A look back at the year in film in Austin

Austin reinforced its reputation as a great city for filmmaking and an eclectic bounty for movie lovers in 2011. All the biggest names in Austin film — Terrence Malick, Richard Linklater, Robert Rodriguez and Mike Judge — completed or released new material this year, and Jeff Nichols represented a new generation of filmmakers ready to move to the forefront of local talent.

Malick and Nichols achieved massive success in Cannes, France, and received critical praise at home for "The Tree of Life" and "Take Shelter," and both have already begun working on their next projects.

In other big film scene news of the year, the Violet Crown Cinema opened in the 2nd Street District downtown, offering an elegant home for indie film fans, and the juggernaut that is the Alamo Drafthouse continued its growth at home and out of state.

South by Southwest and the Austin Film Festival, the city's two largest film events, treated locals and out-of-towners to a slate of quality work and helped advance the idea that Austin is both incubator and champion of fantastic films.

Here's a look at our top 10 Austin area movie developments for the year:

1. The Violet Crown Cinema delivered arthouse films to a downtown area that experienced a burst of cultural growth. The sleek but inviting theater at 434 W. Second St. screened many films that otherwise might not have shown in Austin and gave movie lovers a centralized alternative to the Regal Arbor in Northwest Austin. Equipped with brilliant digital projection and sound and comfortable stadium chairs, the four-screen theater provides a sophisticated and intimate movie-going experience.

"By showing documentaries, foreign films and quirky independent films, the Violet Crown has found a niche that speaks to Austin's well-educated audiences," Austin Film Society executive director Rebecca Campbell said. "The more variety and quality available to local audiences, the more our appetites are increased for fine cinematic fare, which makes the Violet Crown a refreshing addition to our local film scene."

With a full bar and kitchen serving small plates and pizzas, the Violet Crown offers a complete entertainment experience and helped flesh out and anchor the western end of the 2nd Street District. The Violet Crown also took advantage of its location in the heart of Austin's nightlife scene to turn film openings into events, such as the multi-artist musical performance held at midnight in the lobby on the opening night of the Tribe Called Quest documentary "Beats, Rhymes and Life."

"Few places in the country support independent film more than Austin," Violet Crown Cinema owner Bill Banowsky said. "In less than eight months Violet Crown has become one of the more productive art theaters in the country, frequently finishing among the top 10 theaters nationally with the films we play. Our goal was and is to bring a higher level of customer experience to art film exhibition while showing the best independent films from around the world. We could not have chosen a better place than Austin to do this."

2. Austinite Terrence Malick became the first Texas filmmaker to win the coveted Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. The evocative "The Tree of Life" beautifully portrayed the director's philosophical musings on nature and grace. In addition to its artistic ambitions and seemingly deeply personal story, "The Tree of Life" also represented one of Malick's greatest commercial successes, taking in more than $50 million worldwide.

For a media-shy director who guards his privacy, Malick appeared in very public settings this summer and fall. He turned heads following Christian Bale around Zilker Park during the Austin City Limits Music Festival in September, and in November he trailed Ryan Gosling around Auditorium Shores during Fun Fun Fun Fest. With three star-studded films in various states of production, it seems we are embarking on what should be a thrilling period of creativity from Malick.

3. Jeff Nichols premiered "Take Shelter" at Cannes and won the Grand Prize of the 50th annual Critics' Week, a prestigious sidebar at the French festival. The laurels at Cannes represented the first of the film's honors. "Take Shelter" has been nominated for best feature and Nichols best director at the Independent Spirit Awards, and the Austin filmmaker's dark thriller about a man wrestling with a crippling fear appeared on multiple year-end lists. Nichols' next film, "Mud," starring Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon and "Take Shelter" star Michael Shannon, is in post-production and should further cement Nichols reputation as Austin's next great director.