Interview:
Patrick Bresnan,
director,
"First They Came for My College"
Directed by former Austinite Patrick Bresnan, the documentary First They Came for My College examines Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ 2023 conservative takeover of the Sarasota-based public liberal arts college the New College of Florida under the pretense of addressing declining undergraduate enrollment. Bresnan chronicles the chaos, confusion, and political realignment created by DeSantis and his board of trustees appointees from the perspective of the college’s administrators, staff, students, student athletes, and parents. Produced by the Austin Film Society’s Holly Herrick, First They Came for My College screens at 6:15 p.m. March 12 at the Alamo South Lamar, 5:45 p.m. March 13 at the AFS Cinema, and 6 p.m. March 18 at the Rollins Theatre at the Long Center during the SXSW Film & TV Festival. Former Austin-based filmmaker Patrick Bresnan previously directed the documentaries The Naked Gardens, Pahokee, and One Big Misunderstanding with his wife Ivette Lucas as well as the shorts The Contestant, Happiness is a Journey, Skip Day, Roadside Attraction, and The Send-Off. Bresnan and Lucas—who co-wrote and co-edited First They Came for My College—are currently writing a scripted version of The Passing, their 2024 short film about Austin’s “visiting vet” Dr. Michael Mullen. Posted: March 12, 2026. Aired: March 18, 2026. Web site: https://schedule.sxsw.com/films/2241452 |
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