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Leave It on the Track, premiering this week at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, is a sort of ode to the women of roller derby. The documentary, from local actor/director Benjamin Pascoe, depicts the Fall 2009 championship bout between the Hellcats and the Cherry Bombs, teams in the banked-track Txrd Lonestar Rollergirls league in Austin.

For newbies to the sport, the film includes explanations of how roller derby is played and how it was revived in Austin and has since spread through the nation (and the world). I haven't yet attended any games (I know, I know), so it was nice to have a refresher on the rules of the game. Cherry Chainsaw (Olivia Vernon) leads the Cherry Bombs, a team that's a recent addition to the league. Chainsaw is harsh and fearless -- okay, most of these ladies are, but we are told by players, and shown clips exhibiting,...

Here's the latest in Austin and Texas film news.

A new local documentary about rollerderby will premiere at Edinburgh International Film Festival later this month. Leave It on the Track, about two competing Txrd teams, is directed by Benjamin Pascoe and produced by filmmaker/Austin Film Society instructor/derby team manager Jonny Stranger. Check out the trailer at the end of this article, and read Elizabeth's interview with Stranger about his Slacker 2011 segment.Houston-based filmmakers Keith Patterson's and Jack Lofton's documentary Ann Richards' Texas, about the life of the former Texas governor, will have its world premiere June 21 at the AFI Silverdocs festival in Washington, D.C. The movie includes interviews with Bill Clinton, Dolly Parton and Dan Rather.The award-winning indie film Strings can now be purchased or rented exclusively on iTunes through a digital distribution deal with The Orchard, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. The Austin-shot thriller,...

London – The 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival(Eiff) this year will play host to 19 world premieres and 13 international bows, organizers said. Among the world debuts will be Richard Ledes’ Fred, a drama starring Elliot Gould, Stephanie Roth Haberle and Fred Melamed and Nathan Silver's comedy drama Exit Elena. Also making its world debut during the Scottish capital set festival is Benjamin Pascoe's Leave It On The Track, a documentary about a roller derby battle for the Calvello Cup. Festival organizers said the shindig aims to showcase 121 features from 52 countries, including 11 European premieres and 76 U.

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Cannes is now over which means it’s time to move to Britain as the Edinburgh Film Festival kicks off!

We’ve just been sent the full line-up for the 2012 Edinburgh Film Festival which is now in it’s 66th year. We have our people (Jamie, Steven and Emma) on the ground at the event right now ready to catch as many films as they possible can throughout the next wee or two as we get to see 121 new features and 19 world premieres.

I’ll let the full press release below do the talking but let us know what you’re looking forward to in the comments section below.

World Premieres:

Berberian Sound Studio Borrowed Time Day Of The Flowers Exit Elena Flying Blind Fred Future My Love Guinea Pigs Here, Then Leave It On The Track The Life And Times Of Paul The Psychic Octopus Life Just Is Mnl...

The full programme for the 66th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (Eiff), which runs from 20 June to 1 July, has been officially announced and will feature nineteen World premieres and thirteen International premieres.

The Festival will showcase one hundred and twenty-one new features from fifty-two countries, including eleven European premieres and seventy-six UK premieres in addition to the World and International premieres. Highlights include the World premieres of Richard Ledes’ Fred; Nathan Silver’s Exit Elena and Benjamin Pascoe’s Leave It On The Track and European premieres of Lu Sheng’s Here, There and Yang Jung-ho’s Mirage in the maiden New Perspectives section; and the International premiere of Benicio Del Toro, Pablo Trapero, Julio Medem, Elia Suleiman, Gaspar Noé, Juan Carlos Tabio and Laurent Cantet’s 7 Days In Havana and the European premiere of Bobcat Goldthwait’s God Bless America in the Directors’ Showcase. In addition to the new features presented,...