A Queer Review of the Austin Film Festival (2023)
Highlighting the many ways in which AFF 2023 illustrated that the queer experience is not a monolithic one.

Alfredo Loureiro, a carpenter by trade, never knew any other passion in life besides his craft. Women intimidated him, so he spent more time avoiding them than courting them. But all it took was one glance at Emília's smile for everything to change. At 78, Alfredo discovers true love and will do anything to experience this feeling, which had been unknown to him his entire life.
Highlighting the many ways in which AFF 2023 illustrated that the queer experience is not a monolithic one.
The film is a documentary focusing on heavy metal in the late 80s and tackles topics like drug addiction, alcoholism, sex, masculinity, and of course, rock and roll. However, this didn’t feel like any documentary I’ve ever seen before.
From its visually stunning opening credits, which show women dancing through a forest to musical rhythms that sound almost primal, to its quiet, heartbreaking final frame, Mona Fastvold’s historical rendering of the Shaker religious movement is an experience that will stay with me for a long time.
'También la Iluvia' exploits Indigenous peoples' fight against the privatization of water in order to tell a story about Spanish characters.
We’ve always known that Edgar Wright is a mixologist when it comes to blending sound, light, colour, and texture. This is especially true in the first act of the film. In fact, all of my positive feedback is directed exclusively at the first act of this film.
Cassie, a musician, and Luke, a man serving in the Marines, form a false relationship and keep it a secret.