2007 San Antonio Underground Film Festival: Official Lineup

First it was Austin’s turn earlier in the month and now this weekend is the San Antonio Underground Film Festival. June is a good month to be in Texas, or, at least, in parts of it. SAUFF starts tonight and runs for three days, June 22-24. Films are programmed into “blocks” with a mixture of shorts and features all jumbled together, which is good to mix things up for audiences. Also, the fest is playing at two theaters — one at San Antonio College and at the Aztec Theater. So, you’ll see two “Program 1″s on the same day, but I’ve noted which theater the program is playing out.
Also, I’m going to have to list films by their block in the order that they will screen. You’ll know a movie is a feature if it has a description of the film following the director’s name. Otherwise, it’s a short.
Finally, a couple of Underground Film Journal favorites are playing I’d like to note. One is the feature Plagues & Pleasures on the Salton Sea, which is a totally rockin’ documentary. The other is Hombre Kabuki, a killer short. Both are way worth seeking out. But here’s the full lineup:
June 22
12 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.: “Program 1” (San Antonio College)
Wamego Strikes Back, dir. Steve Balderson. A documentary for and about indie filmmakers trying to get their films made, released and seen.
Meat, dir. Mark Vittek
Barrio Boys, dir. Anthony Torres
Stickers, dir. Daniel Maldonado
Flight Delay, dir. Tom Wilson
Meditation, dir. Neil Ira Needleman
Effluvium, dir. Christopher Frieri
Reconnaissance, dir. Jim Ford
Twitch, dir. Leah Meyerhoff (Watch online)
Mojave Phone Booth, dir. John Putch. Four people’s lives converge at a telephone booth in the Mojave Desert.
3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: “Program 1” (Aztec Theater)
Luckenbach, Texas, dir. Molly Austad, Say Sí
Ruby’s Town, dir. Erik McCowan. Two small towns — Worthington, MN and Cuero, TX — hold an annual turkey race to determine who gets to be called the “Turkey Capital of the World.”
Crap Shoot, dir. Ken Close. Get a unique look at the world of Hollywood by navigating the streets of L.A. with a research scientist and his narrator.
Wanderlust, dir. Buddy Calvo
5 – 9 p.m.: “Program 2” (San Antonio College)
Startle Pattern, dir. Eric Patrick
Hombre Kabuki, dir. Leo Age (Read the review)
DVD, dir. Ciro Altabas
Passage, dir. Peter Byrne, Carole Woodlock, Allen Schindler
Their Circumstances, dir. JiHyun Ahn
When George Goes Marchin’ Home, dir. Dave Puls
Totally Connected, dir. Randy Brown
Before and After Kissing Maria, dir. Ramon Alos and Javier Carneros
Street Lamp Jaguar, dir. D. Prescott Noel
Commit, dir. Mickey Blaine. A story of tragic love in a New Jersey motel room.
Triple Threat, dir. Ascot J. Smith
Road Does Not End, dir. Todd Kent
Golden Gloves, dir. Leyla Leidecker. A documentary of the women competing in the country’s oldest amateur boxing tournament.
7 p.m. – 11 p.m.: “Program 2” (Aztec Theater)
Broken, dir. Alex Ferrari
Austin Highway: Twilight of an American Main Street, dir. Trey Barth
Ghosts of New York, dir. Anna Butwell
Team Queen, dir. Leah Meyerhoff (Read the review)
Cheap Date, dir. Mike Bell
Boxcar Satan, dir. Brant Bumpers
Pillow Girl, dir. Ronnie Cramer
Zombie Love, dir. Yfke van Berckelaer
Love Hollywood, dir. Michael Stein. Four crazy stories intersect on Valentine’s Day.
The Second Coming, dir. Ya’Ke Smith
June 23
11 a.m. – 2 p.m.: “Program 1” (Aztec Theater)
Nowhere Fast, dir. Matt Ryan. An aspiring filmmaker tries to make it out of film school. Good luck!
Snake, dir. Becky James
Johnny Was, dir. Mark Hammond. A gangster hides out at a safe-house that isn’t so safe since it’s stuck between a Jamaican crime lord and a pirate rasta radio station. Starring Vinnie Jones, Eriq LaSalle, Lennox Lewis, Roger Daltry and Patrick Bergin. (Big cast!) Also played at this year’s Miami Underground Film Festival.
3 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: “Program 2” (Aztec Theater)
Plagues & Pleasures On The Salton Sea, dir. Chris Metzler & Jeff Springer. Awesome documentary. (Read the review)
Ovat Beer, dir. Gustavo Stebner
Exquisite Corpse, prd. Jim Minton
The Theory of Everything, dir. Mario Aguilar Jr.
Last Stop for Paul, dir. Neil Mandt. Two friends travel to Thailand for a party and sprinkle their dead friend’s ashes all over the globe along the way.
7 p.m. – 11 p.m.: “Program 3”
Hessians MC, dir. Randall Wilson. A documentary of the Hessians Motorcycle Club, which terrorized folks all over California and Nevada from the ’60s to the ’80s.
The Ranch, dir. Ted Magee
Welcome to the Real Hollywood, dir. Stefan Lysenkot
El Ride, dir. Veronica Rodriguez
Chap XV:12, dir. Fernando Pinheiro
Clicker Clatter, dir. Benjamin Radford
Get Thrashed: The Story of Thrash Metal, dir. Rick Ernst. Ernst, a former producer on MTV shows like Headbangers Ball and 120 Minutes (I used to never miss 120 Minutes), presents this history of the most extreme version of heavy metal, with performances and interviews with Metallica, Slayer, Anthrax and more. Also played at this year’s New Haven Underground Film Festival.
June 24
12 p.m. – 3 p.m.: “Program 1” (Aztec Theater)
Alan and Suja, dir. Todd Tinkham
Fantastic Fortune, dir. Mike Fisher
Viva, dir. Anna Biller. In this tribute to ’70s sexploitation movies, a secretary gets involved in the bohemian lifestyle — including drugs and free love — after her husband splits. Also played at this year’s New York Underground Film Festival and won the 2007 Boston Underground Film Festival award for Best of Fest (Feature).
Photographic Prevarications, dir. Richard Koenig
Fairway to Heaven, dir. Ryan Tower and Brandon Worswick. A golf prodigy attempts his big comeback.
3:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.: “Program 2” (Aztec Theater)
Stella’s Secret, dir. Max Schenker
Tijuana Makes Me Happy, dir. Dylan Verrechia. Don’t underestimate what a young boy would do to win the love of a prostitute.
Haze, dir. Karthik Nagarajan
Who Loves the Sun, dir. Matt Bissonnette. After missing for years, a dude returns to resume his relationship with his best friend. Starring Lukas Haas.
Mojoe: In the Grind, dir. Lorenzo Lopez and Cesario Garcia
For more info, please visit the official SAUFF site.