HOT, TEXAS FILMS.
On September 1, meet us on The Contemporary Austin — Laguna Gloria sculpture garden grounds for The Front Festival 2023 Film Showcase.
Arrive before sunset for an artist panel and magic show, each exploring the stories that shape us. Then, under the stars and by the lake, watch a curated selection of independent films, featuring works by women and LGBTQ+ directors and filmmakers in Texas.
Presale passes available. Scroll for details.
2023 FILM SHOWCASE SCHEDULE + Lineup
✰ 7 PM — Hot, Texas Renaissance: A Panel ✰
Ahead of the film screenings, join us for a panel produced in collaboration with The Contemporary Austin. In this discussion led by Simone Alexander, Senior Manager of Engagement and Accessibility at The Contemporary Austin, we’ll hear from Austin-based creatives Miriam Conner, Liz Moskowitz and Jay (Bobby Pudrido) on their approaches to nurturing a storytelling renaissance in the Texas South.
✰ 8 PM — Black Girl Magic Show ✰
Join Texas-based magician and storyteller Nicole Cardoza, as she shares her perspective on stage magic, the history and future of Black magicians and the magic inherent in us all.
✰ 8:45 PM — The Front Festival Film Showcase ✰
Gather in the outdoor amphitheater for our two-hour short film showcase, featuring 15 films by women and LGBTQ+ directors, editors, producers and talent in Texas. This year’s headlining shorts include:
The Art of Forgetting, a sonic and visual album from Caroline Rose
little trumpet, a narrative short from Megz Kelli
select Texas scenes from Plan C, a documentary feature by Tracy Droz Tragos
✰ ALL NIGHT ✰ Good Food and Big, Texas Skies
Pack your own picnic with a blanket, snacks and non-alcoholic beverages. You can pair your picnic with our festival menu, too, which includes:
Topo Chico sparkling water
Tito’s Handmade Vodka and Ego Tequila cocktails
Liquid Death teas
Bakery Siena Malaysian Sweets
Enjoy complimentary 5-minute palm readings from SISTER PALM alongside festival cocktails in Tito’s Handmade Vodka airstream.
Stop by the Future Front shop for merch and ways to support what we do year-round.
Explore the Laguna Gloria grounds, soaking up all The Contemporary Austin’s shop, sculptures and art installations have to offer.
MEET THE LINEUP
Featured Films & Shorts
Guest Speakers & Artists
Nicole Cardoza (she/her) is a magician and a storyteller. She’s collaborated with brands including Google, Patreon, and Soho House. She’s toured the country and performed at universities, exclusive venues, for corporations and private events. @blackgirlmagician on IG, TikTok and YouTube, blackgirlmagician.com.
Simone Raquel Alexander (she/her) is a freelance artist, arts administrator, and arts advocate working in the nonprofit field and theatre community. She serves as Producing Artistic Director and Founder of New Manifest Theatre Company, where she has brought together an ensemble of interdisciplinary artists. Simone serves as the Senior Manager of Engagement and Accessibility at The Contemporary Austin Museum and the Development Director of Ground Floor Theatre.
Miriam Conner (she/her) has curated and organized art and experiences for over a decade. She has been in Austin for 31 years by way of New Orleans, Louisiana. She has also worked with SXSW, Art Outside, Forklift Danceworks, Six Square – Austin’s Black Cultural District, the City of Austin, and more. She is the founder of Creative Policy, a firm recognized for its community-focused strategy that bridges policy-making and cultural engagement to achieve meaningful systems change.
Liz Moskowitz (she/her) is a documentary photographer and filmmaker. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY she has lived in Austin, Texas for over fifteen years. Her work aims to honor the dignity and nuance of people, places, and issues. She approaches each individual and community that she photographs with intentionality and an open-mind. Her films have won the Judge’s Choice Winner at the SXSW Faces of Austin Film Premiere, been a Vimeo Staff Pick, broadcast on the PBS "Frame of Mind" series, and shown at Woodstock Film Festival, AFI Fest, Dallas International Film Festival, and Sedona International Film Festival.
