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On Friday night, Austin-based filmmaker Aaron Burns brought his first feature-length film, blacktino, to the Paramount Theatre for its world premier. It was an event worthy of SXSW opening night. A food truck was parked on 7th Street, giving out free tacos to the crowd. A photo backdrop was setup for people to take pictures. Even the director was out -- buzzing a bit from opening-night adrenaline -- walking the line and greeting the enthusiastic crowd.

The movie started late, due to delays in seating, but once it did the crowd was no less enthusiastic. Every credit was given a loud cheer. If they showed those awful "FBI warnings" before cinema films, I think even that would have gotten applause. This clearly was a hometown crowd rooting for the home team. They even applauded a shot of the Austin skyline, later in the film.

Blacktino is a dark teen comedy...

Blacktino is nothing short of revolutionary. As a crowdpleaser, it’s so frank about diversity, the notion is reduced to its smallest unit: the individual. Aaron Burns has crafted a rich and lively human comedy blending the dead pan of Napoleon Dynamite (and the better films it influenced, arguably including Juno) and the rich humanity of Mike Leigh.

Austin Marshall is Stefan Daily, an overweight kid whose African American mother is chasing demons unmentioned while his estranged Hispanic father is a Hollywood producer whose latest film is an action adaptation of Citizen Kane, starring Michelle Rodriguez as Citizen Jane.

Stefan’s best friend, Laura (Devyn Ray) is a goth girl –with a valid reason to be, she calls Stefan “Urkle” – after Steve Urkle’s alter ego (there’s another hilarious Family Matters reference a few scenes later). Stefan does not have an easy life: being both bi-racial in a school...

This is a profile I posted last September, when I first learned about the film; give today’s announcement that it will premiere at the South By Southwest Film Festival next month, I thought I’d post it again, for those who may have missed it.

blacktino is the first feature film from writer/director Aaron Burns, a self-described “blacktino nerd from Austin, Texas,” who got his start at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios doing visual effects on films like Grindhouse, and Machete.

Synopsis: “blacktino is a dark teen comedy about an overweight black Latino nerd named Stefan Daily, who was raised by his African American grandmother in a medium-sized suburb of Austin, TX. Struggling to find his place in a mostly white high school, Stefan finds sanctuary among the eclectic mix of social outcasts in the school’s Theatre Department.”

Newcomer Austin Marshall (pictured below-right) stars as Stefan, and...

blacktino is the first feature film from writer/director Aaron Burns, a self-described “blacktino nerd from Austin, Texas,” who got his start at Robert Rodriguez’s Troublemaker Studios doing visual effects on films like Grindhouse, and Machete.

Synopsis: blacktino is a dark teen comedy about an overweight black Latino nerd named Stefan Daily, who was raised by his African American grandmother in a medium-sized suburb of Austin, TX. Struggling to find his place in a mostly white high school, Stefan finds sanctuary among the eclectic mix of social outcasts in the school’s Theatre Department.

Newcomer Austin Marshall (pictured below-right) stars as Stefan, and he’s surrounded by a cast that includes a few familiar names/faces, like Danny Trejo and Jeff Fahey, along with Selma Pinkard, Devyn Ray, Tiger Sheu, Leon Washington, Denise Williamson, Bryan Jackson, Conrad Gonzales, Timeca Seretti, and Daryl Sabara.

The film is currently in post-production.