The first-ever North Texas Film Festival (NTXFF) opens today and Dallas Film brings new premieres along with, shorts blocks, panels and collaborations. The festival continues through September 29, 2019. Tonight’s opening night film The Laundromat, screens at 7:00 p.m. Two Popes screening on Sunday, September 29 at 7:15 p.m., closes the festival.
Films in the shorts block programming include Now, After, The Fallen, Evidence Unseen, Waiting for the Sun and A Soldier’s Way. Presenting what it is like to live with PTSD; recover from a traumatic brain injury; seek treatment after combat; and finding healing through art, these films touch on a variety of subjects many veterans and their families relate to.
“NTXFF will incorporate programming from North Texas VetFest, a festival which debuted last year and will be a standalone 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. 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.
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.
“Kyle will be able to speak on PTSD issues and its 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.” Maggy Croxville, director of the Institute and a former Marine, continues, “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.”
In addition to the VIFM shorts block, EarthXFilm will offer its own shorts block 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 this 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.
The festival has put together a special event in honor of The Tony Alva Story screening. In a collaboration with Vans and 4DWN, NTXFF has installed a skateboarding exhibition to the Cinemark West Plano, and XD. 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 followed by a Q&A.
“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 to 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.”
For more information about how to participate, visit: https://ntxff.com/schedule/