tacke, Rebekah Elizabeth

Country: Not Specified; 4 min

 

The Night in Silence Under Many a Star

Director: Joseph Dwyer

Country: United States; 6 min

 

The Things You Thought by Phonolux

Director: Buddy Calvo

Country: United States; 5 min

 

 

YOUNG FILMMAKER SHORT FILMS

 

01 Escalade

Director: Lincoln Edwards

Country: United States; 20 min

 

bun·ny /’bənē/ – lost girl

Director: Anna Martin

Country: United States; 11 min

 

Chupacabra Uncovered

Director: Kate Saltel

Country: United States; 7 min

 

Ebb and Flo

Director: Grace Soriano

Country: United States; 9 min

 

Expression

Director: Harper Sharpe

Country: United States; 18 min

 

Good Night

Director: Adam Van Wagoner

Country: United States; 3 min

 

Hunting Grounds

Director: Justin Buss

Country: United States; 14 min

 

My Pandemic Life: Tips for Isolation…

Director: Davis Kauffman

Country: United States; 3 min

 

No Takebacks

Director: Adam Van Wagoner

Country: United States; 3 min

 

Tire Kickers

Director: Olivia Carter

Country: United States; 8 min

 

Wake Up

Director: Anna Knobloch

Country: United States; 3 min

 

You Can Find Friends Anywhere

Director: Caroline Holmes, Benajah T. Baskin

Country: United States; 11 min

 

SCREENPLAY COMPETITION

 

FEATURES

Abilene by Michael Raymond

Anything at All by Michael Ward

Charlie & Olivett by Brenda Glim and  Jo McLachlan

Foxfire and the Coywolves by Ricky Barca and Dakoda

Glow Stick by Michael Raymond

Goldilocks Zone by Harry Tyler Kleinman

Hi. by Olivia Nash

Horse Comes Running by Pat Larkin

Imagery by Harry Tyler Kleinman

Lily of the Valley by Isaiah Mouw and Mark Botts

London Fog by Tasha P. Hardy

Love is Love by Jeffrey Kerr

Motel by Jerry J. Sampson

My Dear Enemy by Tasha Hardy and Nono Tamura

Ophelia by Luke Donnelly

Out of the Ditch by Charley Vance

Power Move by Michael Ellis

Raggedy Ann Heart by Heather McPhaul

Review by Jonathan Zarantonello

Room Zero by Jason Partridge

Seraphim’s Miracle by Jeremy Storey

Sometimes in Dreams by G. Lloyd Helm

south of good by Randall Reneau

Starfunk and Astral Pioneers by Glenn Towery

Supposed To Be by Dr. Beth-Anne Blue

Swing by David Toussaint

The Jolly Greens by Harry Kleinman

The Last Day of Paradise by Kiki Denis

The Last Ones by C.D. Peterson

The Venus Effect by Lynn Vincentnathan

The Way Home by Bryan Hays

Tiny, Texas by David Lykes Keenan

Who I am Now by Laurie Powers Going

Will the Circle Be Unbroken by Aaron Schuelke

Why, Arizona by Isaiah Mouw and Mark Botts

 

SHORTS

A Thousand Times a Day by Chantelle James

Avoiding Adulthood by Faley Goyette and Jonathon Broughton

Chalk by Christian Sanchez

Crosshanded by Henry Kana

Dark Red  by Jarret Leger, Joe Barajas

Fig Jam by Frank J. Avella

First Date,Third Date by Mac McStravick

Gretchen by Jeffrey Kerr and Joe Barajas

Ho-Ho-Kus Pocus by Seanan Palmero

Love Bugs by Heidi James

Máscaras por almos by Wilfred Esteves

New Moon 5280 by Dean Harakas

Package of Dreams by Bradley M. Look

Ruin Falls by Caleb Gonzalez

Shooting Jackrabbits by Suzanne Racz

Show Cat by Ally Beans

The Race by Mac McStravick

Trick or Beat by Fernando Rendón

Trouble at Cheery Meadows by Jaclyn Fleming

Weirdo by Avraham Ben Yehuda

Wonderwall by Brandi Blevins

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