So, if you’re like me, you’ve been thinking that this summer’s blockbusters aren’t up to par and with ticket prices to see a first run film out of control, the experience is a bit of a letdown. Summer is all about smash hits and top-grossers, but this summer hasn’t delivered. If only you could go see all the best movies for the upcoming year in one place and not have to pay through the nose. Guess what? You can … at the Austin Film Festival.
The Austin Film Festival is where directors, actors, writers, and film lovers converge annually to watch the year’s best. It was created to celebrate the art of storytelling through film and has become a haven for aspiring artists. Since its humble beginnings in 1994, it has grown enormously with each year receiving more and more A-list attendees. The festival incorporates all of downtown Austin in the event, using popular movie theaters like the Paramount Theatre to showcase the line-up.
Each year the festival awards three artists for their outstanding contribution to film and television. This year’s nominees include Academy Award winner Jonathan Demme for Extraordinary Contribution to Filmmaking and Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan for Outstanding Television Writer. The festival also provides Q&A sessions with the year’s most talented directors and writers but not only that, there are over 90 programs and discussions about how to break into the industry and how to make sure your career in the entertainment field has staying power.
The festival’s coup de grace is the film competitions, where amateur writers and filmmakers are encouraged to submit their work in appropriate categories. The festival includes a category for students where they can submit short films to be reviewed by professional judges. It’s a great way for lesser-known artists to make a name for themselves and network with the right people in the industry. Although the deadline for submissions was June 1st, it’s never too early to put that great idea of yours to paper and plan for next year.
Folks attending the Austin Film Festival will be the first to see all of the great films everyone will be talking about next year. Last year’s lineup included popular films like Flight, Not Fade Away, and Silver Linings Playbook, not to mention the short films, where the winners of each category were up for a chance to win an Academy Award. If you do decide to head down to Austin, Texas, you’ll be able to experience great films alongside other passionate movie lovers like yourself. The festival runs this year from October 24th-31st, leaving plenty of time to plan a cinematic adventure.
