Lee Daniel

Austin, Texas, is an Eden for the young and unambitious, from the enthusiastically eccentric to the dangerously apathetic. Here, the nobly lazy can eschew responsibility in favor of nursing their esoteric obsessions. The locals include a backseat philosopher who passionately expounds on his dream theories to a seemingly comatose cabbie, a young woman who tries to hawk Madonna's Pap test to anyone who will listen and a kindly old anarchist looking for recruits.

Highlighting one of the most innovative American directors, this film reveals the path traveled by the auteur from his small-town Texas roots to his warm reception on the awards circuit. Long before he directed Boyhood, Richard Linklater’s intense desire to create fueled his work outside the Hollywood system. Rather than leave Texas, he chose to collaborate with like-minded artists crafting modest, low-budget films in a DIY style. His ability to showcase realistic characters and tell honest stories was evident from his films, and others soon took notice of his raw talent.

Ben Lewis spends time with Richard Linklater, the highly-respected director of 'Slacker', 'School of Rock', and 'Before Sunset', along with some of the stars of his films. He attempts to discover how an anti-consumerist filmmaker has become a worldwide success.

A full-length documentary chronicling filmmaker Richard Linklater and author Eric Schlosser throughout their journey making the movie 'Fast Food Nation,' featuring Linklater and the cast of the movie in rehearsals, shooting, and interviews.

Viva Les Amis looks at one local café as an example of a national trend: The loss of the mom and pop shop. The film explores the 27 year history of Les Amis Café – a sidewalk café that served almost three decades of eclectic customers and staff. Through the eyes of Newman Stribling, once manager of Les Amis Café, now cab driver, the film delves into the long history of Les Amis, and reveals the present: Les Amis Café replaced by a Starbucks.

Short documentary covering the 2001, 10th anniversary screening of Richard Linklater's 'Slacker' in Austin, TX

In NORTH ON EVERS James Benning takes the road movie seriously, making his circular trip across the U.S. a marvelously photographed, intensely felt, and disturbing portrait of contemporary America. In many ways, this recent film is a departure of Benning’s earlier films which are characterized, at times, by extremely long, carefully planned takes and a minimal narrative approach. In NORTH ON EVERS, the shots are kept short with a narrative that is direct and detailed, like a diary or a long series of postcards to a friend. What this work shares with the other films is a dry wit and a deep interest in the American social landscape.