TO BE SEEN (2026)

A feature-length documentary about perseverance and the purpose of restaurants, tracking four Austin-based restaurants through the challenging years of 2020 to 2025.

International Premiere: TBA
Upcoming screening dates

July 1st, 2026 @ AFS Cinema – (World Premiere) — SOLD OUT
July 13th, 2026 Texas Spirit Theater @ Bullock Museum‍ ‍— COMPLETED
July 14th, 2026 Austin Public Library — Central
More information - COMPLETED
August 23rd @ L’Oca D’Oro, 5pm and 7pm showtimes (In-restaurant screening)
(Additional September dates coming soon)

PRESS

Austin Chronicle
KOOP 91.7 FM Interview
Docwalks Interview

In his debut documentary feature, director/composer David Liu presents a film that takes traditional and vérité interview segments of four local Austin restaurants (L’Oca D’oro, Foreign and Domestic, LeRoy and Lewis Barbecue, and Pho Craft) and weaves together stories of survival following the years after a global lockdown.

For inquiries about theatrical licensing and distribution, please use the CONTACT form in the main header.
TO BE SEEN is a Narriforge Productions film.

Film Runtime: 84 minutes
Video: 1.85:1 4K, 2K
Audio: Dolby Atmos, 7.1, 5.1, 2.0
Subtitles: English, English SDH

Additional information at the film’s IMDB Page

Follow the film on Instagram

Producers and crew on stage at AFS Cinema - world premiere

Posters at the The Bob Bullock museum showing

The Texas Spirit Theater signage at the Bob Bullock Museum

The seated showing of TO BE SEEN at the Texas Spirit Theater/Bob Bullock museum

TO BE SEEN’s July dates are stacking up—get your tickets now to catch it in theaters! The world premiere on July 1st is nearly sold out, so get your tickets now if you were thinking about it already! We’ve added a play at the Bullock Museum’s Texas Spirit Theater and the Austin Public Library to make sure those who can’t make the premiere get a chance to watch it. Visit the link in bio to purchase tickets and learn more about the film. @fndaustin @locadoroaustin @leroyandlewis @thaisontexasnguyen @narriforge

The tickets are selling quickly! Get your tickets to the premiere of TO BE SEEN only July 1st, at AFS cinema. See the unique stories of @leroyandlewis , @locadoroaustin , @fndaustin , and @thaisontexasnguyen on the big screen for the first time. A truly Austin story by a native Austinite—David Liu (@triskadecaepyon )’s directorial debut! A @narriforge production.

In another upcoming behind the scenes segment, we look at a key element of To Be Seen’s unique soundscape—foley! Video coming soon, featuring the foley artist @jahnenikkyzachary ! Get your tickets to the premiere of To Be Seen on July 1st! Link in bio or visit www.tobeseenfilm.com to purchase tickets 🎟️

Tickets for the TO BE SEEN premiere are selling quick, get yours now! (Link in bio for tickets) See a uniquely Austin documentary film about the stories of the four restaurants (@locadoroaustin @fndaustin @leroyandlewis @thaisontexasnguyen ) over five years, through lockdown and other unforeseen changes. This debut film by David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ) as director and musical composer weaves a complex story that processes one of the most difficult time periods over the last decade. A @narriforge production.

The premiere of TO BE SEEN has arrived—a special one night event, playing at AFS Cinema’s Venue on July 1st, 2026! Watch the experiences of @leroyandlewis , @locadoroaustin , @fndaustin , and @thaisontexasnguyen come to the big screen, where their stories over 5+ years are brought to you in a uniquely Austin documentary. For the premiere, the Director (@triskadecaepyon ) + filmmaking crew along with some of the restaurants’ staff will be in attendance! Don’t miss this unique premiere event! Tickets available by visiting tobeseenfilm.com or @tobeseenfilm ‘s links in bio. TO BE SEEN is a @narriforge production.

The wait is over—the Austin premiere of To Be Seen will be July 1st, 2026! See the unique stories of @locadoroaustin , @fndaustin , @leroyandlewis , and @thaisontexasnguyen finally revealed on the big screen through one of most difficult times the world has ever faced. Select restaurant staff and the film’s creators will be in attendance, so make sure you don’t miss this premiere + Q&A! Location and ticket portal will be announced and made available soon!

Premiere and showtimes coming soon for TO BE SEEN! Follow us to stay updated—link in bio for additional info.

