What makes a great movie star? And what makes a great Texas movie star? This week, Austin sits down with cultural critic Cait Kennedy to discuss some of the greatest film actors to come from the Lone Star State. Is Debbie Reynolds' stardom bigger than Texas? Is anyone more deserving than Matthew McConaughey?

Tune into this week's episode to find out!

And check out Cait's work:

Substack: https://simplycinema.substack.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caitthemuse/

Austin is joined by the great Benjamin Flaherty to discuss his independent documentary Shuffle, chronicling fraud in the addiction treatment industry. Benjamin shares his experience working alongside people struggling with addiction as someone who went through treatment for alcoholism, what happened after the film won an award at SXSW in 2025, and what it's like to live with a project for 7 years before getting it out into the world.

Stop the Shuffle Website: https://www.stoptheshuffle.com/

Follow Shuffle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stoptheshuffle?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==

Austin is joined by filmmaker Josh David Jordan to discuss his 2025 film El Tonto Por Cristo and the roadshow he and his wife and collaborator Jessica Jordan have embarked upon with it in the United States and Europe. Josh shares stories from the set, talks about the lessons he learned from releasing his first film, This World Won't Break, and how they have made El Tonto Por Cristo's screenings feel like an event - with a sense of community, custom merchandise, and newsletters going out to keep people apprised of the film's journey.

You can find the ETPC website, including the shop for merchandise, HERE.

Register for Josh and Jessica's newsletter HERE.

This week, Austin is joined by Brent and Chris Bolding, the founders of the OK2BX Film Festival, gearing up for its fifth (!!!) outing this year! Launched to honor the memory of Eleanor Bolding, OK2BX serves as a platform for youth filmmakers to showcase their work. The festival focuses on inclusivity and storytelling while providing workshops and college fairs to support aspiring filmmakers.

OK2BX Website: https://ok2bx.org/

Social Media: OK2BX Foundation & OK2BX Film Festival

Submissions Page: FilmFreeway

Austin is joined by filmmaker Shaun Michael Colón to talk about Shaun's film Age of Audio, which explores the rise of podcasts and the creative process behind filmmaking. They discuss the challenges faced during production and the strategies used to promote the film. Shaun shares insights on getting notable figures involved (like Ira Glass and Kevin Smith), navigating film festivals, and the importance of self-promotion. The conversation culminates in a reflection on what defines success for a filmmaker.

https://www.aoamovie.com/

Austin is joined by Nick Holloway to talk through their favorite films of 2025. They go through their picks for the best performances, music, writing, and directing in the year's movies, shining a light on films that may have been left out of the awards conversation. Nick only pulls a knife on Austin once during the conversation (for his Best Director pick), making it an overall successful interaction!

Link to Jamil David's chron.com piece on films in the Oscar conversation with ties to Texas:
https://www.chron.com/culture/article/oscar-nominations-2026-texas-21307761.php

Part 2 Coming Soon!