AFS and ATX TV present God Save Texas, a three-part documentary series from three Texan filmmakers (Richard Linklater, Iliana Sosa, and Alex Stapleton). The series offers unique and personal perspectives on their hometowns, creating contemporary portraits of a state that still echoes our nation’s past and warns of its possible future. The documentary trilogy is inspired by the book “God Save Texas: A Journey into the Soul of the Lone Star State” by Lawrence Wright. The series premieres on HBO on February 27, watch the trailer now!
These screenings are free and open to the public, but you must reserve your tickets in advance.
Please arrive early as seating is first come, first serve. An RSVP does not guarantee admission, as these shows are slightly oversold to ensure a full house.
PART 1: HOMETOWN PRISON
MARCH 2 AT 2 PM
Huntsville is the capital of the Texas prison colossus, with seven prisons in the area and one-quarter of the town’s adult population incarcerated. In his second documentary, five-time Oscar® nominated filmmaker Richard Linklater — whose Huntsville background has informed several of his feature films — takes on the divisive and heated issues of the penal system in his home state, which upholds the death penalty despite waning popularity; nearly 1,000 people in Huntsville alone have been legally put to death.
For many Huntsville locals, the prisons occupy another universe, distinct from their own. For others, they provide much-needed employment. In GOD SAVE TEXAS: HOMETOWN PRISON, Linklater chronicles the lives of everyday men and women whose lives are affected by the business of incarceration and death that looms over their town. In conversation with old friends and classmates, correctional officers and lawyers, death penalty advocates, and protestors, Linklater lays bare a thorny, symbiotic existence of the town with its incarcerated, painting a multi-faceted picture of the criminal justice system in Texas.
This screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Richard Linklater (joining virtually) moderated by journalist and Texas Tribune co-founder, Evan Smith.
Interested in checking out Episodes 2 & 3? Click here!
