Join us at 6pm for local Austin films tackling the issues of rapid growth in our city through unique and often humorous lenses. We will screen three local short films over a half-hour, with a Q and A afterwards, and a laid back after-party shindig in the backyard of one of our filmmakers. 

Poster illustration by Costas Constantinides, copies for sale at the event.

THE TROLL OF PEASE PARK by Gregory Makarian and Elisabetta Diorio 

A mysterious troll sculpture sparks controversy when it appears in one of Austin's most beloved parks. As locals question its true purpose, they uncover questions that explore the divide between art and gentrification. Is the troll a symbol of wonder that invites us to appreciate our green spaces more deeply, or is it an empty, green-washed gesture that will ultimately destroy the park in which it lives by turning the peaceful landmark into a major tourist destination?

THE LOST NEIGHBORHOOD by Zoe Dahmen

Detective Frank W. loves his neighborhood, so when he sees it threatened by a string of cold blood murders he sets out to find the killer. What he doesn't know is that this case may cost him more than his nine lives.

CHICKEN FINGERS by Zoe Dahmen

“Chicken Fingers” is a narrative short film about coping with loss in a world that refuses to stand still. While it is a deeply personal film about the filmmaker’s own experience with grief after the death of her brother, it is also about Austin, TX — a city whose identity is defined by loss and longing. Whether it is the loss of a place, a person, or a way of life, we all grapple with what it means to move forward, plan for the future, or merely exist with the constant changes brought on by technology, climate change, and economic uncertainty.