New Independent Film Initiative Returns February 3-5, 2022 and Now Has Its Filmmakers Shooting Movies in Waco, Texas

WACO, Texas - Dec. 15, 2021 - PRLog -- The GB Lindsey Family Charitable Fund announces today the launch of its 3^rd Annual Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival and its 2022 film slate. The film festival will take place in the Central Texas town on February 3-5, 2022 at the new Cinemark Movie Theater Complex. The event leverages the power of storytelling to inspire its community and is "dedicated to EMPOWERING the creative spirit, SERVING with heart, and CELEBRATING all!" The Official Selection films announced today on FilmFreeway.com for the 2022 Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival are a combination of feature length, short films, student films and animation films. In 2020, the Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival received 1,688 film entries from 109 countries and across five continents and presented 72 films. In 2022, the film festival will present over 30 films from such countries as Spain, France, Belgium, Korea, and the Canada, to name a few.

"The film festival team and I are both thrilled and grateful to have the opportunity to present the event in Waco for a third year. Storytelling and imagery through movies truly matter in our society," states Dr. Tyrha M. Lindsey-Warren, Founder and Lead Producer of the Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival. "Now more than ever, we need the power of storytelling to open hearts and minds, especially when it comes to positively changing how we all see each other as fellow human beings on this planet."

According to Variety.com, there are 200 million consumers within the family and faith-based community in the U.S. This consumer market is valued at $2.1 trillion. Moreover, since the beginning of this genre, faith-based movies have amassed over $2 billion dollars. The Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival continues to contribute to this genre by showcasing the voices of cinematic storytellers from around the globe as well as positively impacting the economic development in the City of Waco and the Central Texas region. This year, the film festival's 2020 winners for Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film, Vision Vehicle Studios, have shot their first feature film in Waco and plans to shoot more in 2022. The filmmakers also hired local crew members and vendors to work on the film.

"It is important for film festivals to make a positive economic impact in the communities they serve. We thought we would see the impact of our film festival in year 5 or so. It is truly amazing to see our filmmakers move to Waco and produce their films here, thus beginning to positively impact the local economy as well as the budding film and TV community," states Lindsey-Warren.

The 2022 Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival will also continue honoring individuals and organizations who are exemplars of innovation as well as "good" disruption in the film, entertainment industry, media, and the performing arts with its "Champions Award."  The 2022 class of "Champions Awards" recipients will be veteran Waco Media Personality, Ann Harder; Owner of the upscale French clothing boutique, Noir et Blanc, in New York City, Deborah Koegnisberger; powerhouse producer and veteran music industry executive, Vivian Scott-Chew and her husband, Ray Chew, who is the Musical Director for Dancing with the Stars; Actor and Filmmaker, John Schneider, of the Dukes of Hazzard and the Haves and Have Nots.

The sponsors for the 2022 Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival include the festival's Founding Partner, TFNB Bank Your Bank for Life. The 2^nd Annual Celebrity Golf Classic Sponsor is Greg May Honda. The Tennis Mixer Sponsor is the Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau. The Gold Sponsor is Creative Waco. The Silver Sponsor is Z's at the Curry. The Bronze Star sponsors are Extraco Banks, Brazos Masonry, Marie's, Pruit Memorial Symposium at Baylor University, and Vision Vehicle Studios. The Community Sponsors are the Waco Central Texas Chapter of The Links, Inc. and Tru Jamaica. The Media Partners are KWTX-TV, The CW, and Telemundo as well as iHeart Radio.

The full festival schedule will be announced at the beginning of January. For additional information on how to get involved with the 2022 Waco Family & Faith International Film Festival as a sponsor, volunteer, and/or to purchase tickets, visit www.wacofilmfest.org.