The Waco Independent Film Festival announces 2025 Film Lineup and Schedule

 
The Waco Independent Film Festival will take place In-Theater - July 17-20/Online Encore July 20-26

 
Julia Barnett’s family favorite A Christmas in New Hope
is the Opening Night U.S. Premiere presentation 
and Chris Beier’s award-winning drama
The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia is set for the Closing Night

  
A Christmas in New Hope, The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia

 
Waco, TX (June 14, 2025) – The Waco Independent Film Festival announced the film lineup and events schedule for next month’s edition of the popular film festival, which recently was named as one of MovieMaker Magazine’s “50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee”. WIFF’s in-theater screenings will take place July 17-20, followed by an online encore July 20-26. The mark-your-calendar film event will lead off with an Opening Night presentation of Julia Barnett’s A Christmas in New Hope. Chris Beier’s The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia will be the Closing Night selection.
 
Waco Independent Film Festival’s footprint has expanded yet again, with screenings and events taking place at the historic Hippodrome, Texas Music Café, Falcon & Owl, Start Up Waco, and the Performing Arts Community Center. 
 
Waco Independent FF co-founders and directors Samuel Thomas and Louis Hunter, said, “While Waco Indie just got another stamp of approval from MovieMaker Magazine, the film festival has been building that reputation as a must-experience stop on the tour for indie filmmakers, and a popular ‘save the date’ destination for film fans for close to a decade now. But this year, as with every year, it all comes back to three key words: Waco, Independent, and Film. We may add locations, we may add more films, and events – and we always will because we keep seeing new ways to innovate, streamline, and assist our filmmakers with their development as artists. Ultimately though, and this year’s lineup demonstrates that: we never stop building and encouraging the Waco Indie family.”
 
Waco Indie’s Red Carpet entrances and Opening Night party, which has grown into one of Waco’s major social events, will take place at the Palladium (729 Austin Avenue), putting the film fans in the celebratory mood to literally enjoy Christmas in July with a special Opening Night presentation of Julia Barnett’s A Christmas in New Hope. The film stars Katrina Bowden as an influencer and mother of a child living with Down syndrome, who tries to save her bungalow from foreclosure before Christmas by entering a home-improvement competition in New Hope, Texas.Naturally, complications arise when her ex returns home after touring Europe with his new album. Meanwhile, she has fallen in love with her next-door neighbor, a Texas musician who has bonded with her daughter Charlie.
 
The official Closing Night selection will take place on Friday at the Texas Music Café featuring Chris Beier’s tense drama, The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia. Filmed in Austin, and an award-winner at Dances With Films: NY, the film focuses on a desperate on-the-edge former YouTube star who attempts to blackmail an old high school acquaintance in an attempt to make enough money to get her back on top again in the fame game. But she soon finds that she is in way over her head, at the mercy of a brutal drug trafficking business. As Cecilia spirals out of control, she may only have one last play to literally save and restart her life.
 

North Shore

 
Friday will also see Waco Indie continuing its partnership with Waco Surf by screening the beloved surf classic North Shore (1987). After learning how to surf by using the local wave tanks, Arizona resident Rick (Matt Adler) uses his winnings from a recent contest to fly to Hawaii and try to make a living for himself as a professional wave rider. He gets off to a rough start, as he finds riding the ocean a lot different than the simulated waves back home, but he soon finds a mentor in the aging surf guru Chandler (Gregory Harrison) and a friend in local girl Kiani (Nia Peeples). The special screening, co-presented by Waco Surf, will include appearances by the film’s stars Matt Adler and John Philbin, who participate in a post-screening Q&A.
 

 
The Twin, Peeping Todd

 
Highlights among the additional narrative indies coming to Waco include two films from the Shreveport indie filmmaking scene. J.C. Doler’s The Twin follows a grieving father haunted by a terrifying demon known in Irish folklore as the Fetch after his son dies. Josh Munds’ Peeping Todd focuses on a stalker who decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue pursuing the young woman he is obsessed with despite an obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend in his way. As she deals with the lies of her fiancé and the web of her stalker, she must escape the two most toxic relationships she’s ever faced. 
 

