Austin Film Festival furthers the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and all artists who use written and visual language to tell a story.
Since our inception in 1994, we have used our mission – to further the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and all artists who use written and visual language to tell a story – as the guiding principle throughout our history and growth. We were the first organization of its kind to focus on the writer’s contribution to film and television, and we pursued this focus with the intention of creating not only a community for writers to engage with one another, but to build a bridge from craft to career. We have been lucky enough to build a family of storytellers from multiple mediums, who come together in both a pursuit and celebration of story.
Currently in our 30th year, we are best known for our annual Film Festival and Writers Conference held each October in Austin, Texas. This event plays host to the largest screenwriters conference in the world, featuring over 200 panelists and panels that, along with film and television, now also explore storytelling mediums such as plays, podcasts, and digital series. Partnered with a film program that has welcomed artists on the frontlines of shaping culture, we are proud not only of our festival’s ability to celebrate story at such a scale, but the opportunities it provides for story development and career advancement. We were the first festival and conference to highlight the artistic achievements and contributions of the television writer. Starting by awarding David Chase in 2000 (Creator, The Sopranos), we have since continued to acknowledge the medium’s writers and their importance in shaping the landscape of storytelling as a whole.
