Lone Star Silver Screen

Austin is joined by filmmaker Joe Salinas to discuss his new documentary about pioneering punk band Big Boys. They discuss the band's music, the legacy of Austin punk, and how bringing on Andrew Leeper as an additional editor helped him get the project over the finish line.

YCCOTL OCFF Tickets: https://ocff2026.eventive.org/schedule/6a35af954f6a2d50da54d818/tickets

Joe Salinas' Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joesalinasfilms?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Andrew Leeper's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hellolightningatx?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Austin is joined by director Matty Wishnow to discuss his new feature, The Last Critic, which will be playing at the Oak Cliff Film Festival later this month. They discuss the life and career of music critic Robert Christgau, how Matty was able to get some of the sharpest cultural commentators on the planet to take part in his debut documentary, and the pleasures of breakfast tacos.

The Last Critic screens Friday, July 31 at 8:45PM at the Kessler Theater.

Tickets are available now: https://ocff2026.eventive.org/schedule/6a30949848d846b6463575d5

The Last Critic Website: https://www.thelastcriticfilm.com/

The Last Critic Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelastcriticfilm/

Robert Christgau's Substack: https://robertchristgau.substack.com/

Austin has a dream guest on today with editor extraordinaire and SMU alum Chris Tonick joining to talk about his career and, more specifically, the work he did on one of the most exciting movies of 2026, the Hong Kong action film The Furious!

Don't miss Chris explaining how Hong Kong action films are edited, how he worked his way through the ranks to find himself on this project, and what the guys think about the later works in Frank Herbert's Dune saga!

The Furious Webpage: https://www.lionsgate.com/movies/the-furious

Chris Tonick's Website: https://christonick.com/

Austin is joined by...another Austin! Director Austin Sayre is on the show this week, discussing his new documentary, 'The Man with the Big Hat,' about the life and work of musician Steven Fromholz. They discuss Sayre's introduction to Fromholz, how a broken pelvis nearly threw a wrench in their initial schedule, and the evolution of Austin as a musical mecca in Texas!

'The Man with the Big Hat' Website: https://www.themanwiththebighatfilm.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/themanwiththebighatfilm/

Austin is joined by festival director Eugenio Del Bosque to discuss CineFestival, which is celebrating 50 years of spotlighting latino/a films for their audience in San Antonio. They discuss the festival's evolution, the role they can play in young filmmakers' development, adapting to unexpected programming challenges, and more!

CineFestival runs from July 9-12 in San Antonio, TX.

More information can be found below:

CineFestival Website: https://guadalupeculturalarts.org/cine-festival/

CineFestival IG: https://www.instagram.com/cinefestival/?hl=en

This week, Austin is joined by writer/director Justice Hardy and Executive Producer Lindsey Barnes to discuss their new film, Mantis, a sci-fi/horror/thriller. They discuss the origins of Mantis' heady concept (interviewing murder suspects up to 36 hours after they die), the role of an EP on an indie film, what films influenced Mantis (and which ones would make a killer double feature with it), and the magic of good Tex-Mex.

PRODUCTION NOTE: Austin's audio is a little muddy in the intro. It only lasts about 10 seconds. This is why we don't record with headsets, kids.

MANTIS IG: https://www.instagram.com/p/DXLRFtBjbCN/

941 PRODUCTIONS IG: https://www.instagram.com/941_productions_/

Chapters

• 00:00 Origins of Mantis
• 07:55 The Role of an Executive Producer
• 14:04 Creating a Collaborative Environment
• 24:54 Screening at the Dallas International Film Festival
• 30:40 Sound Design and Editing Process
• 36:55 Future of Mantis and Production Studio

Austin is joined by writer/director J.T. Walker to discuss his new film, Broken Land. The movie is Texas to its core, tackling timely issues and showcasing the rugged beauty of the Lone Star State. During their conversation, Austin learns how J.T. conceived of the film and brought it to life, as well as how they crafted an authentic, emotional experience on set.

Rent Broken Land: https://athome.fandango.com/content/browse/details/Broken-Land/4952332

Chapters

• 00:00 The Origin Story
• 06:01 Cinematography and Naturalism
• 11:28 On-Screen Chemistry
• 17:24 Script Reflection

Austin is joined by the co-directors of the El Paso-based Femme Frontera Film Festival, which runs from June 11-14. It is FREE to the public and dedicated to providing a platform for female and gender-expansive filmmakers; Manis also helps lead the La Frontera Film Lab, which seeks to amplify voices from the U.S.-Mexico border region and teach female and gender-expansive filmmakers about documentary filmmaking.

Femme Frontera Site: https://www.femmefrontera.org/

Email Address: [email protected]

La Frontera Film Lab: https://www.femmefrontera.org/femme-frontera-border-film-lab

Film Frontera IG: https://www.instagram.com/femme_frontera/?hl=en

Manis' IG: https://www.instagram.com/manisgongora?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Jackie's IG: https://www.instagram.com/jackie_iyari/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet

Austin is joined by local filmmaker Stone Swad to talk about the recent wave of video game adaptations. Is this good for the movie industry? Is Legend of Zelda overrated? And what would the best video game to film in Texas be? Find out in this episode!

Stone's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mr.ston3y/

Austin is joined by festival director Tengah Nguyen of HAAPIFEST (that's the Houston Asian American Pacific Islander Film Festival) to discuss the festival's origins, objectives, and their 2026 slate! This is a hybrid event featuring in person and online screenings over the course of two weeks, from May 29 - June 14. You can learn more at the links below:

HAAPIFEST Website: https://www.haapifest.org/

HAAPIFEST Insta: https://www.instagram.com/haapifest/?hl=en