We come across objects every day, and many of them have fascinating histories and stories. With his new show Roots & Relics, writer/director Matthew Avant digs into those stories. The pilot for the series will make its debut at the Dances With Films festival on January 17. In a new interview, he shares more details about the show, what it offers to viewers, and it’s potential future as an ongoing series.

More about Matthew Avant

Nashville Production company Media Savant LLCwill premiere their latest project, and new TV pilot Roots & Relics in January at Dances with Films Film Festival in New York. The festival runs January 15-18th, 2026.

Writer/ Director Matthew Avant is an Emmy- winning filmmaker, writer, producer based here in Nashville. has a deep passion for storytelling that bridges history, culture, and adventure. His diverse career in film production spans feature films, television, and radio. His first film Lunopolis, a sci-fi thriller in 2010, won a multitude of awards and secured a multi-platform distribution on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, Apple TV, and Tubi for over a decade. Since 2015, Avant built an extensive career in nonfiction television as a writer, director, producer, and editor for cable networks on Dish & DirecTV for acclaimed TV shows like Dude Ranch Roundup, Wild Kingdom, RanchHer.

Matthew Fox is a graduate of the Radio, Television and Film program at Biola University, and a giant nerd. He spends his free time watching movies, TV, and obsessing about football. He is a member of the FSWA. You can find him @knighthawk7734 on Twitter and as co-host of the Fantasy Football Roundtable Podcast.