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Today was a busy day for some of the smaller guilds with the Visual Effects Society, the Cinema Audio Society, and the Makeup and Hairstylists Guilds all announcing their nominations for 2013.

First, we have the Ves, whose main category to look at is “Outstanding Visual Effects in a Visual Effects-Driven Feature Motion Picture,” where we find Gravity and four other nominees that are just going to have to be happy with the fact that they got nominated. This is perhaps the easiest category to call in the entirety of awards season, and I don’t mean just here, but for the Oscar as well (Last year’s winner, Life of Pi, easily took this category before going on to claim the Oscar). It’s true that films like The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug and Star Trek Into Darkness had outstanding effects as well, but nothing even came close to the amazing,...

The Portuguese film Embargo, about a man who invents a machine that scans feet, suffers under a gasoline embargo, then gets stuck in his car, premiered at the Austin Film Festival this past week.  Right, you're wondering how he gets stuck in the car.  Well, the trailer (and possibly the film itself) isn't very forthcoming with the details, but it really does make you want to find out.  

 Bleak Landscapes in Portuguese. Is that a bunny rabbit?

The clip makes the film look dark and clever, and early critical response likens director António Ferreira's film to a lighter, more Portuguese Coen Brothers story.  Which is quite the compliment for Ferreira and first-time feature writer Tiago Sousa; Ferreira is well-known in his home country for 2002's Forget Everything I've Told You, but has had little recognition internationally, especially in the Us.  Embargo, ostensibly, hopes to change that.

Always one of the most enjoyable events of the year, the 17th Austin Film Festival is gearing up to kick-off next month.

The annual event takes place from October 21-28 in Austin, Texas with movies such as Natalie Portman's "Black Swan" on the docket.

With other films set to screen including "Meek's Cutoff," "127 Hours," and "Fair Game," the full lineup is as follows:

Marquee Screenings

"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)

"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)

"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)

"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)

"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...

The Austin Film Festival has unveiled the program for its 17th edition, which runs October 21-28.

"Black Swan," "127 Hours," "Peep World," "Meek's Cutoff," "Conviction," "Brother's Justice," "Fair Game," and many more, including 23 U.S. and world premieres and a handful of locally-made projects, will screen at the fest. The opening, centerpiece and closing night films have not yet been announced.

Festival line-up is below:

Marquee Screenings

"127 Hours" – Danny Boyle (Writer/Director), Simon Beaufoy (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Black Swan" – Darren Aronofsky (Director), Andres Heinz (Writer), John McLaughlin (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Peep World" – Barry W. Blaustein (Director), Peter Himmelstein (Writer) – (U.S. Premiere)

"Bloodworth" – Shane Dax Taylor (Director), W. Earl Brown (Writer) – (World Premiere)

"Blue Valentine" – Derek Cianfrance (Writer/Director), Joey Curtis (Writer), Camille DeLavigne (Writer) – (Regional Premiere)

"Exporting Raymond" – Phil Rosenthal (Director) – (World Premiere)

"Fair Game" – Doug Liman (Director), Jez & John-Henry Butterworth (Writers) – (Regional Premiere)

"High School" – John Stalberg (Writer/Director...