DENTON, TX – Set for April 18-22, 2018, Thin Line Fest announces the first round of feature documentary films to screen during its 11th annual event in Denton, Texas. Denton is a North Texas music, arts and culturally rich town located about 40 miles north of Dallas and Fort Worth at the convergence of I-35. The 2018 festival will continue as a free general admission event while still offering VIP and other ticketed memberships for a better, more exclusive experience. Registration is now open.

Thin Line Fest is very pleased to announce a partnership with local theater-restaurant establishment, Movie Tavern, located at 916 W University Dr., only minutes from downtown Denton. The festival will use two screens at Movie Tavern Denton in addition to the screen at the Campus Theatre.

“After 10 years screening award-winning documentaries in downtown Denton, we are excited to offer our audiences the latest and greatest cinematic experience at the Denton Movie Tavern. Attendees will benefit from reclining seats, 4K projection, immersive surround sound, and quality food and beverage service at their seat.  We are enhancing the attendee experience, growing the film festival by nearly three times and expanding the Thin Line footprint, showcasing more of Denton than ever before,” said Joshua Butler, Festival Director.

Filmmakers from all over the world will showcase their documentary work on the big screen.

“Selecting films through our lens of “Truth” is an adventurous journey and one that I am privileged to take. Our “first reveal” of 16 features is just the beginning of announcing a film program attracting a diverse, enthusiastic audience from near and far. 2018 submissions come from over 40 countries with a vast representation of contemporary topics, traditions and human interest stories. Female filmmaker submissions number over 100; student projects over 80; first time filmmakers, over 30,” said Director of Film Programing, Susan Davis.

101 is a stylistic silent film from Berlin, Germany, created in reverence to French director Abel Gance’s 1919 film “J’accuse!” which is regarded as one of the most important anti-war films in history. http://www.deplart.de

Ask the Sexpert is the story of a highly popular 93-year-old sex advice columnist for a daily newspaper in India. Despite sex being a taboo topic in that country, the column’s brand of non-moralistic advice and humor has emboldened many to write in with their questions, the vast majority of whom seek basic information. The columnist gains popularity even while a ban on comprehensive sex education in schools is adopted by approximately a third of India’s states. Askthesexpertmovie.com

Battlefield: Home – Breaking the Silence – A Vietnam-era military child speaks with multi-generational family members and exposes the unflinching aftermath of war, and the failing systems that continue the legacy of trauma from generation to generation. Battlefield-home.com

Between the Shades – This feature-length documentary explores the many shades of being gay by what connects us all: love. The film looks at love through 360 degrees of parents, children, and generations. The participants will represent a large range of age groups, ethnicities and professions. They are male, female, and those who are still yet to be defined. betweentheshades.com

BOSTON is the first feature-length documentary film about the world’s most legendary running race – the Boston Marathon. The film chronicles the story of the iconic race from its humble origins 120 years ago, starting with only 15 runners, to present day. The Boston Athletic Association granted exclusive documentary rights to BOSTON producers as well as use of the Association’s extensive archive of video, photos and memorabilia. The film showcases many of the most important moments in the history of the oldest annually contested marathon in the world. Evolving from a working man’s challenge to welcoming foreign athletes and, eventually, women, BOSTON is the stage for many firsts paving the way for the modern marathon and mass participatory sports. Bostonmarathonfilm.com

Dance Hall Days – Dance halls were once as common as cattle in Texas. Now, the ones that remain exist in a time where their past is legend and their future is uncertain. A cast of iconic characters strive to keep these country institutions alive while one man does his best to make sure that not one more is lost to history. www.facebook.com/dancehalls/

Elk River Sessions – Twenty musicians from, Denton Texas, travel to the Ozarks to write and record an album in a cabin on Elk River. They join together to celebrate friendship, community, and to help a friend in need.www.facebook.com/elkriversessions

The Exorcist and Me – With a blend of comical interactions, realistic exorcisms and explosive arguments, this presenter-led documentary uncovers the murky truth about a priest in Argentina. Andrewgold.me

Fatherhood – In this fusion of documentary and songwriting, street-involved kids from Memphis, LA, New York and London talk about their absent fathers and perform music videos of original songs they wrote for the film. We meet some of the absent fathers, explore the reasons why, and find an innovative way forward. fatherhoodmovie.com

The Island – An intimate glimpse into the rich human mosaic of the St. Louis French Hospital – a Hospice for terminally ill patients, situated on the tense border between East and West Jerusalem across from the walls of the Old City. For two years the director accompanied patients and caregivers – each one and his own story. www.adamweingrod.com

The Last Dog – Peter is in his 70’s. His dog has just died and Peter decides he will never own another canine in his lifetime. However, a friend takes him to view a litter of Saint Bernard puppies. Peter falls in love with one, buys it on the spot, and names it Hawthorn. Hawthorn transforms Peter’s life and enriches him and his community in many ways. Peter lives in a small town in Ontario called Listowel. He is a contributing member of the community where he is support worker, assisting people with special needs. Peter has artistic abilities as well and dreamed of being an artist. www.facebook.com/ lastdogmovie/

The Modern Jungle – A story of globalization filtered through the fever dream of a Mexican shaman, The Modern Jungle is an intimate portrait of Zoque culture, commodity fetish, and the predicament of documentary.charlesfairbanks.info/themodernjungle/

Out of State – Shipped thousands of miles away from the tropical islands of Hawaii to a private prison in the Arizona desert, two native Hawaiians discover their indigenous traditions from a fellow inmate serving a life sentence. It’s from this unlikely setting that David and Hale finish their terms and return to Hawaii, hoping for a fresh start. Eager to prove to themselves and to their families that this experience has changed them forever, David and Hale struggle with the hurdles of life as formerly incarcerated men, asking the question: can you really go home again? Outofstatefilm.com

Shake Sister Shake – Female blues singers are followed from around the Chicago area to New Orleans as they rehearse and perform the blues in various venues and festivals over a one month period. The singers involved in the documentary are the likes of Grana’ Louise, Nellie Travis, Zora Young, Big Time Sarah, Peaches Staten, Mz. Peachez, Shirley King, Deitra Farr, Nellie Travis, Joanna Conner, Katherine Davis, Sharon Lewis, Kate Moss, Liz Mandeville, Gloria Shannon, Demetria Taylor, Erica Korack, Shirley Johnson, Claudette Miller, Laretha Weathersby, Beverly “Guitar” Watkins, Yoko Nodge, Barrel House Bonnie, Lynne Jordan, Ruthie Foster and Lori Lewis. womeninbluesfilm.com

The Sunrise Storyteller follows the hero’s journey of teenage filmmaker & social justice advocate, Kasha Sequoia Slavner, as she sets out for six months on her 16th birthday across the world in search of stories of hope and resilience that shine a light on what it means to be a global citizen and how we can all make a difference. Thesunrisestoryteller.com

W.A.S.P.: A Wartime Experiment in WoManpower – In WWII a select group of women proved that a woman’s place was in the air. The W.A.S.P., Women Airforce Service Pilots, were a group of civilians who flew military airplanes so men could be freed for combat. But when they proved a woman could do a man’s job, feathers were ruffled. In the words of over 30 original members of the W.A.S.P. feel the exhilaration of flight, the loss of a dream and the pride of recognition decades. The W.A.S.P. Archive is housed in the Woman’s Collection on TWU’s Denton campus. The Woman’s Collection includes Special Collections, University Archives, and Rare Books. Fighttofly.com

For more information about the festival, updates on programming, and to register for the event, please visit www.thinline.us and be sure to follow Thin Line Fest on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.