Highlights from the 2014 Tallgrass Film Festival

The 12th annual Tallgrass Film Festival started on Wednesday with the opening night film “Life Itself,” a warmly emotional documentary about late film critic Roger Ebert.

More than 450 people attended the opening at the Orpheum Theatre. Producer Zak Piper was on hand for a Q&A after the film, which was followed by a party at Union Station.

Thursday’s highlights were screenings of the entertaining comedy “Gone Doggy Done” with co-director and actress Kasi Brown and “The Ladies of the House,” a deliciously dark and twisted horror film about stripper cannibals – really. It was followed by a fun Q&A with director John Stuart Wildman, in town from New York City.

Also in town were director Erin Mullally and actor David McGowan who came all the way from Dublin, Ireland, for the world premiere of their charming short film “The Struggle of Libations,” which screened before “Gone Doggy Gone.”

After the screening, Mullally said he felt “excellent. Great audience here tonight, great vibe at the Orpheum. We’re just so thankful to Tallgrass for giving us the chance to bring it here.”

Jack Bryan also is in town from New York City. The film he directed, “The Living,” is the winner of this year’s Jake Euker Stubbornly Independent Award. Six films were picked as contenders for the award by Tallgrass programmers and a jury voted on the winner. The category is open to U.S. narrative features made for under $750,000 that have no traditional theatrical distribution.

“The Living” has screened at several festivals, including Tribeca, Manhattan and soon will play in Austin.

Bryan said Tallgrass is “a great festival. It really feels like there’s a lot of community support, which is incredible. You do not see that in most places.”

His film, which screened Saturday night, is a drama about a guy who hires an ex-convict to kill his sister’s abusive husband.

“We had a great time making it,” Bryan said. “And we’re having a great time showing it.”

Other Tallgrass events and screenings continue through Sunday.

The festival’s closing night gala film is “Before I Disappear,” about an irresponsible, depressed man who gets a call from his estranged sister asking him to look after her daughter for a few hours. It starts at 7 p.m. Sunday at the Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway.

After that, the closing night party will be at the Block One parking garage, 360 E. William, with open bar, food from Bob & Luigi’s and live entertainment from DJs Ghouled and Deathblack Flowers.

Tickets to the gala, which includes the screening and party, are $25. Film-only tickets also are available for $15.

For more information, go to www.tallgrassfilmfest.com/.

This story was originally published October 18, 2014 at 7:00 PM with the headline "Highlights from the 2014 Tallgrass Film Festival."