We at encore are celebrating 25 years of Cucalorus, which began as a one-day film fest at Water Street Restaurant in 1994. Founded by 12 filmmakers, known as Twinkle Doon, Cucalorus has grown into five days of film, plays, concerts, conferences, keynote speakers, parties and more! This week’s edition covers many events of the annual festival, as seen below. It all starts Wednesday, November 13.

Don’t miss out on the fun!

FILM:

SLOW-BURNING SURREALISM: Austin filmmaker Steve Collins’ vignettes are bizarre in a good way

CHARACTER STUDY: ‘Frances Ferguson’ is a wonderfully unforced drama

DARK SOCIAL SATIRE: Surreal fun is had in ‘Black Magic for White Boys’

WONDERFULLY LYNCHIAN: ‘Knives and Skin’ is fully realized with technicolor vision

SYSTEMIC INJUSTICE: Two docs examine racism in America

INTELLECTUAL SOULMATES: ‘Straight Up’ bucks Hollywood’s love-story formula with charm

REFLECT AND REFRACT: Quiet strength of a woman shines in ‘International Falls’

EXTREME CONTENT: Cucalorus’ late-night ‘Convulsions’ program offers adults-only thrills

STAGE:

VISUAL POETICS: G Yamazawa joins Shirlette Ammons and Kid Ethnic for Cucalorus’ Visual/Sound/Walls

MAGNUM OPUS: Local filmmaker works on 1898 film for two decades, gives first look at Cucalorus

WHERE THE PEOPLE ARE: (Dis)connect with ‘OK GURGLE’ at Cucalorus 25

CONNECT:

TALK IT OUT: Cucalorus’ tech and innovation conference strives to live up to its name

MISC:

EXTRA CUC-Y: More things to do and see during Cucalorus 25

TALKIN’ CUCTAILS: What’s Cucalorus without a little boozy fun?