Bunny Levine's Final Film 'Omi' to Premiere at Austin Film Festival

Bunny Levine's final screen performance arrives on Oct. 30, when "Omi" premieres at the Austin Film Festival. Levine died on Aug. 20 at her home in Tarzana, California, at the age of 97.

The film is a Jewish exorcism comedy. It also marks the directorial feature debut of Emily Lerer. Adam Lebowitz-Lockard wrote the screenplay and stars alongside Dree Hemingway. The festival has released the full trailer ahead of the premiere.

The film gives Levine a posthumous closing credit to a career that spanned decades in film and television. For Lerer, the premiere doubles as a first feature outing before an Austin audience known for its focus on screenwriting. The trailer signals a comic premise grounded in religious ritual, with Lebowitz-Lockard's script at its center.

What else is new in film this week?

Andscape announced Tuesday that production has begun on "Fair Play: The Jordan Chiles Story," a documentary feature about gymnast and Olympic medalist Jordan Chiles. Campfire Studios and Select Entertainment are producing. Trishtan Williams directs.

The film will stream on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+ in the fall of 2027, ahead of the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

The official logline reads: "Bold, joyful, resilient, and unapologetically herself, Chiles has become one of the most recognizable figures in gymnastics and a powerful voice for a new generation of athletes. The film goes beyond the headlines to reveal the woman behind the performances, capturing Chiles at a pivotal moment in her life as she looks toward what comes next, both inside and outside the gym."

Chiles addressed the project directly in a statement.

"My journey in gymnastics has taught me a lot about resilience, perseverance, and the importance of defining success on my own terms," Chiles said. "As I work toward LA28, I'm excited to partner with Andscape and Hulu to share more of my story, reflect on the experiences that have shaped me, and explore what it means to step into this next chapter while reclaiming my narrative."

Who won at AFI Fest?

The American Film Institute announced its Grand Jury Prize winners and Special Mentions for the 40th edition of AFI Fest, which ran Oct. 21-25 in Los Angeles.

The Grand Jury Prize winners:

• Live action short: "Free Eliza (Notes On An Anatomical Imperfection)" from Alexandra Matheou
• Animated short: "Living With a Visionary" by Stephen P. Neary
• Documentary short: "A Woman's Place is Everywhere" from Fanny Texier

All three Grand Jury Prize winners are eligible for Academy Award consideration.

Special Jury Mentions for live action shorts went to "The Bovine Comedy" by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke for Audacity of Vision, "A Breach Within" by Jean-François Leblanc for Cinematography, "Nobody Said Anything" by Tamara Todorović for Screenwriting and "Mutrion" by Marco Cavazzin for Uniqueness of Expression.

In the animated category, "Emulsion" by Shiyu (Shino) Tang earned a mention for Craft, "Trading Cards" by Radheya Jang for Story, "The End" by Niki Lindroth von Bahr for Direction and "Saba" by Liron Topaz for World Building.

Documentary short mentions went to "Listen" by Taliesin Black-Brown for Craft, "Water Cooler" by Emma V.F. for Social Impact, "Buckskin" by Mars Verrone for Storytelling and "A Wolf in the Suburbs" by Amélie Hardy for World Building.

The wins place Matheou, Neary and Texier on the long road toward the Academy's shortlist, where festival laurels often determine which titles voters actually watch.