Austin Named #1 City to Live and Make Movies

MovieMaker Magazine has just named Austin the "Number One City to Live, Work and Make Movies". This is the seventh year in a row that Austin has placed in the top three, and the second time we've been numero uno (unseating longtime fave New York City, which slipped all the way down to #4 this year).

Austin Film Society Executive Director Rebecca Campbell got the news while attending the Sundance Film Festival last week, and responded by saying, "Throughout [Sundance] Austin was on everyone's lips, thanks to a strong showing of Austin-related films. So it was 'of course', because we were having the Austin experience in Park City, being part of a community of creative independents who support each other and egg each other on."

For anyone who's visited Austin, this spirit of cooperation and unabashed love for film is easy to see—we've got two top-notch film schools, a dedicated film society, a fantastic repertory screening series and several of the country's best film festivals—not to mention the country's best movie theatre. What cineaste wouldn't want to live here?

According to MovieMaker, the rankings for the list were determined by "the availability of local production facilities, educational centers, screening venues and cost of living, among other factors". But they also noted that "enthusiasm—on the part of the local moviemaking community, film office and cineastes—meant something, too." And that "the importance of a city’s financial incentives also could not be understated."