ATX TV Festival Announces First Round of Programming for Season 12: James Burrows, Cheers, and Homeland Retrospective

November 10, 2022

ATX TV Festival Announces First Round of Programming for
Season 12: James Burrows, Cheers, and Homeland Retrospective

“The Pitch Competition” Opens for Submissions

2023 Ticketing Details Announced, Early Bird Badges On Sale Now for Limited Time


Austin, TX -- Badges are now on sale for ATX TV Festival Season 12, which will take place June 1-4, 2023 in Austin, TX. As part of the kick-off for Season 12, the festival has also opened submissions for “The Pitch Competition,” launched the revamped atxfestival.com and new year round brand site, atxtv.co, and announced its first round of programming for 2023.

The festival will present its annual “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award to director, producer, creator, and author James Burrows, who continues to be one of TV’s most prolific and influential creatives. Burrows will attend for a conversation spanning his one-of-a-kind career as the co-creator/director of “Cheers,” winner of 11 Emmy Awards, and director of more than 1,000 episodes of television, including iconic sitcoms “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Frasier,” “Will & Grace,” and many, many more.

“James Burrows’ imprint on TV as a medium is unparalleled, and his impact on so many TV fans' lives - including our own - cannot be overstated. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to celebrate his indelible career and the joy his work continues to bring to the industry and viewers alike.” – Jennifer Morgan, Director of Programming

First presented in 2014, the “Achievement in Television eXcellence” Award seeks to recognize individuals whose career reflects the very best of television, through work that is thought-provoking, genuine, expansive, and entertaining. As the festival’s 2023 recipient, Burrows joins previous honorees Henry Winkler, James L. Brooks, Norman Lear, Marcy Carsey, Phylicia Rashad, Michael J. Fox, and Directors Guild of America President Lesli Linka Glatter.

In addition to the award presentation, Burrows will join co-creators and longtime collaborators Les and Glen Charles for a celebration of the 30 year anniversary of the finale of their seminal series, “Cheers.” The retrospective conversation will reflect on the series’ decade-long run, its definitive place in TV history, and provide an insider look into the beloved show. Additional panelists will be announced later.

The festival will also host a conversation with the creative team behind the acclaimed SHOWTIME® thriller, “Homeland,” which aired its series finale in April 2020. Over the course of its eight-season run, "Homeland" won five Golden Globes, eight Emmys, the 2011 Peabody Award, two WGA awards in the categories of Best New Series and Episodic Drama, and two DGA Awards for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Dramatic Series. Altogether, “Homeland” achieved a total of over 60 wins and 175 nominations.

Creators/executive producers Alex Gansa and Howard Gordon (“24”), and director/executive producer Lesli Linka Glatter (“Love and Death”) will reunite for a unique inside look at the scope of the series’ sprawling, international production, which filmed in 10 locations across seven countries. Additional panelists will be announced at a later date.

Ticketing and programming details can be found on the festival’s newly relaunched website, atxfestival.com. Details on ATX TV’s year round programming, non-festival events, Membership program, and more can be found at the newly launched atxtv.co.

Additional programming will be announced soon.

The festival has also opened submissions to “The Pitch Competition,” which provides a one-of-a-kind opportunity for the undiscovered burgeoning TV Writer to get their original idea and script in front of TV’s greatest showrunners, producers, and executives. ATX TV fulfills its mission of giving up-and-coming writers the opportunity, tools, and resources to get to the next stage of their writing career by forming a community of support with their panelists, alums, advisory board members, and competition partners all year long.

Writers have until January 29, 2023 to submit their best 90-second video pitch and writing sample for an original scripted series, which will be evaluated by several rounds of industry judges for a chance to pitch live at the festival in June. All finalists will receive one (1) general meeting with one of the Pitch Competition Judges, year round virtual gatherings with showrunners, executives, and producers, plus access to additional opportunities with The Black List and Sundance Episodic Program. The winner will receive a mentorship with a Pitch Competition judge or ATX TV panelist, and the opportunity to pitch their series to one of the festival’s studio/network partners. Full details on how and where to submit can be found at atxfestival.com/pitch.

Badge and Pass details for Season 12 are available now, and include the following options:

*Prices are all inclusive of taxes and fees.


The first 100 Badges purchased will receive an “Early Bird” discount of up to $100 OFF for a limited time. Camp Badges are available for an Early Bird price of $435 ($100 discount), as well as GP Badges for an Early Bird price of $260 ($75 discount). To purchase your Badge now and/or view the benefits of each Badge, please visit atxfestival.com/attend.

For co-promotion, please tag @ATXFestival and #ATXTVs12 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.


ABOUT ATX TV FESTIVAL

ATX TV Festival is an annual event produced by ATX TV, taking place every June in Austin, TX. As the leading television festival, it brings together fans and industry to celebrate the television medium by looking at its history, where it is now, and where it is headed. The festival consists of screenings followed by Q&As, panel conversations, and events (parties, live music, happy hours, hosted receptions, etc) and is known for reunions of classic shows and cult hits. Screenings include never-aired pilots, canceled-too-soon series, current favorites, and world premieres. Panels conversations range from industry deep-dives to fan-focused conversations, along with discussions on representation (in front of and behind the camera) and responsibility in storytelling. The ATX TV audience is comprised equally of consumers and industry professionals, and ATX TV Festival is the only place they come together as one community to discuss and celebrate all aspects of #TVTogether.

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