WACO, Texas (KXXV) — The 2025 Waco Indie Film Festival is expanding with new venues, including the Performing Arts Community Center (PACC) and the historic Masonic Grand Lodge, highlighting the city’s growing arts and film scene.
- Waco Indie Film Festival returns July 17 to 20 with new venues added to the lineup.
- The Performing Arts Community Center and Masonic Grand Lodge will host screenings for the first time.
- Organizers say the festival’s growth reflects Waco’s expanding cultural and creative scene.
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
“Waco is going through this cultural evolution and it’s growing and growing every year and the film festival is a big part of that,” said owner and Executive Director of the Performing Arts Community Center David Corkill.
With just days to go before the 2025 Waco Indie Film Festival, excitement is building — and this year, festival-goers can expect more than just great films.
New venues are joining the lineup, including the Performing Arts Community Center.
“We obviously see growth in the festival, it’s growing every year and this year we wanted to take that opportunity to test out some new locations and new things,” said Waco Indie Film Festival Operations Director Louis Hunter.
Organizers tell 25 News the festival continues to expand, and with that growth comes the opportunity to bring in fresh spaces and new experiences.
“We really wanted to get the PACC involved because of their name, ‘The Performing Arts Community Center’. We’re really about great stories, community and community building so it was a real natural fit to get them involved,” said Hunter.
Also joining the list of screening locations is the historic Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas.
“The 150-200 seat theater is just gorgeous and was something we just couldn't not accept once we found out about it,” said Hunter.
25 News spoke with the owner of the Performing Arts Community Center, David Corkill, and he tells us it’s a meaningful collaboration for their mission.
“At the Performing Arts Community Center we focus on theatre, music and dance but also film . Film is one of the four performing arts we focus on,” said Corkill.
Making them the perfect match for this year’s festival.
“It is all about film and festivals and there are a lot of fun things we do with the festival. Having great screening locations is essential, if people aren't having a good time watching the film, seeing their product, seeing their stories on screen, if that doesn’t work out then it really doesn't work out for the whole festival as a whole,” said Hunter.
The Performing Arts Center tells 25 News they’ll be offering a variety of menu items including popcorn, dinner options and more than 150 drink options to help enhance the viewing experience.
“Anything we can do to help this film festival, film makers and creatives all over Central Texas be able to thrive and show off their work, we’re here for it,” said Corkill.
The Waco Independent Film Festival is set to kick off on Thursday, July 17, at 7 p.m.. The festival runs from the 17th to the 20th.
The full 2025 festival schedule can be found here.
