Subject screens Wednesday night at the Campus Theatre to open Thin Line Fest. The film, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall, looks at how participating in a documentary can change the lives of subjects — including Arthur Agee, who appeared in Hoop Dreams.
Thin Line Fest’s opening-night film is Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. Their film looks at how participating in a documentary can change the lives of those seen on screen — including Margie Ratliff, who appeared in The Staircase.
Subject screens Wednesday night at the Campus Theatre to open Thin Line Fest. The film, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall, looks at how participating in a documentary can change the lives of subjects — including Arthur Agee, who appeared in Hoop Dreams.
Thin Line Fest — which bills itself as the longest-running documentary film festival in Texas — will host film screenings at the Campus Theatre, increase partnerships with music venues, and coordinate a vendors market in downtown Denton when it kicks off next week.
“So for the first time, perhaps ever, every single festival venue is downtown,” said Butler. “And the festival is truly walkable, and I really like the idea of trying to build this kind of new spring festival experience.”
Thin Line Fest’s opening-night film is Subject, directed by Jennifer Tiexiera and Camilla Hall. Their film looks at how participating in a documentary can change the lives of those seen on screen — including Margie Ratliff, who appeared in The Staircase.
Courtesy photo/Adriel Gonzalez
All screenings are at the Campus
This year’s film screenings are only at the Campus Theatre, 214 W. Hickory St. In years prior, the festival had some screenings at Alamo Drafthouse or Movie Tavern.
Butler felt like screening films at cinemas away from the Square disconnected attendees from festivities in downtown Denton.
Butler said the festival has partnered with the Texas Theatre in Dallas’ Oak Cliff to bring in a digital cinema package, which means films will be screened at the same quality seen in a digital cinema like Alamo Drafthouse.
A variety of films have been selected for the festival, with music videos being the newest category.
He said the directors of the selected music videos thought outside the box, with submissions that could almost be considered a short film.
“I was a little concerned about what kind of content we were going to get and what we would be able to exhibit, but what we did get was quite remarkable,” Butler said.
Of the filmmakers whose works were selected, Butler said about 80% will be in attendance to answer questions from festival viewers.
“We work really hard to bring in the filmmakers to attend the screenings — this year is no different,” Butler said.
More music and more partnerships
The festival will include seven music venues: Dan’s Silverleaf, Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios, Steve’s Wine Bar, Andy’s Bar, Harvest House, Denton County Brewing Co. and the Denton County Courthouse on the Square lawn
Denton County Brewing Co. is celebrating its sixth anniversary on April 29, and festival organizers partnered with the brewery to have another outdoor stage in conjunction with the festival.
The festival also partnered with the Denton Makers Fest, a local vendors market, to bring over 90 artists to sell their creations on Saturday, April 29, from 1 to 7 p.m. on the Square.
“This has really become kind of a goal of ours, almost a philosophy of ours now, to try and partner and work with others to make this kind of spring festival as big as it possibly can,” Butler said.
Photography exhibit with a view
The festival’s photography gallery will be at Sunago Bell, on the eighth floor of 101 S. Locust St., the Wells Fargo building. Sunago Bell — known for its views of downtown Denton — will also be the main lounge for attendees.
There will be about 80 photographs from 22 photographers, some of them international but the majority of them from Texas, including eight from Denton.
The opening reception for Thin Line’s photo exhibit is scheduled for Wednesday from 8 to 10 p.m. at Sunago Bell.
Festival still has a free option
General admission is free if you register online, while the $29 supporter pass includes a T-shirt. The $99 VIP pass features priority access to all venues and complimentary food and beverage at official festival social events.
“I would highly encourage anyone that doesn’t want to worry about venue capacity and getting the perfect seat to purchase a VIP pass because the biggest benefit is that you get priority access to all of our venues,” Butler said.
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JUAN BETANCOURT can be reached via Twitter at @jbetancourt_15.
