GTX Film Fest a great success

GTX Film Festival was a dynamic cultural event Saturday. Filmmakers and fans mingled and viewed documentary, foreign and narrative productions. Films shown on the large screen were reviewed by critics and awards were presented.

GTX held the event at the Doug Smith Performance Center located at the corner of Second and Rock Streets near downtown Georgetown. The multi-level modern facility was an ideal setting, with theater seating and stage. The lobby’s open design offered natural light and a lovely view. A red carpet runway with a GTX backdrop provided fun photo ops. The outdoor terrace was great for catching rays between viewings.

Perfect planning by the dedicated GTX staff provided the opportunity to view all 20 short and feature length films at one location in a single day. Attendees could plan ahead to see all or selected films using an up-to-date website listing of films.

The day went according to schedule with just the right balance of viewing and break times. An awards ceremony was followed by a fun taco and beer party in the evening.

The opportunity to see indie, youth and student films and documentaries you wouldn’t normally see was exciting and worthwhile. Screenings were followed by Q&As with filmmakers. All of the works were well executed and creative. Many were diamonds in the rough. Go to www.gtxfilm.org for a complete listing of winners.

Ranch Water won Best Narrative Feature. Sophie Miller of Austin directed the movie about sisters and friends reuniting at the family ranch. The characters were well developed and, by the end, I felt I knew and cared about each one.

My Stupid Tribute Band, directed by Michael Alex Mroz of Dallas, won Best Documentary Feature. The film follows the 20 year career of Back in Black. The AC/DC tribute band’s trajectory was a wild and crazy ride. Mr. Mroz is the manager and lead guitar player of the band. His adult son and daughter were present for the viewing and award ceremony. The film was amusing, clever and quite fun.

Georgetown was well represented by Benjamin Pachero in the animation narrative- short titled Is it My Fault. The talented 19-year-old artist shared a bit about himself during the Q&A. At 14, he discovered filmmaking when he was grounded from playing video games. Is It My Fault was made by hand drawing 732 frames. The original score set the mood for trauma and salvation.

Best Student Short went to Tejano Nights, directed by Alexander Rosales of Austin. The 13-minute film takes place in South Texas. Mr. Rosales later said the awkward main character was autobiographical. It was fun to finally see the character let loose with memorable dance moves!

The GTX Film Festival’s success will hopefully create a buzz for the excellent films shown and networking and exposure could lead to prospective agents/buyers. The event has put GTX front and center in the Georgetown cultural scene and plans for GTX Film Festival 2023 are already in the making.

dwyer@wilcosun.com