By Mabel Pais

The Ugly Truth

Director: Krishna Ashu Bhati

The Lake Travis Film Festival’s 3rd edition returns September 15-18 in beautiful Hill Country, just west of Austin. The film festival, whose independent personality and approach to the celebration of independent filmmaking is accentuated by its location in Lakeway and Bee Cave, just outside of the city known for independent film and music.

The four-day in-person film festival will once again present a film lineup showcasing films featuring a wide assortment of genres, styles, and topics from the indie film community, both stateside and international. The festival will screen 92 films (8 Narrative Features, 11 Documentary Features, 45 narrative short films, 6 short documentaries, 9 music videos, and 13 student shorts).

LTFF also will feature a pre-festival masterclass with screenwriter Owen Egerton (Mercy Black, Blood Fest), which requires a separate registration. Special events include a pitch party, live script readings, after parties and an awards brunch. Additional opportunities for film enthusiasts to meet and interact with the filmmakers will be announced daily. Screenings and events occur at various pop-up locations throughout the cities of Bee Cave and Lakeway, Texas. Some of the venues include Hill Country Galleria, High5, ContraCommon, La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham Lakeway, Star Hill Ranch, Goga Yoga, and Bee Cave City Hall.

Lake Travis Film Festival Founder and Executive Director, Kat Albert, shares, “The third year brings an opportunity to hone into what we do best…curating an overall cinematic experience. We do not sell individual tickets. The suburbs don’t have a traditional downtown, so we’ve worked to make our pop-up style festival work with three walkable hubs. Thursday and Friday are in the Oaks at Lakeway. Saturday is in the Hill Country Galleria and Sunday is Texas Film Industry Day at Star Hill Ranch. The festival is young but garnering a reputation as a unique experience for filmmakers, screenwriters, and the local community.”

TICKETS

For more information, Festival Passes or Individual Tickets, visit laketravisfestival.com

 FILM FESTIVAL 2022 LINEUP

OPENING NIGHT

Sweet Disaster

Dir: Laura Lehmus l Germany l 1h 30m

When a 40-year-old art therapist finds herself unexpectedly pregnant, the father of her child, breaks up with her to reunite with his ex.

CLOSING NIGHT

Fabletown

Dir: Jordan O’Neal l USA l 1h 22m

A community of fairy tale characters live in hiding from the mundane, human world in New York City. But when one Fable’s true identity is exposed, a long-lost ally must return to face the community’s greatest threat, or their way of life will be forever lost.

Ranch Water

Dir: Sophie Miller l USA l 1h 20m

Before their family ranch in Texas is sold, the Sterling sisters reunite with their once close-knit group of friends for a weekend where long simmering conflicts come to a head.

ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES

Lucky Doug

Dir: Eric Alan Rousseau l USA l 1h 22m

Never Alone

Dirs: Paul Francis Bunch, Albert Soratorio l USA l 1h 23m

Route One North

Dir: Isabelle R Farrell l USA l 1h 12m

The Good Hearts Club

Dir: William F. Reed l USA l 1h 41m

The Ugly Truth

Dir: Krishna Ashu Bhati l Germany l 1h 36m

DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

Delivering Hope

Dir: Jordan Orsak l USA l 1h 29m

Exit

Dir: Alison Jayne Wilson l Spain l 1h 7m

Firestorm ’77 The True Story of the Honda Canyon Fire

Dirs: Chris Hite, Dennis Ford l USA l 54m

Forever Majestic

Dir: Michael Stephen Schwarz l USA l 1h 26m

Katia and Rimma

Dir: Gulya Mirzoeva l France l 1h 30m

Me To Play

Dir: Jim Bernfield l USA l 1h 12m

Never Had a Bad Day

Dir: Matt Richmond l USA l 1h 6m

The Birth & History of Western Swing

Dir: Mike Markwardt l USA l 1h 14m

The Graduates

Dir: Dusan Gajic l Serbia l 1h 26m

The Innocents

Dir: Wojciech Lorenc l USA l 1h 2m

In addition, there are 44 Narrative Shorts, 6 Documentary Shorts, 9 Music Videos, 12 Student Shorts.

 

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DOCUMENTARY FILMS

By Mabel Pais

RIOTSVILLE, USA

Dir: Sierra Pettengill l 2022 l USA l Doc l 1h 31m

NEXT Innovator Award, Finalist, Sundance Film Festival

RIOTSVILLE,USA is a poetic and furious reflection on the rebellions of the 1960s – and the machine that worked to destroy them.

Riotsville, USA addresses the inequality and institutional racism perpetrated by the nation’s rulers – politicians, bureaucrats, police – revealed in the wake of the mid-1960s urban riots, LBJ tasked the Kerner Commission to study their causes, and among their findings: “Our nation is moving toward two societies, one Black, one white. Separate and unequal.” The Commission recommended that the US aggressively address income inequality and institutional racism. The government instead used federal funds to militarize local police forces. “Riotsvilles” were ersatz “towns” constructed by the military to train police in riot control tactics.

Director Sierra Pettengill reveals stupefying archival footage featuring soldiers playing both the rioters and police. With trenchant narration written by Tobi Haslett, the film suggests that the opportunity to redress historic grievances was tragically and summarily abandoned, and that the blueprint for escalating police and community tensions was established more than 50 years ago.

RIOTSVILLE, USA had its world premiere at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival where it was nominated for the NEXT Innovator Award. Pettengill’s work focuses on the warped narratives of the American past.

OPENING – Friday, September 16 at The Film Forum (filmforum.org), New York.

FOR TOMORROW

Dir: An Tran l 2022 l Eng l Doc l 1h 12m

Featuring grassroots innovators from around the globe and celebrated voices,

such as TIME Magazine “KID OF THE YEAR” GITANJALI RAO

For Tomorrow, the documentary tells the story of grassroots innovators who are fighting sustainability problems through real solutions. From climate change to social inequality, they are tackling these challenges on the ground while helping their community. Follow their inspiring journey on September 16th and discover the power of grassroots innovations. Filmed by invested and enlisted local crews in more than a dozen countries: Argentina, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Guinea, India, South Korea, Nepal, Nigeria, Peru, Sierra Leone, the US (Colorado, Illinois, NY), Vietnam and Wales.

OPENING: September 16 to VOD on Amazon.

(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality)