Austin TX is known for live music, beautiful scenery, and weirdness. But in recent years, it has become increasingly popular with its film Austin TX festivals. The city is home to the internationally recognized South by Southwest Film Festival (SXSW), the Austin Film Festival, and AGLIFF (Austin Gay & Lesbian International Film Festival), but that’s not all.
This summer alone, three more significant fests are hitting up our town! Let’s take a look at them below…
AUSTIN FILM FESTIVAL
The Austin Film Festival kicks off on October 4th this year. I attended last year’s festival, which lasted five days and was packed with filmmakers networking and pitching their projects, and meeting with potential investors and distributors.
If you’re a director, screenwriter, producer, or actor looking to make your mark in the industry, this is THE place for you to go. And if you want to get out of the heat and enjoy some thought-provoking film, this fest won’t disappoint! It will be running from October 4th through October 8th at various Alamo Drafthouse locations around Austin.
The festival was founded by the Alamo Drafthouse’s Tim League and has its roots set firmly in cinema: it’s not only the name but also the purpose of AFF. According to their website, they were created “to celebrate all genres of a feature-length film and provide a forum for advancing the craft of storytelling through film.”
Austin Film Festival aims to inspire and educate audiences and help filmmakers, writers, and producers advance their careers. To that end, they offer all sorts of workshops on filmmaking and a variety of panels with industry professionals from various branches of the business. They do have an open call for submissions, but I’m pretty sure it’s been closed at this point since the launch of the event is very close by now. Could you keep your eyes peeled on their website?
AUSTIN LGBT INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (GLIFF)
In its 15th consecutive year, this festival has become one of the most anticipated events in Austin. According to its website, GLIFF is dedicated “to promoting awareness and appreciation of LGBT stories by showcasing an annual slate of movies that honor and reflect the lives, achievements, and challenges facing LGBT communities worldwide.” The festival showcases a wide variety of films from both international and local filmmakers.
GLIFF has received positive attention for its efforts to make sure several aspects of the film industry are covered during the workshops and panels they host: everything from acting and production to distribution and public relations.
So if you’re looking for a chance to network with fellow filmmakers as well as learn about this ever-changing industry, consider attending GLIFF 2014, which will be taking place between October 8th through 12th at the Austin Motel, 919 Congress.
UNTOLD: THE EMMY-NOMINATED STORY OF THE GOLDEN GIRLS
This year’s event will include a free screening of the Golden Girls documentary, “UnTold: The Emmy-Nominated Story Of The Golden Girls.” This film was recently nominated for an Emmy award for Outstanding Historical/Cultural Program. The story behind this doc is pretty cool because it focuses not on how unique and beloved. Instead, this show was about the cast and crew’s challenges throughout its production.
If you’re a fan of “The Golden Girls,” you don’t want to miss this one.
The screening will take place on September 12th and will begin at 7:30 pm at the Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline. The following day, director Pam Thomas and others involved in its making will participate in an AGLIFF panel before participating in post-film Q&A. You can get more details here.
This event is free, but they ask guests to donate to the Women’s Foundation of Greater Austin. This organization empowers women and girls by providing them with critical tools for financial independence. It was founded in 1993 and will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.
If you’re wondering what to do this summer, there are plenty of Austin TX festivals and other events in the Austin area. There’s a festival for just about anything that interests you – foodies, music lovers, or families with children. We hope we’ve given you some great ideas on how to celebrate your city and enjoy yourself.
There are so many festivals to choose from in Austin, TX. Whether you enjoy music and food or want a family-friendly event with activities for kids of all ages, there is something for everyone! If you’ve never been before, we highly recommend checking out one (or more!) of these fun-filled events this year.