Quotes

"My short film In God We Trust played AFF back in 2000 and won an award, but I got the phone call too late and was never able to come. It is a thrill to finally be in Austin which is home of a lot of filmmakers who made me want to be want to be a director myself."

-Jason Reitman, Juno, AFF 2007

“What an organized, friendly festival! The staff helped us get two local radio interviews and reviews in three newspapers---really above and beyond what we've experienced with other festivals so far. They also had excellent parties and panels, and all the films I attended had good sized crowds and started on time. I recommend this one---it's great, and Austin is a swell town.”
-Mary Jones, producer, Pirate Radio USA, AFF 2006

“It's rare for shorts program to play to a packed house, and I was delighted that "Kidney Thieves" was able to be seen by so many enthusiastic people for it's premiere screening.”
-Toby Wilkins, director, Kidney Thieves, 2006 AFF Audience Award winner (tie) Narrative Short

“I had a blast at the AFF. It was my first time ever in Austin, and everything I heard was true--it really is a cool, laid back place. The Festival was outstanding. I've never been to anything where it's such an intimate setting with all the panelists. I really enjoyed it.”
- Alec Brownstein, writer/director, Trevor’s in Heaven, AFF 2006

“Of all the various festival hospitality I have received for my current feature, none compared to the royal treatment at the Austin Film Festival for my short film”
- Angelo Mei, Film This! AFF 2006

“I feel so lucky to have been a part of the Austin Film Festival in 2006. I met a fantastic, welcoming group of fellow filmmakers who I think took their cue from the organizers of the festival and the people of Austin who went out of their way to make every screening and every event fun, open, festive and a true celebration of the things we all love and were there to share: film, friends, both old and new, and BBQ!”
-Amy Adrion, Surviving 7th Grade, AFF 2006

"The AFF really understands what a filmmaker hopes and prays to get out of a festival and they work hard to make that happen for you."
-Amy Talkington, writer/director, Night of the White Pants, AFF 2006

"What a great time. The festival staff here really, really takes care of the filmmakers and I think everyone in attendance was blown away."
-Don R. Lewis, co-director, Stringers, AFF 2006

"The AFF has an atmosphere of excitement, possibility and groundedness, unlike any festival I've attended. I can't wait to come back."
-Tara Samuel, writer/director, Find, AFF 2006

"Amazing films. Incredibly informative panels. Great people. The fact that this terrific festival is in one of the coolest towns around is icing and a cherry."
- Keith Stevenson, director, Like Old Times

"I just wanted to thank you once more for including our film in your line up - we had a great time and we are obviously so thrilled with the response we got from critics, the jury, and of course, the audiences. And I truly believe that whatever success we have with the film - will be a result of all that warm Austin support that gave the film some legs. Thank you again!"
- Vanessa Roth, director, The Third Monday in October, 2006 Audience Award Winner, Documentary Feature

"It is clearly a festival by filmmakers and writers for filmmakers and writers. And the kind of down to earth passion and clear love for film that exudes from all the festival workers is a really refreshing haven in an industry that is too often focused on less substantive things."
- Josh Alexander, writer/actor, Backseat, 2005 Audience Award Winner -- Best Narrative Competition Feature

"Our film premiered at the Austin Film Festival, and from the get-go the programmers made us feel like we were old friends. The week resonates with the energy and passion of writers and filmmakers sharing their craft - no pretensions, no attitudes, just people interacting with people. Kudos to the AFF staff for organizing a vibrant, textbook festival, and throwing one heck of a party at the same time."
- Troy Miller, writer/director, Severance, 2005 Austin Film Festival selection

"The Austin Film Festival did a great job of bringing together a group of very talented and interesting people from the film world. The inclusiveness and accessibility of the festival and its participants allowed for the kind of sparkling impromptu conversations without the stilt or pressure of a formal sit-down. Fun, productive and comfortable!"
- Daryl Freimark, New Line Cinema

"Enthusiastic audiences, an extremely dedicated festival staff, and a unique mission to celebrate the oft neglected screenwriter make the AFF a "must attend" festival. And that it all takes place in the great city of Austin just makes it that much better!"
- Henry Hardaway, producer, Backseat, 2005 Audience Award Winner -- Best Narrative Competition Feature

"Having come all the way from down under - and having participated in more than half of the 20 (and counting) festivals my film has been selected into -I must say Austin was certainly among my very favourites - productive, well organized, smoothly run, unbelievable panels/seminars/one on ones, supreme networking opportunities and FUN!"
-Anthony Maras, writer/director, Azadi, 2005 Austin Film Festival selection

"Austin was such a great experience for us. Nowadays it seems like every festival's got its list of celebs and industry heavyweights, but only at Austin do you really get a chance to sit down with them and pick their brains. My only regret is that we didn't come here BEFORE we made our first feature - we probably wouldn't have made half the mistakes we did."
-Suzanne Kay, co-writer/producer, Cape of Good Hope, Best Feature AFF 2004 Jury & Audience Award Winner

“I had a fantastic encounter at the Austin Film Festival. The atmosphere among the filmmaking community was really inspiring. The people are very generous and genuinely enthusiastic about Independent films. It had a very user-friendly environment for a festival, with a farrago of great films on offer. All the venues were easily accessible with great facilities, and the volunteers were always courteous.”
-Leo Burton, writer/director, short/film, AFF 2004

"Huge industry presence with a keen interest in the docs in competition made AFF the most important fest yet for my film."
- Bill Rose, director, Loss of Nameless Things, AFF 2004

“There‚’s an old joke in Hollywood – ‘Did you hear about the dumb actress? She slept with the writer.’ I like to think of The Austin Film Festival as that dumb actress. And I mean that as a compliment.”
-Todd Berger, writer/director, Holidays with Heather, AFF 2006

“After I got back from AFF, I had a dream that Shane Black was yelling at me about my script and telling me I was in the biz for all the wrong reasons.”
-Joshua Weiner, writer/director, Hy-phen, AFF 2006