With the first-ever North Texas Film Festival (NTXFF) quickly approaching, Dallas Film is pleased to release more updates regarding new films, shorts blocks, panels and collaborations. The festival will be held September 26-29, 2019 and is powered by Capital One. This year’s opening night film will be “The Laundromat” screening on Thursday, September 26 at 7:00 p.m. The closing night film will be “Two Popes” screening on Sunday, September 29 at 7:15 p.m. In addition, NTXFF is excited to release updates to programming associated with North Texas VetFest, EarthXFilm and Vans.
“We are pleased to announce that the NTXFF will incorporate programming from North Texas VetFest, a festival which debuted last year and will be a stand-alone festival in 2020. This festival is affiliated with the Veterans Institute for Film and Media (VIFM), a Dallas Film program that prepares veterans for careers in film and media production through education, mentorships, and job placements,” said Johnathan Brownlee, CEO & president of Dallas Film and executive director of Dallas International Film Festival and North Texas Film Festival. “We are excited to note that proceeds from this year’s inaugural NTXFF will benefit VIFM. In honor of VIFM, the NTXFF will showcase “A New Leash on Life: A K9’s for Warriors Story” and a shorts block with films created by veterans or pertaining to military service.”
Films in the shorts block programming include “Now, After,” “The Fallen,” “Evidence Unseen,” “Waiting for the Sun” and “A Soldier’s Way.” From showcasing what it is like to live with PTSD or to recover from a traumatic brain injury to seeking treatment after combat and finding healing in art, these films touch on a variety of subjects many veterans and their families can will relate to. The shorts block will screen on Saturday, September 28 at 4:00 p.m. at Cinemark West Plano, and XD. Immediately following the shorts block, there will be a moderated panel featuring veterans, specialists and filmmakers including: Dr. Amy Williams, director of Cohen Military Family Clinic; Kyle Mitchell, director of Veteran and Military Policy for Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute; Richard Casper, founder of CreatiVets; Emily Casarona, military program manager for the Bush Institute; Drea Lewis, community outreach for North Texas VA; and Kate Hoon, chief of staff for Psych Hub.
“We are pleased to welcome these veterans and special guests for the panel discussion,” said Maggy Croxville, director of the Institute and a former Marine. “Kyle will be able to speak on PTSD issues and depiction in film, while Amy can address how TBI and PTSD have similar symptoms. Richard and Emily can provide insight on veterans’ transitions into civilian communities. Drea will focus on the Public Health approach to suicide prevention and how we can engage with the veteran community, while Kate will be able to touch on Psych Hub’s efforts at engaging the community in issues regarding mental health, reducing stigma and creating more points of access on tough issues. This programming helps us comprehend where we are in understanding these difficult issues that affect our nation’s veterans and their families, and it showcases where people can seek help. Our goal is to create an open discussion regarding mental health, as opposed to being afraid to talk about it because of the stigma many people associate with these issues. We are looking forward to celebrating veteran artists and being enlightened through the discussion of these hard topics.”
In addition to the VIFM shorts block, EarthXFilm will have its own shorts block in the NTXFF on Saturday, September 28 at 12:00 p.m. EarthXFilm is an organization that puts on its own annual film fest to showcase films and emerging media that explore conservation, climate change, and the environment while honoring the heroes who work to protect our planet. The shorts block will include films screened during the EarthXFilm Festival 2019 such as: “There’s Something in the Water,” “Uniontown,” “Tungrus,” and “Detroit Hives.”
Wanting to put together a special event in honor of “The Tony Alva Story” screening, NTXFF is collaborating with Vans and 4DWN to bring a skateboarding exhibition to the Cinemark West Plano, and XD (3800 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX 75093). This special event is scheduled for Sunday, September 29 at 2:15 p.m. The film’s directors Rick Charnoski and Coan “Buddy” Nichols will be in attendance, with plans to walk the red carpet prior to the screening and do a Q&A afterward.
“The first-ever North Texas Film Festival truly has a broad range of films that will speak to a variety of people and special interests,” said Brownlee. “From films pertaining sports to military service and veterans, to the environment, horror stories, family features and more, we are delighted to present the inaugural North Texas Film Festival. Our goal is to have a full house for each screening happening during the four-day festival. We welcome all lovers of film to join us as we celebrate the art of film and share experiences with one another.”
In addition, The Texas Archive of the Moving Image is conducting a pop-up event in partnership with the North Texas Film Festival, the Veterans Institute for Film & Media, and the Texas Film Commission. North Texas residents, organizations, and businesses are invited to drop off their old films and videotapes for free digitization at the TEXAS FILM ROUND-UP on September 29 between 12:00 – 7:00 p.m. at Cinemark West Plano and XD. To qualify for FREE digitization, participants must be willing to donate a digital copy of their materials to Texas Archive of the Moving Image's (TAMI) archive, a digital collection at texasarchive.org. TAMI will digitize these materials in Austin and return them by mail to the owners along with a digital copy. For more information about how to participate, visit: https://texasarchive.org/library/index.php?title=News:Texas_Film_Round-Up_Plano
Tickets for the events at Cinemark West Plano and XD are on sale and can be reserved through Atom Tickets.
To view the full lineup please visit www.ntxff.com/schedule