The ATX TV Festival is officially back for its 16th season. In a Press release on Wednesday, ATX TV announced that the annual festival, taking place in Austin, TX, will have its first slate of programming from June 3rd to 6th.
In honor of its 16-year anniversary, the festival will have an appropriate “Sweet 16” theme, highlighting shows with 16 anniversaries and discussing topics and series that feature coming-of-age/teen/young adult stories. The festival will include past, current, and premiere TV.
Key events at this year’s festival include:
Revenge Reunion
In honor of the 16th anniversary of the hit thriller Revenge. Show creator Mike Kelley (Mobile Homestead, Day Is Done) will reunite with key cast members Emily VanCamp (The Resident, Everwood), Josh Bowman (So Undercover, Time After Time), Henry Czerny (Ready or Not, Clear and Present Danger), Ashley Madekwe (The Strays, Country Lines), Gabriel Mann (The Life of David Gale, High Art), Connor Paolo (Stake Land, Gossip Girl), Nick Wechsler (The Hunting Party, Primitive War), and more to be announced.
The show’s successful 2011 premiere launched it into lasting streaming success. Cast members will discuss the memorable plot, surprises, and characters that made the show so unique and appealing to both past and present audiences.
Freaks and Geeks Script Reading
The festival will include a live script reading of the young adult drama-comedy Freaks and Geeks. The series follows high school mathlete Lindsay Weir, played by Linda Cardellini (Dead to Me, Scooby-Doo), and her younger brother, Sam Weir, played by John Francis Daley (Breeder of the Pack), as they experience the challenges of adolescence, including friendships, crushes, bullying, burnout, and the awkward realities of making it through high school. The panelists include show creator Paul Feig (The Housemaid, Another Simple Favor), executive producer Judd Apatow (Poetic License, The New Yorker at 100), and more to be announced. After the reading, the panelists will discuss the series’ lasting influence, its evolution of TV standards, and the significance of stories centered on teens and young adults.
Look-back of the Oz 30th Anniversary
In honor of Oz‘s 30th anniversary, show creator Tom Fontana (Borgia, Borgia) and cast members Rita Moreno (Tormenta, Princess Power), Lee Tergesen (FBI, Accused), and Dean Winters (Highest 2 Lowest, So Help Me) will recount the hour-long drama series whose revolutionary storyline earned the Special Edgar Award from Mystery Writers of America. Other cast and crew members joining the panel have yet to be announced.
Band of Brothers 25-year revisit
25 years after the series’ Sept. 9, 2001 premiere, the festival will highlight the lasting impact of the WWII action-drama based on real-life stories of “Easy” Company soldiers. The 10-part series, created by Tom Hanks (Odyssey, The American Experiment) and Stephen Spielberg (Cape Fear, Disclosure Day), received widespread praise from critics and audiences and set a new standard for TV dramas.
ATX TV describes the event as, “More than twenty-five years later, revisit the series through the artistry, performances, technical craft, and gripping storytelling that made Band of Brothers a one-of-a-kind creative achievement – and bonded its cast & crew together for life. Panelists will be announced soon.”
Career Discussion with Casting Director Allison Jones
Allison Jones will be featured as a panelist in the festival for the first time. She will share industry tips and personal experiences from casting some of the most famous TV series, including Freaks and Geeks, Parks and Recreation, The Office, Veep, Arrested Development, The Good Place, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Widow’s Bay. The special will offer a behind-the-scenes look at Jones’ career, exploring how casting comes together, how new talent is discovered, how actors prepare for success, how chemistry develops among a cast, and more.
Indie TV Pilot Competition Open Submissions
The ATX TV festival’s “Indie TV Pilot Competition” is returning for its second year. This competition gives television creators a chance to screen their pilots and earn the “Best Indie TV Pilot” title. The competition highlights independently produced pilots that have not received worldwide distribution and gives creators industry exposure, mentorship, funds, and community resources to further develop their projects.
Founders of Macaroni Productions, Rick Gomez (She Dances, Silo) & Steve Zahn (Diary of Wimpy Kid, Joy Ride), will serve as Strategic Partners and Advisors for the 2027 competition. This will allow Macaroni Art to increase its involvement in the festival. Over the past two years, Macaroni Art’s participation has included screening its unscripted indie series You Belong Here and leading panels on the process of indie TV from the perspective of writers, directors, producers, and actors.
This competition is the newest open submission event in ATX TV’s “Indie TV track”. The festival offers other submission opportunities, including the annual Pitch Competition & Mentorship Program, which provides upcoming TV writers with the support, resources, and industry connections to help advance their careers.