Reel East Texas Film Festival

Reel East Texas Film Festival
LocationTexan Theater, Kilgore, Texas
Founded2017[1]
AwardsBest Feature Film
Best Short Film
Audience Choice Award
Websitewww.reeleasttexas.com

The Reel East Texas Film Festival (RETFF) is an annual film event held at the Texan Theater in downtown Kilgore, Texas. Established in 2017, the festival focuses on independent films and offers competitive awards across multiple categories.[1][2][3]

History

Founded by filmmakers Jacob and Leah Porter, the Reel East Texas Film Festival debuted in 2017 at the Texan Theater in Kilgore, Texas.[1] The theater, a Art Moderne venue built in 1931, was restored in 2016 to host cultural events.[4] In 2021, they partnered with Kilgore College to launch a student film competition, receiving 48 submissions.[5] In 2022 they added a horror film block curated by Texas filmmaker Don Thacker, featuring shorts like East Texas Hot Links.[6] In September 2023 it received over 300 submissions from 28 countries, including Robin Givens' feature Nanna.[7] By October 2023, the festival screened over 100 films annually, with nearly half being student projects.[8] In 2024, the city of Kilgore was designated a "Film Friendly City" by the Texas Film Commission, promoting regional film production.[9][10] In 2024 it generated $150,000+ annual for Kilgore[11] Partnered with Texas Film Commission to promote regional filming locations[12] Featured in Texas Monthly's "10 Can't-Miss Fall Events" (2023)[13]

Overview

The four-day festival features 8 feature films and 32 shorts selected annually[14] Retrospectives of Texas filmmakers like Eagle Pennell[15] "Financing Indie Films" (2023) with producer Elizabeth Avellán[16]

Awards

Category2023 WinnerCountry
Best ShortA Kind of TestamentFrance
Audience ChoiceEast Texas Hot LinksUSA

[17]

References

  1. 1 2 3 "About Reel East Texas". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  2. ↑ "Reel East Texas Film Festival". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  3. ↑ Smith, J. Edward (October 12, 2023). "Reel East Texas Film Festival returns for fifth year". Tyler Morning Telegraph. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  4. ↑ "Texan Theater". Visit Kilgore. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  5. ↑ "Kilgore College Partners with RETFF" (Press release). Kilgore College. September 15, 2021. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  6. ↑ Williams, Emily (October 31, 2022). "East Texas film fest embraces horror genre". Longview News-Journal. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  7. ↑ Hodge, Shelby (September 18, 2023). "Texas' Essential Autumn Events". Texas Monthly. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  8. ↑ "WebXtra: More than 100 films to be showcased at 7th annual Kilgore Film Festival". KLTV. October 25, 2023. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  9. ↑ "2024 Official Selections". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Kilgore Designated Film Friendly City" (Press release). Texas Film Commission. April 20, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
  11. ↑ 2023 Kilgore Tourism Report (Report). City of Kilgore. March 1, 2024. p. 14. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  12. ↑ "Kilgore Designated Film Friendly City" (Press release). Texas Film Commission. April 20, 2022. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  13. ↑ Hodge, Shelby (September 18, 2023). "Texas' Essential Autumn Events". Texas Monthly. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  14. ↑ "2023 Festival Program". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  15. ↑ Davis, Hudson (November 3, 2023). "RETFF honors Texas cinema pioneer". Kilgore News Herald. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  16. ↑ "2023 Panel Discussions". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
  17. ↑ "2023 Award Winners". Reel East Texas. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 15, 2024.
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