Dear Mr. Mailman to Make World Premiere at Austin Film Festival!

We’re thrilled to announce that Dear Mr. Mailman has been officially selected for the 2026 Austin Film Festival, where the film will make its World Premiere.

We’re incredibly proud of this one. Austin Film Festival is one of the most respected and well-regarded festivals in the country, particularly for writers and story-driven films, making it an especially meaningful place for us to introduce Dear Mr. Mailman to an audience for the first time.

Dear Mr. Mailman follows Hank Sutter, an old cuss of a mailman who has spent years delivering everyone else’s messages while shutting himself off from the world. When he begins receiving handwritten letters from a homebound seven-year-old girl named Ellie Bellie, their unlikely correspondence slowly draws Hank into the lives of the people around him.

The 17-minute short was written and directed by Jordan Kartchner, stars Michael Flynn and Brighton Kartchner, and features cinematography by Gordon Lonsdale, ASC. The film was shot on Super 16mm and produced by JAK Media Films.

Bringing the film to Austin represents the culmination of an extraordinary effort from our cast and crew, and we’re incredibly grateful to everyone who gave their time and talent to the project.

More than anything, we’re looking forward to finally experiencing the film the way it was meant to be experienced: in a theater, with an audience.

Austin Film Festival Screenings

Saturday, October 31 — 12:30 PMGalaxy Theatre

Thursday, November 5 — 7:00 PMGalaxy Theatre

The Austin Film Festival runs October 29–November 5, 2026.

We’ll see you in Austin!