The 2025 El Paso Film Festival (EPFF) returned to the downtown area for its eighth year in pure cinematic fashion. The three-day event featured screenings of independent (indie) short and feature films from both local and international filmmakers, including special guest appearances by Kevin Smith and Lloyd Kaufman.
The festival spanned multiple locations, with films, creative workshops and discussion panels taking place at the Plaza Theatre, Philanthropy Theatre, El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA), El Paso Visitors Center and the Mexican American Cultural Center (MACC).
Founded in 2018 by artistic director and filmmaker Carlos F. Corral, EPFF has become an anticipated annual event for the El Paso community where creative minds come together to share their craft and to experience cinematic stories.
Meg Parker Wilson, a Dallas-based filmmaker whose own short film, “She,” was part of the festival’s selection, shared her appreciation for the EPFF.
“I’m so grateful for the creative vision of the group that started [EPFF]… because without a place to showcase art and work, where does it go?” Wilson said.
The festival kicked off on Sept. 25, at the Plaza Theatre with a selection of narrative shorts, including a dedicated screening of short films made by local El Pasoan filmmakers. Following the first of three VIP/filmmaker receptions, part of the festival’s mix of ticketed and free events, audiences poured into the Kendall Kidd Performance Hall for guest speaker: Kevin Smith.
Best known for directing the cult-classic indie films “Clerks,” “Mallrats,” “Chasing Amy,” and “Tusk,” as well as his portrayal of the character “Silent Bob,” Smith appeared on stage to share his recent life experiences and filmmaking advice, all in his hallmark comedic style. As dozens of people lined up in the aisles for a Q&A segment, Corral and Smith welcomed another special guest to the stage.
Filmmaker Lloyd Kaufman, known for directing the 1984 indie superhero black comedy “The Toxic Avenger” and co-founding the longest-running indie film studio, Troma Entertainment, joined the others to share his experience with moviemaking. The night ended with a special screening of “The Toxic Avenger” afterward.
Day two began with free screenings of documentaries and student short films held at the EPMA. Meanwhile, the Visitors Center hosted six panel discussions, ranging from screenwriting and marketing tips to the new Texas Film Incentive Program. Lastly, the Philanthropy Theatre held showings of three feature films and “Late Night Shorts,” for El Paso’s night owls.
The festival’s final day ended with free admission to additional documentary and narrative features at the EPMA and MACC. The Philanthropy Theatre held two final panel discussions about women in film and actors’ advice.The Plaza Theatre capped off the night with its last section of animated shorts and feature films, including the Spanish feature “Lepes,” directed by Rayell Abad Guangorena. “Lepes” was the longest film of the festival with a runtime of 120 minutes.
Francis Yzaguirre, producer of the El Paso-based film company Tower Productions, was happy to see the grown interest for EPFF.
“I’ve seen the El Paso Film Festival from its inception, and I’ve seen it grow over the years, and I’m just so happy to see that people from out of town are interested to come to El Paso and showcase their films,” Yzaguirre said. “We’re always interested to see different voices, different stories being told.”
Patrick McGurrin, a Fort Bliss Army Pilot and first-time EPFF attendee, saw a uniqueness that comes with the festival being in El Paso.
“I think that El Paso is very different from the rest of the United States,” McGurrin said. “There’s like, a lot of mixing of culture here, especially from the border here, and so to see that showcased would be really good, because I don’t think you see that in a lot of films, like big blockbuster films.”
One of the festival’s highlights was the comedy-drama feature film “Burt,” directed by indie filmmaker Joe Burke. This film follows the titular character, Burt Berger, a 69-year-old LA street musician with Parkinson’s disease, as his weekend is upended when a young man shows up claiming to be his son.
Burke shared that the movie pays tribute to both Berger and Burke’s father, who both have Parkinson’s.Burke described how both he and his collaborator, Oliver Cooper who also stars in the film as Berger’s son, had coincidentally met Berger in separate instances around LA performing music. After inviting Berger to act in his previous short film, Burke got to know Berger more, and both he and Cooper decided who their next film should be about.
“I got to the point where I was like, ‘Wow, I need to make a movie with this guy…I need to do something that introduces this guy’s spirit, optimism, his beautiful outlook on life,’” Burke said. “I just had to do something, so the world got to know this person.”
After both Berger and Burke’s father were diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, Burke found himself in an unexpected position, but one that didn’t deter either of them.
“Burt and my dad are both exactly the same age… and they were both diagnosed around the same time, so it was this very unplanned parallel…I didn’t want to hide the fact that Burt had Parkinson’s… so, we embraced it,” Burke said.
Burke explained how he moved in with his father to look after him while filming the movie, and that his desire to tell grounded, human stories was just as important to preserve — especially the ones close to home.
“It’s a tribute to Burt…this movie will now be his legacy,” Burke said. “Forever, people can go back and watch this film, learn about Burt Berger, know who he was, hear his music on screen, and it’s just this beautiful time capsule of this beautiful man that we met along the way.”
As for the young filmmakers of tomorrow, Burke and other EPFF members shared their advice for creating independent stories for cinema.
“Make a couple of shorts. Find your voice. Get good at editing. Figure out your style,” Burke said. “They’re not gonna be perfect, but make them and finish them.”
Heath Bromley, an actor in Parker Wilson’s “She” short film, had advice of his own to share.
“The secret is that there is no secret…we’re all just failing forward here…and to know that you’re in the same boat as everyone else… there’s freedom in that,” Bromley said.
With almost 70 films and panels held this year, the El Paso Film Festival ended with a cinematic bang.
“This is such a great opportunity for people to showcase what they’re making, especially now. Art is so important in highlighting voices…I think it’s just a gift,” Wilson said. “Seeing other people and what they have to share, it’s inspiring and it makes me say, ‘Okay, I’m going to make another one.’”
Many filmmakers look forward to next year’s EPFF and are left wondering what their next story will be.
Alan Acosta is a contributor and may be reached at [email protected]
