AUSTIN (KXAN) – It’s spring in Austin. Images of bluebonnets, tubing, and music echoing in from the rowdy halls of Sixth Street come to mind.
With the return of spring also comes indepethe return of one of Austin’s more popular events: South by Southwest. From the corners of the world to the heart of Texas, people come to partake in the unique festival’s offerings of tech innovation, live music and, most importantly, its film festival.
The film festival is running strong right now, like paneling the highly anticipated return of “The Last of Us 2” and having large premieres, like for “Another Simple Favor.” But far from the spotlights of the red carpet remain the indie cinemas that stand year-round.
So, how does this temporary festival — which has events and screenings catered to thousands — impact these local cinemas, both in spring and year-round?
KXAN spoke with Gabe Van Amburgh, the senior manager for film & TV festival programming at SXSW, and Aaron Malzahn, the cinema director of Austin Film Society, about it.
What determines where films are placed at each venue? It’s a combination of instinct and data, according to Van Amburgh. “Whenever we’re programming the films, we’re not just programming it because we love it. That’s like the first thing that draws us to it, but we start to think, this film is going to work at noon at the Paramount or this is a great 7 p.m. on Sunday at the AFS cinema.”
People love different things — that’s what sets SXSW apart
Something that SXSW honors is individuality in its movie programming. Its film festival is known to highlight a more eclectic and diverse showcasing amongst indie filmmakers. It’s also what differentiates it from other well-established American Film Festivals.
“We like to program things how we watch stuff at home,” said Van Amburgh. “We love the amazing, scrappy, independent films. But we also love watching ‘The Accountant 2.’ There’s space for both.”
Showing a diverse range of films offers a platter to those with different tastes who might not be such diehard independent, high-brow film lovers. Sometimes, people want to just enjoy something easy to watch.
“We’re not just a film festival,” Van Amburgh said. “We’re also this amazing music festival and this huge tech conference. Our badge types allow access for a music festival badge and an interactive badge to come to film screenings. So, sometimes we’ll use a movie like ‘A Simple Favor’ or ‘The Accountant 2’ as a Trojan Horse.”
“We’re all about encouraging our audiences to take a chance because we are all about discovery, and our mission at the heart of it is helping creative people achieve their goals, which is getting their art in front of the largest audience possible,” Van Amburgh said.
Supporting indie cinemas
While Austin continues to grow, so does its film crowd. Despite being home to notable Hollywood names, there’s a lack of independently-owned theaters.
Convenience is king, and chain box offices often take precedence in numbers. But, Austin is a city that’s planted a flag in its own weirdness, and SXSW continues to honor that eccentricity by supporting smaller, independently-owned cinemas — like the AFS cinema and Violet Crown cinema — as well as more iconic landmarks like the Paramount or the ZACH Theatre.
It’s no secret that during and after COVID-19, theaters suffered immensely nationwide. Just last year alone, six Alamo Drafthouse locations had to close down. But people are still turning out to see their favorite movies — whether it be a highbrow international film or slapstick comedy with the family.
SXSW makes a large profit each year overall — just last year, it made Austin $377.3 million dollars. There’s no necessity for the festival to support local theaters, and yet it continues to do so.
“I believe local indie cinemas have the same priorities as SXSW Film, and that’s having support for up and coming artists and then providing an audience and putting a spotlight on those films,” Van Amburgh said. “It’s kind of like starting the platform release for something that will come out formally in the summer.”
Stretching beyond Austin
SXSW has worked diligently over the years to stretch itself far beyond Central Texas. And its independent cinema scene has grown in tandem with that. While there’s no direct correlation of SXSW’s impact in that, it is likely it has opened the doors to international filmmakers.
“I think (SXSW receives) like 7,000 submissions every year, but we do pay attention to Texas films. And not just Austin films because we want to make sure that they’re on an even platform with all the other world cinema titles that we’re producing,” Van Amburgh said. “There’s always several films that if they weren’t made in Austin, they have a lot of Austin ties because it’s in the DNA of who we are, even though we are a global event.”
