Everyone
loves stories. They remind us of the past, teach us about our neighbors,
and tie the community together. Nowhere is more rich in stories than
East Austin, where colorful celebrations and tantalizing cuisines
are a way of life. East Austin is a center of the arts, from ballet
folklorico to the blues and from glassmaking to tattooing; it is a
place where people have fun racing motorcycles, boxing, or just hanging
out in the pool. Of course, East Austin shares the same problems as
many inner city areas. But as the short documentaries on this web
site illustrate, East Austin is a lot more than statistics or newspaper
headlines. It’s a network of families, communities, and businesses,
each with their own stories to tell.
The documentaries on this site are the result of collaborations between
East Austinites and University of Texas filmmakers. A couple, “Piercing”
and “Sanctuary of Darkness,” are made by high school students.
At the end of each semester, we hold free, public screenings in places
like Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. These screenings give filmmakers,
storytellers, and neighbors a chance to hear and enjoyed each other’s
stories, to get to know each other, and to learn. We hope you can
join us at an upcoming screening, and continue to visit the site as
it grows.
To see the movies in this site you'll
need the QUICKTIME player. Get it here.
Disclaimer:
The views and opinions expressed in the videos are not necessarily
those of the University of Texas, its faculty or staff or of the managers
of this website.