Dallas Film is pleased to announce several exciting updates regarding the first-ever North Texas Film Festival powered by Capital One. The announcement includes the addition of a second venue, newly added films, Q&As with leading stars and filmmakers, as well as exciting partnerships that will enhance the NTXFF experience. This will be the first festival to represent North Texas, and it will be held September 26-29, 2019.
“In addition to the NTXFF host theater, Cinemark West Plano, and XD (3800 Dallas Parkway, Plano, TX 75093), we have partnered with The Star in Frisco (9 Cowboys Way, Frisco, TX, 75034) to host two special screenings,” said Johnathan Brownlee, CEO & president of Dallas Film and executive director of Dallas International Film Festival and North Texas Film Festival. “On Saturday, September 28, we are excited to present a 10th-anniversary screening of “The Blind Side” at 4:30 p.m. and a 15th-anniversary screening of “Friday Night Lights” at 7:15 p.m. on Tostitos Championship Plaza at The Star in Frisco. We are delighted to welcome actors and filmmakers representing both films and will do a Q&A following the screenings.”’
Tickets for the events at Cinemark West Plano and XD are on sale and can be purchased at https://ntxff.com/. Admission and parking are free to the event at The Star in Frisco on September 28.
Quinton Aaron had a lead role in “The Blind Side” playing Michel Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family. He will make a red carpet appearance prior to the screening and will participate in a Q&A following the screening. Representing the 2004 film “Friday Night Lights,” Brad Leland, who starred as John Aubrey, and Grover Coulson, who starred as L.V. Miles, will also walk the red carpet and take part in a Q&A following the screening. “Friday Night Lights” is based on H.G. Bissinger’s book, which profiled the economically depressed town of Odessa, Texas, and their heroic high school football team, The Permian High Panthers.
“We wanted to capture the spirit of North Texas sports and felt The Star in Frisco was the perfect setting to screen these iconic sports films,” said James Faust, artistic director for Dallas Film. “In addition to these two classics, we will have a special presentation of the Disney channel original film “Back of the Net” at 4:15 p.m. on Saturday, September 28 at Cinemark West Plane and XD. Opening for this film will be the world premiere of “Second Skin,” a short film directed by Farah White. White and lead actress, Ellen Locy, of “Second Skin” will be in attendance. This is the story of an introverted young girl who finds she had more in common with her deceased grandmother than she could have ever possibly imagined. Our goal with these films is to showcase powerful women in film and in sports.”
“Now or Never: A Tony Romo Story” was just added to the official film selection of the NTXFF and complements the previously mentioned sports features, showcasing the life story of a man who became one of the most prolific quarterbacks to play for the Dallas Cowboys. Reserved seating for each screening at both venues is available to the public through Atom Tickets.
“We are pleased to offer festivalgoers reserved tickets made possible by a unique partnership with Veezi and Atom Tickets,” said Brownlee. “Veezi is responsible for behind-the-scenes functionality, and Atom’s innovative ticketing platform runs the customer-facing side of it. Part of the challenge with film festivals is the pass/badge structure. There are different levels of passes, and each give attendees different benefits. Veezi’s Loyalty system took on this challenge quickly delivered tickets right to festivalgoers’ phones, with all passes and benefits accounted for without missing a beat. So much peace of mind comes from knowing you’ve got reserved seats to the films you want to see, and it elevates the festival experience. Festivalgoers can focus on having fun and forego the stress of standing in lines worrying about seats.”
Not only will guests of the festival benefit, but NTXFF volunteers and staff will benefit from e-ticketing too; allowing them the ease of scanning passes directly from phones and alleviating the stress of counting passes and tearing tickets. The new process also provides valuable real-time data pertaining to who is sitting in each seat, how many seats are available and which seats are most popular. This partnership was first implemented at the 19th Annual Dallas International Film Festival this past April, and the team is excited to bring it back for the NTXFF this fall. A new advancement allows for VIP pass holders to reserve two seats together during the booking process.
For more information, please visit www.ntxff.com.
Proceeds from NTXFF will benefit the Veterans Institute for Film and Media, a program that prepares veterans for careers in film and media production through education, mentorships, and job placements. For details about VIFM, visit www.vifm.us.