 
Life Is Dance, Where the Horses Heal the Soul

 
Films headlining Waco Indie’s documentary slate include Eirene Houston and Hugo Ernesto Rivalta Castro’s Life Is Dance which follows the stories of six ordinary Cubans with one thing in common, their love of dance. Justin Jay Jones’ On Firm Ground shows the courageous battle two people face against Parkinson's Disease as they undergo brain surgery to reclaim their lives. Twila LaBar’s Where the Horses Heal the Soul intricately weaves narratives of resilience and newfound purpose as participants at ROCK - Ride On Center for Kids connect with thearpy horses in Central Texas. 
 
Waco Indie’s highly curated and themed shorts programs will once again be front and center, including blocks titled “A Life Less Ordinary,” “All Ages, All Heart,” “Bloodlines & Fault Lines,” “Hereafter,” “It’s Complicated,” “Life of Crime,” “Love Actually?”, “Sex and Consequences,” “Shorts and Spurs,” “Shriek Show,” “Solitaire,” “Weird, Twisted, Fantastic,” “What Do We Owe Each Other,” and “The Work Is Mysterious and Important.” 
 
Also returning will be Waco Indie’s celebrated Waco Indie Screenplay Grant. The grant is awarded to the winner of the film festival’s screenplay contest, and it provides a variety of elements for producing that screenplay in Waco including pre-production scouting or during, up to $2,500 in rebates provided by the Waco Independent Film Festival, and camera and lighting packages. Gregory Kasunich’s award-winning short film, The Heart of Texas, from Lauren Knoll’s script was the most recent success story, helping take the project from script to screen, ultimately seeing the film make the journey from Waco to the Cannes Film Festival along with nearly 50 other film festivals. 
 
The Waco Independent Film Festival has also established itself as one of the area’s top proponents and inspirations for facilitating filmmaking in Waco and the surrounding areas. The Waco Film Locations Tour takes visiting filmmakers at key filming locations available in Waco. Representatives from the Texas Film Commission, the Texas Media Production Alliance, and the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau all participate to talk about the benefits and opportunities found by filming in Texas.
 
To purchase passes and tickets and to find more information on the Waco Independent Film Festival, please go to: https://www.wacoindie.com/.
 
 
 

2025 Waco Independent Film Festival Official Selections

 
OPENING NIGHT
A Christmas in New Hope
Director: Julia Barnett
Country: United States; Running Time: 94 minutes
An aspiring influencer and single mother of a girl living with Down syndrome enters a home improvement competition to save her bungalow before Christmas. Complications arise as she falls for her “Texas Famous” musician neighbor.
 
CLOSING NIGHT
The Ego Death of Queen Cecilia
Director: Chris Beier
Country: United States; Running Time: 86 minutes
A washed-up YouTube star blackmails an old rival in an attempt to reclaim her fame. But when things go awry, she finds herself ensnared by a drug trafficking ring. As Cecilia spirals out of control, she's forced to confront her true place in society.
 
 

ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES

 
Peeping Todd
Director: Josh Munds
Country: United States, United States; Running Time: 88 minutes
When his peeping passions become compromised, Todd decides he’ll do whatever it takes to continue stalking his beloved Claire. An obsessive HOA fleet and a dense boyfriend are obstacles Todd must dance around if he wants to sing his way into Claire’s heart. As Claire gets wrapped up in the lies of her fiancé and the web of her stalker, she must escape the two most toxic relationships she’s ever faced.
 
The Strange Dark
Director: Chris Messineo
Country: United States; Running Time: 84 minutes
Edgar believes he can see the future, but his wife thinks he's mad, his daughter thinks he's strange, and the agents from double star accounting will stop at nothing to get their data back.
 
