In response to our new Freebie Fridays post, I received a bit of intelligence in my inbox from Bill Elsey down at Duchman Family Winery in Driftwood, Texas. Bill informs me that every year the winery hosts a “Movies in the Vineyard” free summer film series, which I’ve been missing out on! But never fear: they’ve got one more golden film classic coming up on September 24. Fellini’s 1960 film La Dolce Vita will be on-screen, a nod to their Italian grapes, and Duchman wines will be served (with cheese, of course) to film-goers. How awesome is that?

If you’ve got transportation, it’s about a 45 minute drive from Austin down to Driftwood (click here for directions), and the film starts at 8:30 pm. Don’t forget to bring your own blankets or folding chairs (and maybe a little mosquito repellent!), as the movie will be shown under the stars, and keep in mind that no pets or outside food and drink will be allowed.

For more info on Duchman Family Winery, check out their site at duchmanfamilywinery.com.

See you there!

More free movies

Attention cinephiles! Want more free movie nights? Here’s a brief list of some regulars you’ll definitely want to look into.

• Anime at the Alamo (Tuesdays at 10 pm)
• There’s still a few more Movies in the Park this season, courtesy of the Alamo Roadshow, including Pee Wee’s Big Adventure on September 29 and Poltergeist on October 14
• And for those on bikes or pedi-cabbing it, there’s the Starving Art Mini Drive-In! (free for the bikers and walk-ups, $10 for those in vehicles; advance registration for cars required)

Got any free flicks we missed? Let us know; we’d be glad to post your event in next Friday’s list!

But after a fateful tip from a guy on the bus (the source of many an insider tip, Chez Shoestring, btw), I discovered the wonderful world of gofobo.com. Film-related sweepstakes and free screenings abound here, but alas, they are only accessible with a magical (and rather mysterious) RSVP code.

Curses, Batman, foiled again!

Luckily, using my mighty memory, I recalled that my mystery bus man had informed me that gofobo.com was just one of several sites he regularly cruised for access to freebies in the movie world, implying that there were others, were a young Jedi so inclined to look for them. Thus, with a quick flick of the Google button I discovered the untold riches at The Movie Outsider’s Austin page.

As The Movie Outsider notes, freebies may not always be easy to come by, but they sure beat the heck outta paying full price for admission. If you’ve got to dig a little, you may just appreciate those hard-earned tickets a bit more, too. Or at least avoid the truly terrible pap that Hollywood deems to dish out.

Whatever the case, here were some of the best sites I found in my mission to uncover movie freebies, to help you along your way:

• Slackerwood’s 2010 Guide to Free (and Cheap) Summer Movies in Austin
• The Paramount’s 2010 Summer Film Series (not free, but cheaper if you’re a member of their “Film Fan” club)
• A complete list of showtimes for the Harry Ransom Center’s “Making Movies” classic film events, held on Thursdays throughout the summer
• The Austin Film Society’s screening calendar, listing all manner of movies showing throughout the year (some free, some cheap, and some not-so-cheap)

Tell 'em Shoestring Austin sent ya!

If all else fails, Netflix is still offering a pretty sweet one-month-free subscription, where you can instantly stream movies straight from your computer (or Blu-ray player, or gaming system), or rent movies with no late fees and free shipping to and from your house. Set up your home theater and you’ll be set; at only $8.95 a month, that’s still way cheaper than paying for admission at your local theater.

Still too rich for your blood? Hit up the nearest branch of the Austin Public Library for a selection of totally free movies and TV shows, which you can keep for a full seven (7) days. With the Interlibrary Loan system, you can even snag flicks from far-away branches (provided you agree to pay a $1 fee if you fail to actually pick up your items within 10 days of your notification email), all from the comfort of your Internet connection.

Friends, freegans, countrymen: bemoan your free movie quandary no more, and may The Force be with you.