Jay (they/them) is a drag king from Laredo, Texas who has lived in Austin for over 15 years. Their drag name “Bobby Pudrido” is an ode to Bobby Pulido, a Tejano artists who was a staple of their childhood. They are a member of Austin’s only drag king and gender-diverse troupe—the Boyz of Austin—and have quickly established themself as a drag king, producer, and show host in Austin. They co-created and produce Brokeback Cantina, a monthly drag king revue showcasing Latine drag kings. Jay also discovered their love for drag at the tender age of 32. Drag has been a way for them to explore their gender identity as a trans non-binary person and their culture as a person who grew up on the US-Mexico border.
HOW TO ATTEND
One-day passes* for the Film Showcase are $15 pre-sale. Weekend passes* for the entire festival are $40 and include access to both Music and Film Showcases, as well as opening and closing pool parties. This event is 18+. Attendees under 18 must be accompanied by a parent.
*Passes are free for Future Front members.
Name your own ticket price at checkout to donate below.
All donations throughout the festival will support the administration of our Creative Future of Texas Fund, a $5,000 fund for emerging women and LGBTQ+ creatives in Texas.
BEHIND THE FRONT FESTIVAL
The Front Fest is an end-of-summer festival, featuring performances, films and creative experiences curated by Future Front. Hosted annually in Austin, we put Texas women and LGBTQ+ artists of all kinds at the front of our lineups.
Every year, over the course of a weekend, we celebrate the power of community and fundraise for Future Front’s Creative Future of Texas Fund. Formerly known as BABES FEST, the festival has seen more than 5,000 guests and showcased more than 500 women and LGBTQ+ artists since 2016. Learn more at thefrontfest.com/why.
If you are interested in becoming a partner this year, please email us at hello@futurefronttexas.org.
MEET THE PRODUCERS, FUTURE FRONT
Future Front is a 501c3 nonprofit, homegrown in Austin, Texas. We nurture spaces where women and LGBTQ+ creatives, founders and leaders can grow together. Currently, we produce The Front Market and Festival, host year-round workshops and meet-ups, as well as create resources for resilience in creative industries. You’re invited to join us, of course. You can learn more about how it all works, our team and what we do here.
PREPARE YOUR VISIT TO THE FRONT FESTIVAL
VENUE LOCATIONS + ACCESSIBILITY — The Front Festival will be held across three venues in 2023: The Line Hotel Austin, The Future Front House and Laguna Gloria. All activities at all venues will occur on the ground floor and can be accessed by a wheelchair and other walking devices.
PARKING — We highly encourage utilizing rideshare or carpooling as there is limited self-parking available onsite. All venues are accessible by Austin public transportation, too.
WHAT TO BRING — Bring a blanket or a fold-out chair to sit on. You’re welcome to bring snacks and non-alcoholic beverages, too! Picnic vibes encouraged.
AVAILABLE LANGUAGES — ASL interpreters can be provided upon request. Si necesita traducción al español para participar en este evento, envíenos un correo electrónico a hello@futurefronttexas.org.
OUR COMMUNITY SAFETY GUIDELINES —
All FFTX staff, volunteers and guests will be required to practice mutual respect, as well as demonstrate an alignment with Future Front’s code of conduct and values.
All sessions are held online or in outdoor, open-air spaces. Capacity is limited to reduce crowding of any kind.
All guests are required to practice mutual respect and social distancing, as well as follow APH’s COVID-19 Guidelines, which currently include:
At all levels, people can wear a mask based on personal preference, informed by their personal level of risk.
People with potential COVID-19 symptoms and/or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask, regardless of a negative test.
People with a positive COVID-19 test and/or not fully vaccinated should not participate in an in-person Future Front event or visit a Future Front location until they test negative and/or they are fully vaccinated and no longer at risk.
If you have a question about the building's accessibility or anticipate needing assistance, shoot us a line at hello@futurefronttexas.org. We're happy to help and will get back to you. :)