Title: When We Were Live
MPA Rating: Not Rated
Director: John Spotswood Moore
Starring: Livia Squires, Gilberto Rivera, David Haun
Runtime: 2 hrs

What It Is: This documentary, directed by a college professor from Austin, Texas, focuses on Austin’s public access television—one of the longest-running public access stations in the world. It highlights the zany characters and oddities that embodied the city’s famous mantra: “Keep Austin Weird.” And they certainly did. The film also explores the city’s long history of civil rights battles—from standing up to the KKK to confronting the erasure of Hispanic and Chicano history. It was all experienced live and in color across Austin’s airwaves.

What We Think: As I mentioned to director John Spotswood Moore in our interview (see below), I’m not an Austinite, nor a “Unicorn” (as some locals identify). I knew nothing about Austin’s public access television scene from the ’80s and ’90s—so this documentary was a learning experience for me. And what a lesson it was. Austin is a weird city, filled with weird people—and I mean that in the best possible way. It’s also an incredibly diverse city with a beautifully rich history, something this film captures through its variety of public access content.

Spotswood Moore makes some interesting choices in what he includes here, and it pays off. The discussions around race, sex, relationships, and especially AIDS are all handled thoughtfully and highlighted beautifully.

Our Grade: C+, If I were more familiar with the subject matter, I’d probably feel more connected to this documentary overall. Still, I really appreciate how the director assembled it and the light it shines on a city that’s truly one of a kind. I said in my quick thoughts that “Austin is weird. This doc will assure it stays that way.” That sentiment still feels spot-on. It’s only because of advances in modern technology that public access TV no longer holds the same place it once did—but this film, about that very medium, still carries real merit. Check it out!