Everyone loves stories. They remind us of the past, teach us about our neighbors, and tie the community together. Nowhere is more rich in stories than East Austin, where colorful celebrations and tantalizing cuisines are a way of life. East Austin is a center of the arts, from ballet folklorico to the blues and from glassmaking to tattooing; it is a place where people have fun racing motorcycles, boxing, or just hanging out in the pool. Of course, East Austin shares the same problems as many inner city areas. But as the short documentaries on this web site illustrate, East Austin is a lot more than statistics or newspaper headlines. It's a network of families, communities, and businesses, each with their own stories to tell.

The documentaries on this site are the result of collaborations between East Austinites and University of Texas filmmakers. A couple, "Piercing" and "Sanctuary of Darkness" are made by high school students. At the end of each semester, we hold free, public screenings in places like Our Lady of Guadalupe Church. These screenings give filmmakers, storytellers, and neighbors a chance to hear and enjoyed each other's stories, to get to know each other, and to learn. We hope you can join us at an upcoming screening, and continue to visit the site as it grows.