Now in it’s seventh year, the OCFF (Off-centered Film Fest) is a joint-effort from the minds behind the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema and Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales. Featuring celebrity guests from the film and beer worlds, gourmet food, extreme beers, great prizes and independent/classic films. This mainstay of the Austin event landscape has made a name for itself showcasing off-centered films for off-centered people.
We’ve shared our enthusiasm before about the events and Rolling Roadshows that the Alamo Drafthouse graces us lucky Austinites with. One yearly event is the Off-Centered Film Fest. An ongoing collaboration between the Drafthouse and Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, it is a “an epic multi-day celebration of craft beer, delicious food and “off-centered films for off-centered people””. In this it’s 7th year, the theme “Stuntin” was adopted in tribute to the daredevil spirit. This article covers the launch event (April 24th) which involved a 35mm screening of Hot Rod along with special guests ‘The Lonely Island’ — Andy Samberg, Akiva Schaffer and Jorma Taccone — in person.
Did I mention beer yet? Yes, one of the aims of the OCFF is to celebrate and support craft beer. Dogfish should already be well known to our readers (their 120 minute IPA being a favorite of mine), but this event also brought together members of the Central Texas brewing community. Texas is undergoing a phenomenal transition into one of the best places in the country to go for local beer, many bringing home awards from GABF, the CBC and recently the World Beer Cup.
512, Adelbert’s, Circle, Hops & Grain, Independence, Infamous, Jester King, Karbach, Live Oak, Ranger Creek, Real Ale, Rogness, Thirsty Planet and Twisted X all brought some unique beers brewed just for the occasion, a feast for the gambrinous crowds. The event was also to raise money and support for the Texas Craft Brewers Guild.
Attendees were treated to music that wouldn’t have been out of place in a Rocky movie (80s awesome), flowing beer, several foodtrucks (get a few more next time though?), a stunt jump setup and the aforementioned beer tents pouring, all to get people in the right frame of mind for the night ahead. Tim League (Alamo founder and CEO) resplendent in a ladies Evil Knievel outfit (last one they had, very snug) brought out Dogfish founder Sam Calagione who proceeded to rap about west coast brewers painting a more flattering impression of their Texas brethren. The screening itself went well, a beer fueled, hyped up crowd will always respond well to a film like Hot Rod. Afterwards the Lonely Island crew returned to the stage for a Q&A. They seemed somewhat taken aback by the crowd’s enthusiasm for the film and were happy to respond to increasingly ‘beer influenced’ questioning. Insights into recruiting Sissy Spacek (very keen to be involved), how they would make Ian McShane do Al Swearagen impressions between takes, and scenes that were just a little too beyond the boundaries of good taste to be included in the film. The evening came to a close with a “goodnight” leading to a swarm of young ladies encircling the three men, a look of mild panic crossing their faces. Another great evening in Austin and another reminder that there is nothing quite like the Alamo Drafthouse for a movie event.
The OCFF continued for three more days and included “Stunt-packed cinematic thrills courtesy of Harold Lloyd’s silent-era masterpiece SAFETY LAST and Jackie Chan’s bone-crunching kung fu classic DRUNKEN MASTER and more!”. Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Founder and Head Brewer, will be in person throughout the fest and brings a wealth of rare and vintage Dogfish Head beers with him. For further details checkout the website here.
When Sam Calagione opened Dogfish Head in 1995 it was the smallest commercial brewery in America making 10 gallons of beer at a time. Today Dogfish Head is among the fastest growing breweries in the country. Dogfish Head has focused on brewing stronger, more exotic beers since the day it opened as the motto “Off-centered ales for off-centered people” attests to. Dogfish Head has grown into a 120 person company with a restaurant/brewery/distillery in Rehoboth Beach and a production brewery in Milton, Delaware, selling beer in 31 states and three countries. Sam authored “Brewing up a Business” and “Extreme Brewing,” co-authored “He Said Beer, She Said Wine,” and is the host of the Discovery Channel series, Brew Masters. He lives in Lewes, Delaware, with his wife Mariah and children, Sammy and Grier.
Alamo Drafthouse is an entertainment brand comprised of the acclaimed cinema-eatery chain, the largest genre film festival in the United States and a collectible art gallery. Named “the best theater ever” by Time Magazine, the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema has built a reputation as a movie lover’s oasis not only by combining food and drink service with the movie-going experience, but also introducing unique programming and high-profile, star studded special events. Alamo Drafthouse Founder & CEO, Tim League, created Fantastic Fest, a world renowned film festival dubbed “The Geek Telluride” by Variety. Fantastic Fest showcases eight days of offbeat cinema from independents, international filmmakers and major Hollywood studios. The Alamo Drafthouse’s collectible art gallery, Mondo, offers breathtaking, original products featuring designs from world-famous artists based on licenses for popular TV and Movie properties including Star Wars, Star Trek & Universal Monsters. The Alamo Drafthouse Cinema is expanding its brand in new and exciting ways, including the launch of Drafthouse Films, a new film distribution label and plans to extend its theaters and unique programming philosophy to additional markets across the United States. More information about Alamo Drafthouse franchise opportunities are available on the official website www.drafthouse.com.