As it prepares for its highly anticipated 6th edition in two weeks, the Deep in the Heart Film Festival is celebrating its inclusion by MovieMaker Magazine as one of “20 Great Film Festivals for First-Time Moviemakers”.
To compile this list, MovieMaker Magazine examined the number of films submitted to each festival, and the number of films they accept, to help determine the ones where filmmakers have the best odds of getting in. They also factored in what the festivals can actually do for the filmmakers, in terms of getting attention, and, of course, distribution for their films. Finally, they weighed whether the magazine’s editors and staff think filmmakers will enjoy attending the festival — based on the location(s) of the film festival and what they know of the people who run and operate them.
Deep in the Heart FF co-founders and directors Samuel Thomas and Louis Hunter, said, “It’s a huge honor to be included on a list like this, reaffirming the effort our team puts into programming, producing, and implementing new creative ideas that benefit our filmmakers and entertain our audiences each year. Deep in the Heart has absolutely been a labor of love from its inception and it’s beyond gratifying that what we do here in Waco is being recognized and appreciated in an official manner like this. It’s a great stamp of approval.”
In MovieMaker Magazine’s assessment of the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, they headline with the festival’s “Waco is made for movies” theme, and point out the DITH’s signature welcoming attitude. MovieMaker states, “DITH has a very favorable ratio of submitted to accepted films, and those that get in have a solid chance of winning an award, and it’s known for throwing great parties, so you’ll have plenty of opportunities to meet future collaborators. Though only six years old, the festival lures an impressive number of world and Texas premieres – two dozen this year alone. You’re also close to opportunities for horseback riding and cruising the Brazos River. And if you consider no journey to the movies complete without a cold soft drink, you may also want to check out the nearby Dr. Pepper Museum.”
The full MovieMaker Magazine article can be found here: https://www.moviemaker.com/20-great-film-festivals-for-first-time-moviemakers-presented-by-film-freeway/.
This year’s edition of the Deep in the Heart Film Festival will combine in-theater screenings July 21-24, followed by an online encore July 24-30. Deep in the Heart FF will open with a special presentation of short films, the Texas premiere of Juliet Landau’s thriller A Place Among the Dead will be the Spotlight screening, and then close the film festival with Cheryl Allison’s festival favorite documentary Honk. Those films will be part of an always ambitious presentation including 123 films (5 features, 109 shorts and 9 music videos).
A major focus of this year’s edition of the film festival is the celebration of Waco as a film location. Given the proximity to both the Dallas/Ft. Worth metroplex and Austin, Waco effectively serves as a connection point between these production hubs. With a supportive community to filmmakers and filmmaking and the city’s beautiful and versatile location, it is easy to say that Waco is Made for Movies.
Additional highlights and new innovations include the launch of the Made Deep in the Heart Screenplay Grant. This grant is awarded to the winner of the film festival’s screenplay contest, and it provides a variety of elements for producing that screenplay in Waco.
To purchase passes and tickets, please go to: https://www.deepintheheartff.com/tickets.
For more information on the Deep in the Heart Film Festival, please go to: https://www.deepintheheartff.com/.