The Twin
Director: J.C. Doler
Country: United States; Running Time: 103 minutes
Following the death of his only son, a grieving father is haunted by a terrifying demon known in Irish folklore as the Fetch.
 
 

ADDITIONAL DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

 
Life Is Dance
Directors: Eirene Houston, Hugo Ernesto Rivalta Castro
Country: Cuba; Running Time: 80 minutes
Life is Dance follows the stories of six main protagonists, across 3 generations. Ordinary Cubans with one thing in common, their love of dance. Marta and Félix are nostalgic for the dance halls of old but still dance whenever they can. Damaris and Gusmel, are leaders of a small town dance group, it means everything to them to win the annual dance competition. Teenagers Lachy and Dayan would love to be professional dancers, if only they could just dance reggaeton and not have to learn the ‘old people’s dances.’ 
 
On Firm Ground
Director: Justin Jay Jones
Country: United States; Running Time: 70 minutes
In a race against time, two people battling Parkinson's Disease embark on a journey of hope as they undergo brain surgery to reclaim their lives. Meanwhile, fueled by personal loss, their devoted friend leads a determined charge to raise awareness for the disease in an inspiring fight for a cure.
 
The Pantone Guy
Director: Patrick Creadon
Country: United States; Running Time: 82 minutes
At 96 years old, Larry Herbert, known as “The Pantone Guy,” is a visionary whose revolutionary idea to standardize color remains largely unrecognized. Growing up in Depression-era Brooklyn, Larry entered the print and manufacturing trade during a time when color was a chaotic and subjective experience. He channeled his unique vision into creating the Pantone Matching System—a groundbreaking invention that established a universal language for color, profoundly enhancing artistic expression and commercial production across all industries. 
 
Ultimate Citizens
Director: Francine Strickwerda
Country: United States; Running Time: 52 minutes
In Ultimate Citizens, Jamshid is an Iranian who came to study in 1970’s America, and due to the Revolution, never went “home.” As a guidance counselor in Seattle Public Schools, Jamshid’s best work takes place out of the building and on a playing field with “his kids,” the children of refugees and immigrants. Their parents are in the grips of their own struggles to make a living and a home in a strange land. Mr. Jamshid is the charismatic, fiery, funny human with a Frisbee in hand, who is the first to show that "love wins" on the field, off the field, at home with family, or boldly forging a new community, in a new country - one kid, chicken, extreme mile and friend at a time.
 
Where the Horses Heal the Soul
Director: Twila LaBar
Country: United States; Running Time: 92 minutes
Where the Horses Heal the Soul intricately weaves narratives of resilience and newfound purpose as participants at ROCK - Ride On Center for Kids connect with these majestic animals. Set in central Texas, this documentary captures the profound impact of Equine Assisted services, therapies, and activities on individuals' lives. The rhythmic motion of riding and the emotional bond with the therapy horses become catalysts for positive change. This inspiring journey unfolds as participants, including children, adults, and veterans, enhance their life skills, gain independence, and rediscover their purpose. 
 
World Without Cows
Directors: Michelle Michael, Brandon Whitworth
Country: United States; Running Time: 85 minutes
World Without Cows is a documentary that challenges our perceptions of cattle and their role in our world. Two award-winning former journalists take you from the American heartland to Kenya, India, Brazil, and beyond, unraveling the intricate cultural, economic, and environmental threads that cows weave into our lives. 
 
 

NARRATIVE SHORT FILMS

 
A Eulogy For The Beloved Carl Jenkins 
Director: Brian Rawlins
Country: United States; Running Time: 7 minutes
A heartbroken woman encounters a conflicted contract killer who holds her at gunpoint until she offers a satisfactory prayer for the man he just murdered.
 
A Time Before
Director: Leo Metcalf
Country: United Kingdom; Running Time: 13 minutes
Trapped between waking life and dreams, Olly delves into his childhood memories, navigating the fantastical dream worlds his sister created to shield them from family strife. A journey into the buried past that shapes who we are.
 
