The inaugural Amarillo International Film Festival opened with a powerful screening of “For the Record,” a documentary by filmmaker Heather Courtney that chronicles the decline of The Canadian Record, a rural newspaper in the Texas Panhandle. The festival’s opening night on Thursday drew a sellout crowd of attendees from all walks of life in the Amarillo community, coming together to celebrate the beginning of what promises to be an annual showcase of diverse films.
The highlight of the evening was the screening of “For the Record,” which tells the story of the longtime weekly newspaper in Canadian, which ceased print publication on March 2, 2023. The documentary offers a poignant glimpse into the paper’s struggle for survival in an era where many local newspapers are facing extinction. Following the decline of The Record, the paper now exists solely online, having served the Canadian community for 130 years.
More: Amarillo hosts inaugural International Film Festival, aims to spark creative scene