DIY together
New Austin festival curates the best of internet filmmaking
These filmmakers have large followings, but haven't come up through the traditional means.
A new festival called Camp Film Festival is celebrating the shift in filmmaking power from studios to internet users. It'll be held from April 26-27 at the Paramount Theatre in Austin.
Camp Film Fest, formerly a creative retreat for internet filmmakers, is introducing itself as a "next-generation Sundance" that specifically aims to appeal to Gen Z and millennial viewers. It's all powered by Patreon, a widely used online platform that allows fans to pay for premium content directly from independent creators. Patreon will distribute the films after their in-person showings, and from there, they'll get a broader theatrical rollout.
In 2025, the gamut of online filmmakers runs from vloggers indistinguishable from documentarians, to indie professionals sharing their work online, to influencers who have become adept at making short-form content. Of course new filmmakers could get their start here.
Despite the open-minded premise, this isn't just about who's gone viral on TikTok. The festival's stance has some gravitas, zeroing in on serious storytelling from creators who blazed their own trail on the internet.
"The festival curates compelling, authentic narratives from creators who have already amassed millions of followers and views online, proving that powerful storytelling doesn’t require blockbuster budgets," a press release says.
The festival will feature 10 premieres by the following filmmakers:
- Two Sleepy People, directed by Baron Ryan (@americanbaron) with director of photography Ethan Tran
- Ashes to Ashes, directed by Monique Jones (@moniqueyvonn)
- How Long Until Now?, directed by Sonya Akulshina (@akulshinasonya)
- Make No Change, directed by Zach Schy (@schyguyy) & Jonah Warmoth
- Natural Twenty, directed by Aidan Gallagher (@valspirefamily) & Sam Conine
- Passing Through, directed by Nneka Julia (@nnekaj)
- Return to Sender, directed by Nicholas Adams (@recider)
- They Were Art Thieves, directed by Phillip Linnik (@iphilgood)
- Vis-à-Vis, directed by Mamadou Yattassaye (@mamadouofficial)
- Zulian Pretzel, directed by Harold Boborquez (@bohoroqueziso)
Baron Ryan's Two Sleepy People is the only feature film on the lineup; all nine others are short films. Ryan's work tends to embrace lowbrow social media setups and then subvert them, turning a funny sketch into something at once self-consciously silly and philosophical.
In addition to the film premieres, Camp Film Fest will host 10-plus workshops; musical performances by Austin Geller, Clint Mickelson, Juan Dussan, and more; and guest speakers including Gustavo O, Kane Pixels, and Natalie Lynn.
Weekend film passes ($65) are on sale now at campfilmfestival.com. Some VIP "Producer" passes ($999) are also still available.
