Two Texas cities–Addison and Hico–are hosting film festivals with outlaw and/or Texas themes the first weekend of November.
The Billy the Kid Film Festival takes place Nov. 7-9 in Hico, Texas. The films and events for the 8th edition of the outlaw-themed film festival will focus on films with an outlaw spirit. A free-to-the public presentation of music-fueled films, featuring Natalie Aramendia’s Under the Western Skies, will be Nov. 7. An episode from the locally-produced PBS series Texas Dance Halls: Still Swingin’ series directed and hosted by BTKFF alumni Jay Pennington, will be joined by film and television legend Barry Corbin at Green Canoe.
The festival’s official closing presentations, prior to the always raucous Red Carpet Filmmaker Awards, brings Carl Bailey’s B-western homage, Dawn at Dominion, and Theordore C Flood’s Buffalo Bill Cody story The Last Outlaw as a fun Western-themed double feature. The VIP and Red Carpet Party following those screenings will be held at the Wide Saddle Saloon, offering attendees a lively and festive atmosphere.
Festival founder Luci DiGiorgio, said, “The eighth year is going to be even better that before. We are so proud of this lineup, our wonderful returning filmmakers and new Texas filmmakers getting a spotlight in our Hico-based fest.”
This year’s Billy the Kid Film Festival Filmmaker workshop is Saturday at the Hico Community Center is “Cut the Crap, Film Festival Reality Versus Fantasy” led by John Wildman and Bart Weiss. The 8th edition of BTKFF includes 45 films (7 feature-length (5 narrative, 2 documentary), 38 short films and music videos) that will once again put the spotlight on outlaw and/or western themes, along with the film festival’s annual enthusiastic focus on celebrating the work of local and Texas-based filmmakers.
Beloved Film/TV and Texas legend Barry Corbin will also attend Saturday to meet and speak with film fans. Corbin is a friend of the Billy the Kid Film Festival and namesake of the BTKFF Barry Corbin Award. Also on Saturday, Texas Shorts blocks and a Western Shorts block with films including Sara Gaston’s Coyote about three women making a desperate attempt find the medical care that’s being denied to them with unknown enemies in close pursuit.
Manuel Navarro’s Garden Valley was inspired by the horrific Mann family murders of spring 1988, and follows two friends lost in a haze of hard rock, reckless choices, drugs, and volatile romance. Rebeca Duran’s Rebel Heart tells the story of Paulita Maxwell, a strong-willed young woman navigating the complexities of life amidst the backdrop of the Lincoln County Wars.
Highlights on Sunday include Tracy Satterwhite’s documentary Shine, the story of Mike Straughter, the owner of Chase Shoe Shine Parlor in Houston’s historic Third Ward. The neighborhood has long been regarded as a cradle of civil rights activism and cornerstone of African American culture. The day and the festival will conclude with a screening of Victor Quinton’s thriller The Blue Moon Rising, where a former Navy Seal takes on a sinister cult that’s been abducting young girls to be sacrificed on every Blue Moon.
Film festival passes and tickets are on-sale now. For more information on the Billy the Kid Film Festival, please visit billythekidfilmfestival.com.
Addison Full Circle Film Festival
The Addison Performing Arts Centre is rolling out the red carpet Nov. 7-8 as it hosts the inaugural Addison Full Circle Film Festival, a two-day celebration of Texas filmmaking. Produced by Full Circle Films creative partners Andrew Worley and Bobby Williams, the festival was built around the belief that art can be more intentional, more inclusive and more connected to the community it serves.
Created to spotlight Texas filmmakers and strengthen the state’s film community, the festival will give audiences the opportunity to discover homegrown talent through a diverse lineup of feature-length and short films produced across the state. Throughout the two-day event, feature-length films will be shown on The Addison Main Stage while short films will be showcased in the Black Box Theatre. Select screenings will be followed by filmmaker Q&A sessions, giving audiences the chance to learn more about the stories, inspiration and creative process behind the films.
The festival will be complete with pop-ups and unique visuals, including a glowing “Howdywood” sign lighting up the theatre entrance. Concession stand favorites and sophisticated sips will be available at the recently updated theatre bar, creating an elevated movie theatre-like experience at The Addison.
For Worley and Williams, bringing the festival to The Addison carries special significance. The two had been collaborating on films for several years when they connected with The Addison Performing Arts Centre Manager Nichole Bedford and began discussing new opportunities for the venue. Together, they developed the idea for a film festival that would create a new platform for Texas filmmakers while introducing audiences to fresh artistic experiences at The Addison.
“We wanted to create an event that showcases the depth of talent across Texas while giving audiences a chance to engage with the stories and artists behind the work,” said Andrew Worley, co-founder of Full Circle Films. “It’s exciting to bring North Texans a festival created by filmmakers for filmmakers, where everything is truly coming around full circle.”
Whether attendees are passionate film buffs, aspiring filmmakers or simply looking for a unique weekend activity, the festival promises two days of compelling stories, emerging talent and a celebration of Texas creativity. Programming runs from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, and from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, Nov. 8. Tickets are available for purchase through Eventbrite, with one-day passes available for $15 and two-day passes available for $25.
