Host (and titular doctor) Rebekah Louisa Smith will speak with representatives from regional festivals like deadCenter Film Festival (Oklahoma City) and Fantastic Fest (Austin) for an evening of lively conversation and education at the Texas Theatre later this month.
Smith has dedicated her career to learning the ins and outs of film festivals. She operates as a consultant for filmmakers, helping them identify which of the thousands of fests would make the most sense for their work; some just want exposure, others are trying to build an Oscar campaign. It is a unique calling, and a role she found herself unexpectedly called to.
Originally from the United Kingdom, Smith got her start producing the Abertoir Horror Festival in Wales.
“That was just supposed to be a hobby, just a nice distraction and some volunteering work whilst I was doing my PhD in film and audience research,” says Smith. “But that hobby and distraction was actually more serious.”
Realizing she had a passion for the festival world, Smith identified a gap in the market. She kept hearing that filmmakers loved taking part in fests but wanted more guidance on how to get their films into them. Smith found one company that was providing a service along those lines but felt its approach lacked structure. In 2010, to address these needs, she founded her company, The Film Festival Doctor.
By 2018, the company was doing so well that Smith felt she needed to relocate to the United States to continue building the brand and maximizing her impact — Dallas was a compelling destination for two reasons.
“I knew Dallas really well through the Dallas International Film Festival,” she explains. “But secondly, at the time, I was dating somebody who lived here, and I knew the city quite well through him.”
Dr. Rebekah Louisa Smith, a U.K. native, crossed the pond for Dallas due to its growing recognition in film festivals.
Courtesy of The Film Festival Doctor
She decided to make North Texas her home, finally arriving in 2021.
While preparing for her transatlantic relocation, Smith began her podcast in 2019. She understood audio series were critical for brands looking to grow their audience, and saw an opportunity to build a catalog of interviews that supported her work in educating listeners about film festivals.
“When I did the recordings in 2019, it all had to be in person with this tape player with a chip … to then transfer to the people that were doing the podcast’s post-production. It was an ordeal and very expensive process,” she says.
When COVID hit, the company she partnered with for that post-production work went bust, ending her podcast.
The show remained dormant for several years until late 2024, when Smith realized she missed creating the show and thought there was an opportunity to bring it back. She connected with Tony Armer of South Side Studios, who recommended working with mzStudios in Dallas to produce the podcast.
The relaunched show has been warmly received by the industry, and Smith currently has two episodes being featured by festivals that accept submissions for nonfiction podcasts.
With her feet firmly planted and the show successfully entering its third season, Smith felt the time was right for her debut live show. She connected with Ashton Campbell of the Texas Theatre (Campbell is featured among the podcast’s episodes) and booked the space, then went about selecting guests from festivals near Dallas.
deadCenter wrapped in June, allowing the forthcoming live show to serve as a recap of sorts. Alternatively, Fantastic Fest will offer a preview of its upcoming September outing. The Dallas Film Commission has joined as a co-sponsor to support the show in an effort to provide an educational opportunity for local filmmakers.
Although the show, which is free to attend, is meant to educate, Smith is making an effort to avoid even a hint of dull, back-to-school energy at the show.
“I’m going to be doing a lot of visuals, so it won’t be just a dry conversation,” she says.
Film festivals are fun, and she wants the discussion with her guests to reflect that.
“I’ve been putting in a lot of thought … in terms of how to present it in the best way and make it a fun podcast — a fun live podcast.”
Tickets ‘The Film Festival Doctor Podcast - LIVE!’ on August 27 are available here.
