I’ve spent the last year covering independent films both at festivals and from my Netflix queue, and the ones I’m always most moved by are those that explore the many layers of our relationships with one another.
Whether we’re family, friends or lovers, relationships are immensely complex, and if I may summarize a quote from an advertisement I recently saw in the tube in London, while love doesn’t make the world go round, it does help make the ride worthwhile. There are so many films being made that counter the typical Hollywood, idealized version of our relationships, and instead present the audience with something real.
In anticipation for the kickoff of the 19th Annual Austin Film Festival & Conference which starts today, I’ve spent many precious hours scouring the list of feature films playing at the festival this year to put together my own list of film’s that seem to fall into this category.
These are the films I am most looking forward to seeing during the Austin Film Festival. So, if you enjoy these kinds of stories as much as I do, here are some films you should check out during the festival. Click on the pictures below for venues and showtimes.
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Mar Del Plata – Argentinean Writer/Director Ionathan Klajman follows two friends recovering from failed relationships, as they head to the beautiful resort town, Mar del Plata for some R&R. The guys quickly learn that no matter how far you travel to try and escape it, the past has a way of catching up to you.
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Last Stop: Salvation – This Turkish film follows psychotherapist Eylem in the aftermath of her fiancé dumping her two weeks before their wedding. Her new neighbors prove less than accommodating to her situation, until a “comically unsuccessful suicide attempt” by Eylem serves to bring the women in the community together.
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Congratulations – After rejecting his marriage proposal, Bridget is forced to pretend to be engaged to Jim in order to appease his mother on the anniversary of his father’s death. Things get awkward.
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Satellite of Love – After failing to show up to the wedding of his long-time best friend, Blake to his ex-girlfriend, Catherine, Samuel offers to make amends by inviting the newlyweds to Nadi Vineyards for a week-long getaway. The trip ultimately alters the dynamics of the already complicated love these three have for one another.
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Ex-Girlfriends – The title says it all. A film about the often complex and mysterious relationships we share with our ex’s.
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