By Lauren A. Pike
Eight Grady College faculty, alumni and students have films being shown at the 2025 Austin Film Festival, held Oct. 23–30 in Austin, Texas.
Since its founding in 1994, the Austin Film Festival has become best known for its annual Film Festival and Writers Conference, recognized as the largest screenwriters conference in the world.
This year, four film projects involved members of the Grady College community, including several alumni and mentors from the low-residency MFA in Screenwriting program.
Nobody Wants To Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave
“Nobody Wants To Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave” follows a cynical caretaker and a desperate stripper at a rundown roadside lodge who collide with the wreckage of their pasts, discovering in each other the possibility of truth, mercy and a fleeting sense of home. The 110-minute film is written by Caleb Samples (MFA ‘19), directed by Cash Robinson (MFA ‘25), and produced by Nate Kohn, Grady College professor and director of the MFA in Screenwriting. It hadits first showing on Thursday, Oct. 23, and will have a second showing at 9:45 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
In addition to producing “Nobody Wants To Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave,” Kohn was also invited to moderate the Indie Film Track: The Filmmaker’s Team panel at the festival. This panel took place on Oct. 25 and focused on helping others “learn how to build creative partnerships to make the journey from pre-production to post as seamless as possible.”
Kohn expressed pride in participating and seeing his former students involved in the festival, stating, “The Austin Film Festival began as a screenwriting festival. I teach screenwriting, so it’s an important festival for me to attend. And to have a film that I helped produce, a film that one of my former students wrote and another directed and both of whom produced the film with me, screen at the festival validates my work.”
Signing Tony Raymond
“Signing Tony Raymond” follows a young college football coach sent to rural Alabama to recruit the nation’s top high school defensive end, only to find himself outflanking rival recruiters, dealing with grifting townsfolk, and winning over the player’s wildly dysfunctional family. The 111-minute film is written, directed, and produced by Glen Owen (ABJ ‘90). It had its first showing on Friday, Oct. 24, and will have a second showing at 3 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27.
Owen, also a current MFA student, reflects on his experience in the Grady College MFA program, stating, “While I had already filmed “Signing Tony Raymond” before I began the program, I have been able to write and develop several new projects under the amazing leadership of the ‘A-list’ team of mentors at UGA. I love being a part of the screenwriting MFA program, and it has already been a huge help to me professionally.”
Stripper Moms
“Stripper Moms” follows a suburban housewife who returns to her roots as a stripper to win back her cheating husband. The short film is written and directed by Tricia Horvath (MFA ’24), produced by Taylor Potter (AB ’21, MFA ‘23), and edited and shot by Eli Saliba (MFA ‘22). It had its first showing on Saturday, Oct. 25, and will have a second showing at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 28.
Potter reflects on the experience of producing “Stripper Moms,” and stating, “Many other UGA MFA students and alumni worked on the film, making this project a testament to peer collaboration even after graduation.”
You’re Dating a Narcissist
“You’re Dating a Narcissist” is co-written and directed by Ann Marie Allison, a mentor in the MFA in Screenwriting film and director of previous films like Golden Arm and co-written by Jenna Milly (ABJ ’95). She also co-wrote and executive produced “The Fabulous Four,” a comedy featuring Susan Sarandon, Bette Midler and Megan Mullally. She is making her directorial debut with “Your Dating a Narcissist,” a film starring Marisa Tomei, Sherry Cola, and Ciara Bravo which follows an outspoken psychologist who rushes to Los Angeles with her best friend to stop her lovesick daughter’s wedding, fearing the groom is a narcissist. She is an alumna of UGA, where she studied psychology. Allison’s film was screened Oct. 25 and will have a second showing at 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 27.
Grady College Low-Residency MFA students and graduates pose after Nate Kohn’s screening of “Nobody Wants to Be Here, Nobody Wants to Leave.” (Photo/ Nate Kohn)
