The 13th season of ATX TV Festival is set to take place in Austin May 30-June 2 and they have unveiled their full schedule which brings together fans and industry to celebrate the television. The festival includes screenings, Q&As, panel conversations, events as well as reunions of classic series and cult hits.
This year, GLAAD will present a panel titled “Where We Are on TV and Where We Need to Be”. The conversation will be moderated by Dino-Ray Ramos and will feature Raina Deerwater, GLAAD’s lead author on the study, delving into the findings of GLAAD’s 2023-2024 “Where We Are on TV” study and where Hollywood needs to move in terms of LGBTQ representation on screen alongside queer powerhouse creatives and panelists in the TV industry.
We compiled all the LGBTQ panels, events and discussions that will take place at ATX TV Festival. For the full schedule, click here.
MAY 30
- 1:30 pm Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire Season 2 Screening and Q&A (Stateside Theatre): The interview continues in season two of Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire. In the year 2022, the vampire Louis de Pointe du Lac (Jacob Anderson) recounts his life story to journalist Daniel Molloy (Eric Bogosian). Picking up from the bloody events in New Orleans in 1940 when Louis and teen fledgling Claudia (Delainey Hayles) conspired to kill the Vampire Lestat de Lioncourt (Sam Reid), Louis tells of his adventures in Europe, a quest to discover Old World Vampires and the Theatre Des Vampires in Paris, with Claudia. It is in Paris that Louis first meets the Vampire Armand (Assad Zaman). Their courtship and love affair will prove to have devastating consequences both in the past and in the future, and Molloy will probe to get to the truths buried within the memories. The series returns May 12 on AMC and AMC+. PANELISTS: Rolin Jones (Creator / Executive Producer), Mark Johnson (Executive Producer), Additional TBA. MODERATOR: Joanna Robinson (The Ringer).
- 4:00pm – Hacks Season 3 Finale Screening and Q&A (Stateside Theatre): A screening of the finale episode from the upcoming third season of the award-winning comedy Hacks, from Max and Universal Television. Following the screening, cast member Mark Indelicato will join for a Q&A conversation.
- 7:00 pm – OPENING NIGHT: Fantasmas World Premiere with Julio Torres (Paramount Theatre): World Premiere Screening, followed by a conversation with creator, star, and director Julio Torres.In Fantasmas, Torres tells the tale of when he lost a golden oyster. The people he encounters as he searches for it and the musings he has along the way become point of departure for little films, as Torres navigates weaving in and out of these introspective, often eerie comedic stories.
MAY 31
- 12:30 pm – “Queer Storytelling” presented by Universal Studio Group (The Driskill – Maximilian Room): A panel celebrating LGBTQIA+ series and moments that have opened new doors for queer storytelling, the kinds of stories we still want to see – and the creatives who are breaking the mold. PANELISTS: Mark Indelicato (Actor, Hacks), Daniel Kyri (Actor, Chicago Fire), Travina Springer (Actor, The Irrational)
- 2:00 pm – “Case of the Week: How Procedurals Keep Us Coming Back” (The Driskill – Ballroom): From crime scenes, to hospitals, to court rooms, procedural dramas are one of TV’s most tried-and-true formats, boasting some of the longest-running series in history. But why are we so hooked on them? We’ll investigate the mechanics of the case-of-the-week format, their ability to survive (and thrive) in a Peak TV climate, and why we just can’t quit them. PANELISTS: Daniel Kyri (actor, Chicago Fire), David Hudgins (showrunner/EP, FBI: Most Wanted), Octavio Pisano (actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), and Travina Springer (actor, The Irrational). MODERATOR: Emily Longeretta (Variety).
- 4:00 pm – “Break the Mold” (800 Congress): For decades, access to roles in front of and behind the camera was limited to select communities. But in recent years, a new paradigm has emerged as the “face” of Hollywood is being challenged and redefined. Panelists will discuss authenticity, inclusion, and the reality of working in entertainment, with an array of artists who are breaking the mold by using their creative voices to shape a more interesting and exciting future for TV. PANELISTS: Brian Tee (actor, Expats), Daniel Kyri (actor, Chicago Fire), Debby Wolfe (showrunner/EP, Lopez vs. Lopez), Octavio Pisano (actor, Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), and Travina Springer (actor, The Irrational).
- 8:00 pm – Girls5eva Karaoke Night (800 Congress): Bring your B.K.E (Big Karaoke Energy) because it’s Girls5eva Karaoke Night presented by Universal Studio Group! Join us and special guest, creator/executive producer Meredith Scardino for a night of fan-favorite tunes from Seasons 1-3, go-to karaoke classics, photo opps, exclusive Girls5eva swag, and more. All three seasons of Girls5eva are currently available to stream on Netflix. From Universal Television, a division of Universal Studio Group, and executive produced by Meredith Scardino, Tina Fey, Robert Carlock, David Miner, Eric Gurian, and Jeff Richmond, Kimmy Gatewood, the series stars Sara Bareilles, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Busy Philipps, Paula Pell.**CAMP BADGE is require to attend Camp Events.**
JUNE 1
- 10:00 am – “Where We Are on TV and Where We Need to Be” presented with GLAAD (The Driskill – Maximillian Room): A panel delving into the findings of GLAAD’s 2023-2024 “Where We Are on TV” study and where Hollywood needs to move in terms of LGBTQ representation on screen. Journalist Dino-Ray Ramos will lead the conversation with Raina Deerwater, GLAAD’s lead author on the study, and powerhouses in the TV industry about the power of queer characters in their work. Additional panelists will be announced soon.
- 2:00 pm – “Funny AF” presented by Universal Studio Group (The Driskill – Ballroom): Join USG’s top comedians and comedy showrunners for a discussion about their individual shows, how they got started in comedy, comedy for a mass audience, and more. PANELISTS: Mark Indelicato (Actor, Hacks), Meredith Scardino (Creator / Showrunner / EP, Girls5eva), Chris Sheridan (Creator / Showrunner / EP, Resident Alien), Debby Wolfe (Co-Creator / Showrunner / EP, Lopez vs. Lopez). MODERATOR: Emily Longeretta (Variety).
- 4:30 pm – Pretty Little Liars: Summer School Screening and Q&A (Paramount Theatre): Max presents an early look at a new episode of Pretty Little Liars: Summer School, the follow up to season one of Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin, followed by a conversation with the creatives and cast. Following the harrowing events of Season One, our PLLs are facing a fate worse than death: Summer school. But Millwood High isn’t the only thing getting in the way of their fun summer jobs and new, dreamy love-interests. A new villain (who may or may not have a connection to A) has come to town and is going to put them all to the test. PANELISTS: Bailee Madison (Cast), Chandler Kinney (Cast), Malia Pyles (Cast), Zaria (Cast), Mallory Bechtel (Cast), Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Creator / Executive Producer), Lindsay Calhoon Bring (Creator / Executive Producer).
JUNE 2
- 11:45 am – Breakthrough Award: A Conversation with Devery Jacobs (800 Congress) – Join us in celebrating the recipient of our 2024 Breakthrough Award: Devery Jacobs (Echo, Reservation Dogs)! The Breakthrough Award recognizes an individual whose creative voice has made a substantial and unique impact on the current moment in TV, and whose work exemplifies the emotional, entertaining, and artistic possibilities of the medium. Jacobs will discuss her career in a one-on-one conversation, including her multi-hyphenate role as actor, writer and director on FX’s critically acclaimed series Reservation Dogs, her recent role in Marvel Studios’ Echo, and her producorial debut feature film, Backspot, in which she also stars.