Austin Film Festival: A Week of Celebrating Filmmaking

Austin is well known for being the live music capital of the world, but it is also known as a city where creativity of all types flourishes. The Austin Film Festival, an annual event held in October that celebrates the art of film, is one such example. Over a period of eight days, Austin Film Festival screens almost 200 films at various theaters throughout Downtown Austin and surrounding areas, and past registrants have been able to “rub elbows” with folks like Wes Anderson, Oliver Stone, and James Franco, to name a few.

While it is possible to purchase tickets to just one movie, the festival offers film passes and badges at various prices that allow attendees to view a multitude of films—from documentaries to comedies to shorts—with entrance priority over general admission tickets. The cheapest pass, at $50, also gets film-goers into a selection of film parties, and an upgrade to a badge includes access to panels with the moviemakers themselves during the conference portion of the festival.

While the weeklong festival is its main event, the Austin Film Festival organization offers year-round events to get the public excited about the filmmaking process. “Conversations in Film” is one of these; it offers screenings, seminars, and opportunities to speak with local and visiting filmmakers on various dates throughout the year.

Additionally, Austin Film Festival has a Young Filmmakers Program, which offers a summer film camp for kids between the ages of 9 and 18. The camps take place at Austin High School, located near the Barton Creek neighborhood. With multiple camps to choose from, students can study claymation films or funny shorts—among others—and at the end of each camp, students will have produced short films that are premiered at the camp’s showcase.

Want to get a pass or a badge but don’t have the cash? Or maybe you’re just interested in film or events marketing? Volunteering for Austin Film Festival can earn you a pass AND give you the opportunity to learn the PR ropes of putting on an event.

Consider Austin Film Festival and the hundreds of organizations that make Austin an excellent example of celebrating creativity as part of your next Austin Home Search.

Photo Courtesy Austin Film Festival.