The long-time relationship between AFS and SXSW
SXSW’s inception came in 1986, holding its first ever event in 1987. Its original intent was predominantly music, although its founders had an interest in all art forms. It wasn’t until 1994 — when Johnny Cash performed and held a keynote event — that the festival took off. It’s also the year it began its Interactive and Film portions of the fest.
Meanwhile, AFS Cinema first began in 1985 with filmmaker Richard Linklater as more of a society. It operates now as a hub for all things movies: like providing film opportunities, industry education, and film premieres — amongst a bunch of other events catered wholly to the love of film. So, it makes sense that AFS and SXSW have such a conjoined relationship; they grew together, after all.
AFS is celebrating its 40th birthday this year, Malzahn said.
“You know, back then, our founder Richard Linklater just wanted to have a meeting of like-minded film freaks who wanted to sit and watch films. They got some money together, rented a projector, rented a space, and just showed whatever they wanted to. And it was a hit right from the beginning,” Malzahn said. “That’s been the ethos of AFS since its inception. We’ve been wanting to get together and show movies to people who are interested in the art form of film. And since that beginning in 1985, we have grown by leaps and bounds.”
AFS is innately carved into the backbone of Austin’s cinematic universe. That’s one of the reasons why it serves as one SXSW’s top locations for screenings. It’s also a little out of the way compared to the other locations — almost all of the premieres are scattered throughout Downtown Austin — whereas AFS is a quick 10 minute drive north. It’s what Van Amburgh calls a “symbiotic relationship.”
“There’s a lot of overlap between the audiences of the AFS cinema and SXSW. A lot of the AFS audience takes part in SXSW every year, so it’s a little bit of retaining those audiences of what we’ve already had,” Malzahn said. “We’re able to get so many new visitors in to show them what the film society is about, what Austin is about, what is available here, if they ever wanted to come back and revisit or if they wanted to move here.”
Indie cinema is growing
There’s a rise in popularity for independent films. Up-and-coming filmmakers and critics alike often look to popular distribution and production companies like A24 and Neon, and even Letterboxd — but the real discovery often happens in film festivals like SXSW. But the real battle? Showing films in traditional cinemas, thanks to streaming.
According to a study done by Harvard Kennedy School’s Shorenstein Center, 52 million American adults describe themselves as ‘definite fans’ of independent film and 57 million said they are fans of independent documentaries. About 21 million people say they attend independent or art house cinemas in its general audience national survey. And while that number can definitely grow — it leaves an encouraging space for more people to attend.
“I’ve definitely seen an increase in independent cinema interest,” Malzahn said. “I mean, Austin has always had an extremely strong film culture. I’m excited about where the independent film scene is heading because the more people that know about Austin, that work in Austin, that can find opportunities in Austin, just means that we have more of an opportunity to showcase those new voices.”
The experience is irreplaceable
There’s things streaming can’t grant you — the shared experience. You won’t hear gasps or laughs or screams around you as people react to the movie in horror or joy. Going to the movies, no matter what you’re watching, is innately human and transcends cultures.
“There is a lot of desire for that kind of connection to the art of cinema,” Malzahn said. “I think a lot of people streaming is great for what it is, and it’s the business model that is most apparent, but there is a definite yearning for people to be in a space watching art, watching film with other people. I think the AFS cinema can provide a connection between the artist and the viewer that is hard to come by otherwise.”
Our final question to Malzahn speaks for itself. What is the importance of supporting local, independently owned theaters?
“Filmmaking was born in theaters,” he said. “It creates jobs, it creates places where people can support. It’s at the heart of Austin and provides such a unique experience for somebody coming from any other place in the world. I do think that independent cinemas can offer a form of expression that is hard to come by otherwise.”
SXSW’s film festival runs until March 15, 2025.
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