An industry forever changed. Post-pandemic, restaurant owners’ viewpoints shifted—in ways in which we are still trying to figure out. In an exclusive first look at TO BE SEEN, @sawyerblewis of @leroyandlewis discusses how restaurant owners viewpoints have shifted after their experiences following lockdown. TO BE SEEN arrives in summer 2026 in limited theaters. A film by David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ). A @narriforge production.

An industry forever changed. Even after reopening post-pandemic, the old normal wasn’t returning. In this exclusive first look at TO BE SEEN, @fndaustin ‘s Nathan Lemley (@neighthundred ) reflects on the changed industry of restaurant workers and its downstream effects. TO BE SEEN arrives summer 2026 to select theaters. A film by David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ); a @narriforge production. More info and links to the film in our profile.

What happens after survival? Post-pandemic, a new normal arrives. TO BE SEEN covers one of the most challenging times periods post-pandemic: 2022 to 2025. Sarah Heard (@chef.heard ) of @fndaustin discusses the challenges faced in the wake of a forever changed supply chain, customers, and staffing. TO BE SEEN arrives in summer 2026, a David Liu film (@triskadecaepyon ). A @narriforge production.

What happens after survival? Post-pandemic, the relation of the restaurant and customer were forever changed. TO BE SEEN studies this restaurant/customer dynamic during the key years of 2022 to 2025. Thaison Nguyen (@thaisontexasnguyen ) covers his experiences as a restauranteur during this time, a key topic of TO BE SEEN. TO BE SEEN arrives in summer 2026. A David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ) film. A @narriforge production.

During 2020 and 2021, adaptability was a key factor for business survival. In an exclusive first look, the experiences of @locadoroaustin and @goodworkaustinorg ‘s contributions and pivots are brought to the screen for the first time. TO BE SEEN comes to limited theaters in Summer 2026. A @narriforge production. A film by David Liu (@triskadecaepyon )

After lockdowns started in early 2020, the online ordering infrastructure we experience today did not exist yet. In an exclusive first look at TO BE SEEN’s opening, we take a look through the experiences of @locadoroaustin and @fndaustin and the challenges the restaurant world had to take a 48-hour pivot no one saw coming. TO BE SEEN comes to limited theaters starting in Summer 2026. A @narriforge production. A film by David Liu @triskadecaepyon

Our Behind the Scenes video on TO BE SEEN’s unique sound design for Dolby Atmos is up on your YouTube channel! Link (or use our profile links above): https://youtu.be/-LZiHCEkmtY Screening and ticket dates to be announced soon! Editing in @avid.protools and @liquidsonics.plugins for Reverb

Similar to the score, the sound of TO BE SEEN brings the unique sounds of each restaurant to life in the film. Coming soon to our YouTube channel, both director/composer David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ) and sound supervisor Morgan Honaker (@morgan.honaker ) go over the sound design and mix of the film in Dolby Atmos and how it complements the visual story for the audience. A @narriforge production, coming summer 2026. Mixed in @avid.protools

Director/Composer David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ) takes us through his approach to writing the theme for @thaisontexasnguyen ‘s restaurant for @tobeseenfilm Featuring instruments from @expressive_e (Osmose) and @nordkeyboards (Nord Grand 2). Recording equipment from @providencesoundandvision Follow for updates leading up to the release of the film!

Director/Composer David Liu (@triskadecaepyon ) takes us through his musical inspiration in writing the theme for @leroyandlewis for the @tobeseenfilm Featuring instruments from @expressive_e (Osmose) and @spitfireaudio ‘s Abbey Road Orchestra collection. Recording equipment from @providencesoundandvision . Follow for updates leading up to the release of the film!

Director/Composer @triskadecaepyon takes us through the music and instruments that represents @locadoroaustin and @tedescofiore for the @tobeseenfilm . Featuring Instruments from @spitfireaudio and their Abbey Road Collections. Studio Recording equipment from @providencesoundandvision Follow for updates leading up to the release of the film!

Music is our connection to a lived experience. Director/Composer @triskadecaepyon takes us through writing the musical theme for @fndaustin for the @tobeseenfilm Instrumentation featuring the @nordkeyboards Nord Grand 2 and @spitfireaudio ‘s British Drama Toolkit Brass & Reeds

A word from the filmmaker @triskadecaepyon on TO BE SEEN, and the updates to expect soon. In the BTS: @corymorton , @joshua_simonsen , @soundcrafteratx