A Woman Is Many Things (Just Fine Isn't One of Them)
Director: Chase Musslewhite
Country: United States; Running Time: 17 minutes
Jeanie has found herself in her early 40s, divorced, and in attendance of her ex-husband's engagement party. Set amidst a perfect party storm of pitying former friends and a new, gracious bride-to-be, Jeanie does her best to keep her sanity.
 
Allergic To Love
Director: Steven Cornfield
Country: United States; Running Time: 11 minutes
Calvin wants nothing more than to fall in love. However, the one major obstacle standing in his way is his severe allergy to love.
 
An Olive Branch
Directors: Sam Nutt, Shafiq Olabi
Countries: Jordan/UK/Ireland; Running Time: 19 minutes
In Amman, a Syrian refugee family faces hardship when the father falls ill. Eighteen-year-old Amal embarks on a desperate search for work, navigating the harsh realities of survival, hope, and resilience amidst an uncertain future. 
 
The Apocalypse of Johnny Dupree
Director: Don Vanderslice
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 minutes
Johnny's tumultuous relationship with his mother began as the doctor's knife cleaved the umbilical cord - a cut that severed their fragile bond. When Johnny mysteriously vanishes, his mother's frantic search leads to a brutal discovery that reveals their ancestral terror.
 
Ashes to Dust
Director: Clark Lealand Childers
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
Estranged siblings Elizabeth and Danny reunite in their childhood home after the death of their eccentric mother. Without a will or any instructions, old wounds are quickly reopened and disagreements abound. A Ouija board may be the only way for “Mom” to provide the guidance they both desperately seek.
 
Audio Description
Director: Luke J. Salewski
Country: United States; Running Time: 5 minutes
After making a wish on his birthday, a lonely visually impaired man finds his world turned upside down by an unexpected encounter. This film was co-produced by and starring Lee Pugsley who is visually impaired.
 
Baby Tooth
Director: Olivia Accardo
Country: United States; Running Time: 6 minutes
A young woman puts out an advertisement for two things: to sell her Grandad's boat, and for someone to pull out her baby tooth. When a man turns up interested in the boat she partakes in some gentle flirtations in order to sell the boat, and when propositioned she offers a discount if he'd yank her tooth out. Weirded out the man hollers and flips her off and disappears. Back in her seat someone else appears, and this time they're here for the tooth.
 
Back To The Closet
Director: Gerald B. Fillmore
Country: Spain; Running Time: 10 minutes
After ten years living together, Sebastian is going to confess the truth to Lucia about his sexual orientation. Sebastian is a victim of social pressure and he has been leading a double life but now the time has come to confess Lucia that he is heterosexual. it's time to get out of the closet, I mean, back to the closet.
 
Bad Girl
Director: Vance Sparks
Country: United States; Running Time: 2 minutes
Two uncool gen-xers meet up with their hot young 'connect' for an unexpected transaction.
 
Banjo
Director: Cameron Poletti
Country: United States; Running Time: 15 minutes
Isaac is thrilled when his friend offers him the use of his family's cabin in the woods to lose his virginity. But when his first time goes horribly wrong, he begins to believe it may be the work of a sinister circumcision cult!
 
Basil King
Director: Daryl Della
Country: United States; Running Time: 22 minutes
A late night business meeting results in the brutal murder of a pizzeria owner, forcing three overzealous gangster wannabes to dispose of the body. They are about to come to terms with their lack of expertise when one wrong move thrusts all three of them into a grave too deep to climb out.
 
Belly Belly
Director: Gabriel Carnick
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
As two body-obsessed queer femmes begin to relax the brutal control they exert over their urges, romantic appetites are derailed by deeper cravings. Are you hungry, sweetheart?
 
Best Friends
Director: David Michael Wolfe
Country: United States; Running Time: 3 minutes
When a dog gets adopted at the dog pound, he has to think fast to stay with his best friend, who is being left behind.
 
