Southern Sun Nudist Film Festival

The film festival previously known as the "Star Ranch's Texas Area Nudist Film Festival is back for its fifth year!

Last year was our best attended year with a packed house for two nights of screening at Star Ranch (near Austin, Texas) and two screenings to a standing room only crowd on the "Big Nude Boat" (Somewhere in the Carrabin Sea)

We are continuing to work with Bare Necessities Cruses to have another screening at sea on a future cruse (for which all nudist films entered are considered) And we are back with a sixth season of screenings at our home, the Star Ranch Nudist Resort near Austin, Texas.

So what are we looking for? Your best films, of course. We want shorts, features, and even music videos. We accept films of almost all types and genres. You do not have to be naked to win...

Because we always get this question, we want to be abundantly clear about one thing. Your film does NOT have to be a 'nudist' film to be selected and screened at our fest. Each of our 'film types' (shorts, features, music videos), has a category for nudist films, and one for non-nudist films. We believe this pretty much gives everyone a spot to enter their films. We will show films of all lengths and genres but we are especially interested in films made by nudists and films about the nudist lifestyle.

So what is a nudist film? Nudist films deal with social and/or recreational nudism, (sometimes called 'naturism') and often they are personal tales of how someone first became involved in the nudist lifestyle. They can also deal with the ideas or issues facing the nudist community, or films dealing with body image issues, or positive expressions of nudity within society.

Nudist films are NOT "porn films". We have no category for those. There are other festivals for that genre.

Generally speaking, nudist films do NOT tie nudity to any form of sexual expression, though there is certainly room in the non nudist categories for thoughtful films dealing with gender issues, sexual identity, and other similar themes.

The other important thing to understand is that your audience will be nudists. And as such, they will likely be nude when they are watching your films. All our venues are "clothing optional" and that means exactly what it says. If you choose to come to a screening of your film, you will be welcome to wear whatever you chose, including nothing at all if you feel so inclined. No mater what your choice you will be welcomed by our audience. They don't get to meet a lot of film makers.

So why do we do a nudist film festival? Two reasons:

1. To provide the opportunity for our members to enjoy a wide range of independent films they otherwise would not have an opportunity to see.

2. To encourage the production and distribution of films dealing with the nudist and/or naturist lifestyles and the history, issues, and ideas of interest to our community.

The festival will accept entries through the end of summer 2024 and screen at Star Ranch during the fall. We are continuing to work toward another screening at sea and that will be announced once arrangements are made.

We have both audience favorite and Jury awards.