about the afi dallas international film festival

Two Men. One Vision. Meet the men behind the soon-to-be-biggest film festival in the Southwest. Liener Temerlin and Michael Cain both have longstanding ties to the American Film Institute. Temerlin, an AFI board member, and Cain, an AFI graduate, have come together to turn Dallas into an international stage for moviemakers from around the globe.

Liener Temerlin

Founder and Chairman of AFI DALLAS International Film Festival

An advertising and consulting guru, Liener has always been a champion of creativity. For the past several years, Liener has served on the AFI Board of Trustees and was the driving force behind the creation of AFI's 100 Years . 100 Movies Series. A list that has become the definitive guide for the must-see movies of all time. Liener's passion and love of movies led AFI to partner with him in bringing this international festival to Dallas.

Michael cain

CEO and Artistic Director of AFI DALLAS International Film Festival

A graduate of the American Film Institute, Michael was previously the Founder and Executive Director of the nonprofit organization Deep Ellum Film, Music, Arts and Noise (DEFMAN), which produces the Deep Ellum Film Festival and various outdoor screening events including the Lone Star Drive-In in Addison and Dallas; the Pasadena Cinema in the Park; and the Santa Monica Drive-In at the Pier. Michael is also a producer with more than 50 commercials and music videos to his credit. His documentary, TV Junkie, was recently chosen as an ’06 Sundance Film Festival selection and received the Special Jury Prize for Documentary Excellence.

About American Film Institute

AFI is a national institute providing leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media. AFI trains the next generation of filmmakers at its world-renowned Conservatory, maintains America's film heritage through the AFI Catalog of Feature Films and explores new digital technologies in entertainment and education through the AFI Digital Content Lab and K-12 Screen Education Center. As the largest nonprofit exhibitor in the US, AFI ON SCREEN encompasses the annual AFI FEST presented by Audi: AFI Los Angeles International Film Festival—as well as year-round programming at ArcLight Hollywood and the AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland, including SILVERDOCS: AFI/Discovery Channel Documentary Festival. AFI AWARDS, the annual almanac for the 21st century, honors the most outstanding motion pictures and television programs of the year, while AFI's 100 Years . . . series has ignited extraordinary public interest in classic American movies. And, during the past 34 years, AFI’s Life Achievement Award has become the highest honor for a career in film. Additional information about AFI is available at AFI.com.

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