Event includes Angels and Demons-themed kickoff and documentary on sculptor and artist James Grashow.
19th Annual Rockport Film Festival, Presented by Salemi’s ACE Hardware in the Rockport Conference Center (The ROCC)
The 19th Annual Rockport Film Festival, presented by Salemi’s Ace Hardware, honors the enduring power of cinema to connect communities and cultures. International in scope yet rooted in local spirit, the festival presents an exceptional selection of independent films from Texas and around the world, celebrating the art of storytelling through diverse voices and perspectives.
A joint venture of Rockport Center for the Arts and the Rotary Club of Rockport, tickets are now available for the Oct. 30 -Nov. 2 festival, featuring special events and 37 independent films were selected this year — 34 from the U.S., 18 of which are from Texas, and three international. All screenings are held at The ROCC, located at 106 S. Austin Street on the Rockport Center for the Arts campus in downtown Rockport.
All films are independently produced outside of the Hollywood studio system, meaning they are privately financed projects that tend to be smaller in scale and budget. The annual cinematic event draws hundreds of locals and tourists alike each year, allowing patrons to enjoy films rarely seen elsewhere without waiting in long lines or traveling to multiple-theater venues. With support from the Texas Commission on the Arts, Aransas County, and the City of Rockport, the festival appeals to a local, regional, and statewide audience of filmmakers and enthusiasts during a generally off-season time for tourism.
“We are thrilled to once again bring an outstanding lineup of films to Rockport,” said Karen Ernst, Managing Director of the Rockport Film Festival. “This year, our film selection committee reviewed more than 130 submissions and chose 37 of the very best to share with our festival audience. Each film block has been carefully curated to inspire, entertain, and spark conversation, showcasing powerful stories and perspectives from around the world.”
The festival weekend kicks off Thursday, Oct. 30th, with the annual Red-Carpet Party beginning at 6 p.m. at The ROCC. Limited to 240 guests, the ticketed event is the premiere social event of the fall season. This year’s Angels and Demons-themed gala features cocktails and food catered by Paradise Key Bar & Grill, live entertainment from Los Locals, and complimentary valet parking. The evening includes the screening of Jimmy & The Demons, a cinematic tribute to artist and sculptor, James Grashow that first premiered at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. For over six decades, James Grashow has transformed ordinary materials into extraordinary art. His work has been featured in museums and galleries throughout the U.S., on iconic album covers and in countless publications including Rolling Stone, Esquire, and The New York Times. Jimmy’s wildly inventive and irreverent works stand in contrast to his inner dark side and fear of mortality that have haunted him since childhood. At age 79, he devotes four years and all his strength to creating his spectacularly intricate magnum opus, The Cathedral.
"Director Cindy Meehl's intimate documentary follows the artist's multi-year struggle as he meticulously carves both horrifying demons and glorious angels. As Jimmy confronts his mortality throughout the project, the sculpture becomes a competition between light and darkness, a devotional tribute to life's joys and impermanence. Through patient observation, Meehl captures the physical demands of Jimmy's craft alongside his humor, philosophical depth and enduring love for his wife, Guzzy. What emerges is not merely a portrait of an acclaimed artist whose work has graced The Met and MoMA, but a celebration of creativity's power to confront life, as Jimmy does, 'one demon at a time’.” —Alexander Yan, 2025 Tribeca Film Festival.
The fun continues Friday through Sunday with film screenings, filmmaker Q&As, meet-and-greets, and social events. Friday and Saturday will feature four film blocks of varying lengths each day at The ROCC, including combinations from this year’s documentary feature, fiction feature, documentary short, and fiction short entries. Evening cocktail receptions open to the public will be held from 4-5:30 p.m. at Wind Way Gallery on Friday and Anita Diebel Gallery on Saturday in downtown Rockport. An awards ceremony and brunch, hosted by the Rotary Club of Rockport, will be held Sunday at The ROCC preceding the final two film blocks featuring student shorts and Texas Love, showcasing regional themes and subject matter. All Sunday events are free and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis. A complete schedule, including films, is available through the Rockport Film Festival Webpage.
The annual Festival helps give back to the community by funding many free and low-cost programs of the Rotary Club and Rockport Center for the Arts, including humanitarian aid, youth education and scholarships, and free and low-cost Arts and cultural programming.
Tickets for all events are now available online, including a limited number of VIP Passes for $125 providing entry to the Red-Carpet Party, and all film screenings. For guests wishing to attend only the Red-Carpet Party, tickets are available for $100. A Weekend Pass is $25 and provides entry to all film screenings Friday-Sunday. Lastly, Single-day tickets for screenings are $5 per film block. Festival goers can take advantage of a specially priced block rate at Fairfield Inn and Suites by Marriott Rockport, the official hotel of the Rockport Film Festival. Rooms are limited and must be booked by Oct. 15.
For tickets and more information, including a complete schedule, go to RockportFilmFestival.com.
2025 ROCKPORT FILM FESTIVAL SPONSORS
HEADLINING SPONSOR: Salemi’s Ace Hardware
PRODUCER LEVEL: AT&T; Frost Bank; Gardner Law Firm, GSM Insurors; Karen Mella, Realtor; John Kidwell, Associate Broker, Key Allegro Real Estate Company; Key Allegro Real Estate Company; Legacy Wealth Partners; Maddie Legner, Associate Broker, Realtor; Moroles Art Co.; Paradise Key Dockside Bar & Grill; Rotary Club of Rockport
DIRECTOR LEVEL: Anita Diebel Gallery; Wind Way Gallery
MEDIA SPONSORS: ICA RADIO: 104.5 The Eagle, 107.3 Que Buena, & Planet 102.3
OFFICIAL HOTEL: Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Rockport
GOVERNMENT SUPPORT: Aransas County; City of Rockport; Texas Commission on the Arts; Texas Film Commission
About the Rockport Film Festival
The Rockport Film Festival is a collaboration between the Rotary Club of Rockport and Rockport Center for the Arts. All proceeds from the event benefit Rockport Center for the Arts programming and local, regional, and international humanitarian and service projects supported by the Rotary Club of Rockport. The Rockport Film Festival receives government support from the City of Rockport, the Texas Commission on the Arts, and Aransas County. For more information, to purchase tickets and a complete screening schedule, please visit www.RockportFilmFestival.com
About Rockport Center for the Arts
Rockport Center for the Arts is a cultural hub on the Texas Coast, providing exhibitions, education, and programming to nurture the arts in the community and beyond. To learn more, visit rockportartcenter.com or call (361) 729-5519.