As I mentioned a few days ago, Collider partnered up with LA-based special events group A-List Communications and sponsor Foster Grant Sunglasses to bring an exclusive “Supper Suite” pop-up to Austin during the first weekend of the sprawling film, music and interactive festival in Austin, Texas.

For three days from March 9-11, 2018, The “Supper Suite” has taken over Austin lounge Basecamp, located at 120 West. 5th Street and hosted cast cocktail receptions for six official SXSW film selections: American AnimalsSupport the GirlsSadieOutside InThe Unicorn, and You Can Choose Your Own Family.

Since these are private parties, I promised to share plenty of pictures and info from the party and up first is American Animals. If you’re not familiar with the film, the film chronicles  the real-life heist of precious rare books from Transylvania University in 2004 Kentucky, pulled off by a quartet of mostly well-off college students.

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As Adam Chitwood wrote in his Sundance review:

The heist genre is one that’s been done to death, but with American Animals, filmmaker Bart Layton manages to pull off something wholly unique. Best known as the director behind the wildly entertaining documentary The Imposter, Layton brings his non-fiction background with him to his first narrative feature film, interlacing the movie’s fictional portrayal of events with interviews with the real-life subjects. The effect is engaging, offering a self-reflection not often seen in crime films, the cast is terrific and Layton announces himself as a filmmaker to watch.

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When American Animals begins, text appears on the screen stating “This Is Not Based on a True Story,” but after a few seconds the “Not Based on” drops out, and we’re left with “This Is a True Story.” The central mastermind duo behind the heist is Spencer (Barry Keoghan), a talented young art student, and his adrenaline-fueled troublemaking best friend Warren (Evan Peters). First pitched as something of a joke, the two begin to meticulously plan a heist of a couple of rare books kept in a secure library on the Transylvania University campus. Spencer is spurred by the notion that all great artists had to endure some kind of hardship to become great, and he’s lived a perfectly nice family life. Warren, meanwhile, is a bit of a free spirit, spurred to act mostly out of the desire to see if they could actually pull this off.

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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite

Since Movie Pass and The Orchard picked up distribution rights to American Animals I’m sure you’ll be seeing it in theaters later this year. I caught it at Sundance and it’s well worth your time. Until then, check out a ton of pics from the party and a few highlights below.

  • Stars of the film Jared Abrahmson and Barry Keoghan wore matching black Addidas track suites to the party and premiere and then jumped into an American Animals banded pedi-cap after the event direct to the theater for the premiere.
  • Even Peters who was excepted to attend SXSW and the events had to cancel his trip due to a leg injury.
  • Guest enjoyed the Foster Grant photo booth including Barry Keoghan who did some red carpet photos in his new Foster Grant glasses.
  • All guests enjoyed Revolucion Tequila margaritas and Palomoas as well as Day Owl Rose wine and Blue Moon Beer.
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
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Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
american-animals-sxsw-party-image
Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite
american-animals-sxsw-party-image
Image via Lu Chau/SupperSuite

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