The Houston Film Critics Society and Balcones Distilling Honor Films Made in Texas
Movies made in Texas, and released in 2019, may now be submitted to the Houston Film Critics Society (HFCS) for its annual Texas Independent Film Award (TIFA) to be recognized at the association’s annual ceremony on January 2.
The Society created the award in 2014 to spotlight the quality of local independent film. Each year, the HFCS welcomes submissions of films shot in Texas and which have been financed outside the major studio system by small investors and/or independent production companies. For the second consecutive year, the HFCS TIFA award will be underwritten by Balcones Distilling of Waco, Texas, makers of many award winning whiskies including Baby Blue, the Original Texas Whisky.
A nominating committee of HFCS members screens all candidates and presents five finalists to the general membership during year-end voting. From these nominees, two awards are bestowed: the Texas Independent Film Award itself (honoring the most impressive achievement taken as a whole), and the Texas Visionary Award (honoring the filmmaker whose particular voice and vision the HFCS wishes to salute).
For consideration, a film may be either documentary or narrative but must be of feature length, independently financed, and with its majority content filmed in Texas (shot in Texas vs. set in Texas). It is not required to have been picked up by a major distributor though it certainly may be, or may go on to be in a later year. However, films may be submitted only once for consideration.
“This has been a strong year for films made in Texas, “observes Joshua Starnes, TIFA Coordinator and past president of the HFCS. “As the only film critics’ organization in the state recognizing filmmakers who work in Texas, we take seriously our responsibility to seek and salute the best of the best.”
The Texas Independent Film Award for 2018 was presented to Dallas Sonnier and Amanda Presmyk for The Standoff at Sparrow Creek. The Texas Independent Film Visionary Award was bestowed upon writer/director Andrew Bujalski for his work in Support the Girls.
The 2019 winners will be announced at the HFCS 13th Annual Movie Awards on Thursday, January 2, 2020 at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston