MEDIA CONTACT:
Vanessa Ormsby, RCA Communications Manager
(361) 729-5519 / vanessa@rockportartcenter.com
TICKETS NOW AVAILABLE FOR 2024 ROCKPORT FILM FESTIVAL
Event includes Great Gatsby-themed kickoff and documentary on world-renowned sculptor Kent Ullberg
ROCKPORT, Texas (Oct. 1, 2024) — Always international in scope, but local in flavor, the 18th Annual Rockport Film Festival, presented by Salemi’s Ace Hardware, celebrates the power of storytelling in cinema with some of the best independent filmmaking from Texas and around the world.
A joint venture of Rockport Center for the Arts and the Rotary Club of Rockport, tickets are now available for the Nov. 1–3 festival, featuring special events and 43 independent films entered this year — 38 from the U.S., 13 of which are from Texas, and five international. All screenings are held at The Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC), located at 106 S. Austin Street on the Rockport Center for the Arts campus in downtown Rockport.
All films are independently produced outside of the Hollywood studio system, meaning they are privately financed projects that tend to be smaller in scale and budget. The annual cinematic event draws more than 1,600 attendees to the Rockport community each year, known for its mix of art and environment, allowing patrons to enjoy films rarely seen elsewhere without waiting in long lines or traveling to multiple theater venues. Endorsed by the Texas Commission on the Arts, Aransas County, and the City of Rockport, the festival appeals to a local, regional, and statewide audience of filmmakers and enthusiasts during a generally off-season time for tourism.
"We are really excited to share a great lineup of films with the public again this year,” said Karen Ernst, managing director for the Rockport Film Festival. “The Film Festival Committee reviewed nearly 100 hours of films this year, the most film submissions ever. The film blocks as scheduled are sure to interest, educate and entertain as we showcase some amazing work from around the world.”
The festival weekend kicks off Thursday, Oct. 31, with the annual Red Carpet Party beginning at 6 p.m. at The ROCC. Limited to 240 guests, the ticketed event is the premiere social event of the fall season. This year’s Great Gatsby-themed gala features cocktails and food catered by Paradise Key Bar & Grill, live entertainment from Third Coast Jazzz, and complimentary valet parking. The evening includes the premiere of Ullberg: Wind in the Sails, a cinematic tribute to the life and artistic odyssey of Swedish naturalist and wildlife sculptor Kent Ullberg from Austin-based Griffyn.Co Productions, led by Denise and Matthew Thornton who served as directors on the film. Following the documentary premiere, guests will be treated to a special Q&A with Ullberg and Matthew Thornton.
The fun continues Friday through Sunday with film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, meet-and-greets, and social events. Friday and Saturday will feature four film blocks of varying lengths each day at The ROCC, including combinations from this year’s documentary feature, fiction feature, documentary short, and fiction short entries. Evening cocktail receptions open to the public will be held from 5–7 p.m. at Wind Way Gallery and Moon Over Water on Friday and Anita Diebel Gallery on Saturday in downtown Rockport. An awards ceremony and brunch, hosted by the Rotary Club of Rockport, will be held Sunday at The ROCC preceding the final two film blocks featuring student shorts and Local Love, showcasing Coastal Bend themes and subject matter. All Sunday events are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A complete schedule, including films, is available on the Film Fest website.
The annual Festival helps give back to the community by funding many free and low-cost programs of the Rotary Club and Rockport Center for the Arts, including humanitarian aid, youth education and scholarships, and free and low-cost Arts and cultural programming.
Tickets for all events are now available online, including a limited number of Red Carpet Party tickets for $100, and a limited number of VIP Passes for $125 providing entry to the party, all events, and priority seating for screenings. Single-day tickets for screenings are $10 per film block. Festival goers can take advantage of a specially priced block rate at Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Rockport, the official hotel of the Rockport Film Festival, available through the festival website. Rooms are limited and must be booked by Oct. 15.
For tickets and more information, including a complete schedule, go to RockportFilmFestival.com.
2024 ROCKPORT FILM FESTIVAL SPONSORS
HEADLINING SPONSOR: Salemi’s Ace Hardware
PRODUCER LEVEL: AEP Texas; Anita Diebel Gallery; GSM Insurors; Karen Mella, Realtor; Maddie Legner with Spears & Co. Real Estate; Paradise Key Dockside Bar & Grill; The Rockport Group at Morgan Stanley
DIRECTOR LEVEL: Legacy Wealth Partners; Moon Over Water Gallery; Wind Way Gallery
OFFICIAL HOTEL: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rockport
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT: Aransas County; City of Rockport; Texas Commission on the Arts; Texas Film Commission
About the Rockport Film Festival
The Rockport Film Festival is a collaboration between the Rockport Rotary Club and Rockport Center for the Arts. All proceeds from the event benefit Rockport Center for the Arts programming and local, regional, and international humanitarian and service projects supported by the Rotary Club of Rockport. The Rockport Film Festival receives government support from the City of Rockport, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and Aransas County. For more information, to purchase tickets and a complete screening schedule, please visit www.RockportFilmFestival.com.
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