get the popcorn ready
New Round Top Film Festival spotlights indie movies in November
The first Round Top Film Festival is bringing lively independent films to local audiences.
Round Top has been evolving from a small Texas town known for its biannual antiques show into a place where all types of creativity shines. The city's newest venture — the Round Top Film Festival — will showcase the dynamic talent of independent filmmakers from November 7-10.
The inaugural film fest plans to screen about 40 films throughout the four-day extravaganza, including full-length features, documentaries, short films, music videos, and "Texas classics," according to a press release. Each screening will be followed by question-and-answer sessions with the filmmaking team to give audience members exclusive opportunities to learn about a film's creative process.
The Round Top Festival Institute's iconic Concert Hall will serve as the main film screening venue, while select screenings, a vendor market, "interactive pavilion activities," and the festival box office will be located at The 550 District.
The festival's cofounders, mother-daughter duo and longtime Round Top residents Shanna and Skylar Schanen, are hoping to ignite a community-wide appreciation for the independent film industry while bolstering first-time filmmakers' projects, they say.
"Some films never see the light of day after a final cut is produced; film festivals offer a vital platform for emerging and established artists alike to create and exhibit their work, potentially launching careers in an industry hungry for fresh voices," Skylar Schanen said in a statement. "We're excited to welcome the film community to Round Top and are eager to cultivate opportunities for networking, education, and celebrating the beauty of visual storytelling."
The Schanens have tapped several notable independent film veterans for RTFF's leadership team, such as programming director Mickey Duzdevich, festival director Blair Hunt, and marketing strategist Michele Tharp. Duzdevich spent over 14 years working at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival while pursuing other opportunities in the film industry, while Hunt has worked for the world-renowned Sundance Film Festival, Sonoma Film Festival, and more.
"The ability to program the inaugural Round Top Film Festival represents a unique touchpoint in my career, and I am eager to utilize the experience, connections, and overall base of knowledge I have accrued in my time in the industry to deliver a dynamic, engaging, and enticing film lineup that both reflects and enhances the inimitable small-town allure of Round Top," Dudzevich said.
The Round Top Film Festival is currently accepting film submissions, and discounted early bird passes are on sale until Wednesday, July 31. More information about the film festival can be found on roundtopfilmfest.org.