Billi il Cowboy
Director: Fede Gianni
Country: Italy; Running Time: 15 minutes
It is the late 1960s, and in the Roman countryside, next to the construction sites of the burgeoning working-class suburbs, dozens of western films were being shot. Billi is twelve-years-old; she rides horses and dreams of being a cowboy. When a casting agent shows up looking for young extras to do some stunt work, Billi knows this is her big chance. Her family, however, thinks otherwise.
 
Bloody Tears
Director: Andy Racoti
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 minutes
 With the aid of a mysterious stranger, a widower journeys across a fantastical land to avenge his wife's death.
 
Box Boy
Director: Kelsey Edwards
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
A boy raised in a rigid, beige society where boxes define life meets a colorful girl who changes the way he views the world.
 
The Bride's Curse
Directors: Alex Kavutskiy, Jerzy Rose
Country: United States; Running Time: 20 minutes
A little Russian fable about lies and marriage.
 
Burn Out
Director: Russell Goldman
Country: United States; Running Time: 13 minutes
An assistant will do anything to get a presentation in front of his boss... even set himself on fire. 
 
But I'm a Shoe 
Director: Chen Drachman
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
This is the story of a woman who wanted to fly comfortably, so she used a new service called "Objectified Travel" just to be reminded that the grass isn't always greener.
 
Cafunè
Directors: Carlos F. De Vigo, Lorena Ares
Country: Spain; Running Time: 8 minutes
Alma, a solitary refugee child, is thrust back into her traumatic past when her doll falls into the swimming pool, mirroring the shipwreck of the refugee boat where she was the lone survivor. Luna, her savior, steps in to help her overcome her trauma and rebuild her life.
 
Carmen And The Wooden Spoon
Director: Carlos Gómez-Mira Sagrado
Country: Spain; Running Time: 20 minutes
Carmen's a 7 year old girl raised by her italian Nonna. Her greatest gift to Carmen is a magic spoon which, thanks to a centuries-old spell, when savoring new dishes she can travel back to her memories and relive the anecdotes and adventures of her grandmother's life and above all, learn vital lessons that will help her in her own life.
 
The Carrot
Director: Joakim Benum
Country: United Kingdom; Running Time: 15 minutes
A man travels back to his smalltown home to tell his parents about the disturbing discovery he made in his brothers freezer.
 
Casual Vignettes of Gilded Vulgarity
Director: Paul Kaiser
Country: United States; Running Time: 12 minutes
Casual Vignettes of Gilded Vulgarity is an allegorical account told through a series of vignettes that connect the origin of American systemic and structural racism to its contemporary manifestations. The film's 12 characters are flawed archetypes found within English aristocracy and classism that carried over to form our American foundations
 
Cheol
Director: Yeajoon Cho
Country: United States; Running Time: 18 minutes
A Korean son returns to his estranged father's home bearing news that he'll be conscripting the way he thinks his father would've wanted - only for him to discover his father's objection and late stage leukemia.
 
Chivalry
Director: Charlotte Yang
Country: United Kingdom; Running Time: 14 minutes
How bad can one night get? After a mediocre date goes awry, a young woman's night spirals out of control as she confronts ever increasing absurd situations. After a man steals her purse on a first date, Ava, a young woman living in London, experiences a night like no other. Over the course of one evening Ava traverses the city confronting a series of absurd and crazy events. Spurred on by audacious and insane decisions made by others, she must re-evaluate her relationship with herself and others while navigating how to end her night. 
 
Ciao Bella
Director: Mathilde Norholt
Country: Denmark; Running Time: 11 minutes
On the morning of her 15th birthday, Bella tries to hide the evidence of her nightly adventures and new found womanhood for her protective father.
 
Cockroach
Director: Heather Older
Country: United States; Running Time: 9 minutes
Juliette tries to survive a recent breakup with her longtime girlfriend by chronically masturbating and trying to convince herself to start dating men. Cockroach is a fever dream on the extreme feelings after a breakup.  We spend a..