I understand it’s hard to get excited about anything when it’s 110 degrees outside, but patience my fellow North Texans. Fall will get here (eventually) and this scorcher of a summer will be a distant memory. And with that leaf-changed season, not only will we get cooler weather, but the advent of another film festival in our neighborhood.
Beginning on Saturday October 28th and running through Sunday the 29th at the Plaza Theater in downtown Garland, Texas, the “It Came From Texas” film festival will not only feature a catalog of campy and classic horror films, but spotlight those made in Texas. As an event to celebrate the Halloween weekend, it should be lots of fun, As an excavation on regional filmmaking (which every state desperately needs in their cinematic diets), the festival will be an essential study of local history, geography, and rugged independent determinism.
Spearheaded by local entertainment publicist Kelly Kitchens, the details of the event can be found here: Garland Arts
“Two weeks following the reopening of the Downtown Square, the Plaza Theatre in Garland (521 W. State Street) will host its first film festival, IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival. Festivities kick off on Saturday, October 28, and Sunday, October 29 will be full of b-movies that spent their time at the drive-ins around the country in the 1950s and ’60s. Sponsored by the City of Garland and Garland Cultural Arts, the event is a first for the city.
“With a nod to the old Dallas Producers Association fundraisers, It Came From Dallas from 2005-’17 that Gordon Smith and I worked on together, all of the elements were right there to make this a state-wide celebration of many of Texas’ best features through the years as well as some of the campy, quirky, at times cringe-worthy fun films of days gone by. We are grateful to the City of Garland and the Garland Cultural Arts team for cheering on this quirky effort so joyfully,” said Kelly Kitchens, film festival director. “While future IT CAME FROM TEXAS Film Festival will feature films in various genres and eras all made in Texas, this inaugural Festival pays homage to the horror/Sci-Fi films that went to the drive-in theaters in the 1950s, ‘60s and ‘70s.”
Just a few of the films scheduled to be shown include Manos: Hands of Fate (1966), Don’t Look in the Basement (1974), The Killer Shrews (1959), and of course the seminal Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974).
For full details, visit Garland Arts for complete details, schedule, and tickets. Individual tickets range $10-15 while student/senior prices are $7 to $12. Festival passes are also available (which is an awesome deal) between $50-$60 for both days’ full slate of films and festival events.
Dallas Film Now. 
One response to “North Texas Welcomes a New Film Festival”
That sounds exciting! Film festivals are a great way to explore different cultures, histories, and perspectives through the medium of cinema. It’s wonderful that the upcoming film festival in your area will showcase Texas’s history. Films have a unique way of bringing the past to life and allowing us to learn about and appreciate the events and people that shaped a particular place. Not only can these films provide entertainment, but they can also be educational and enlightening. They offer an opportunity to delve into the rich heritage and stories of Texas, giving us a deeper understanding of the region’s past. It’s always fascinating to learn about the events, traditions, and people who have influenced the development of a place over time. Enjoy the film festival and the journey into Texas’s history!