Original Coverage & Source Attribution: abc7amarillo.com
AMARILLO, Texas (KVII) — The third annual Amarillo International Film Festival begins Thursday, Oct. 10, featuring 62 independently produced films from across the globe.
The festival will screen films on two screens in two rooms, giving the public a chance to see projects that have not been commercially released, organizers said.
“Several of our films that have been in the festival have gone on to be released on streaming services, Prime or Netflix, that kind of thing,” said Sherman Bass, film commissioner for Visit Amarillo. “We haven’t had any make a big box office yet, but we’ll keep waiting for that. It will happen eventually.”
More than 140 films were submitted for consideration, according to Kate McSwain, president of the Amarillo Film Society. Judges narrowed the field to 62 selections.
“All of the films are independently produced. They are brand new and have never been shown commercially,” McSwain said. “The business is all about exposure for filmmakers.”
The festival, launched in 2024, has continued to grow and reflects Amarillo’s broader arts and culture scene, organizers said.
“Arts and culture are a major part of Amarillo, and we have a great arts and culture scene,” Bass said. “We’re happy that we can provide a film festival to add to that arts and culture scene.”
The event coincides with the Amarillo Art Institute’s annual Night Glow, which highlights art created with fire.
“Every year we host a Hot Glow, which is sort of a highlight in our hot works programs,” said Rachel Flores, executive director of Amarillo Art Institute. “There’s a lot of fire or fun things for people to participate in, and we always have it the same weekend as the film festival.”
This year’s festival includes films from directors in Canada, Costa Rica, France, Japan, Mexico, the United Kingdom and the United States. Seventeen of the 62 selected films were submitted by Amarillo filmmakers.
Amarillo International Film Festival opens with 62 films, including 17 local entries (KVII)
