Spotlight
AFI DALLAS ANNOUNCES THE FIRST 15 FILMS
AFI DALLAS is excited to announce our first fifteen films that will screen at this year’s festival, including the World Premieres of the documentaries ONE NATION, PLAYGROUND and ROCK PROPHECIES as well as the U.S. Premieres of FOOD, INC., GIGANTIC and THE SEVEN OF DARAN.
The three world premiere documentaries include: Justin Wilson’s ONE NATION – the film utilizes a pastiche of images and sounds to create an artful profile of the year, 1968. The film examines the struggles of power vs. protest, affluence vs. poverty, and human rights vs. the tyranny of want and ignorance. Libby Spears’s PLAYGROUND - Executive produced by Steven Soderbergh and George Clooney, the film follows a young woman and other children like her, who are victims of the American child sex trafficking industry. Examining America’s legal and social system, the film delicately and responsibly details our country’s most alarming, insidious secret. John Chester’s ROCK PROPHECIES – The film is a backstage pass into the eccentric world of rock n’ roll from the vantage point of an obsessed photographer, Robert M. Knight, who at 18 years old captured and befriended Jimi Hendrix and the members of Led Zeppelin, well before they became the iconic stars we know them as today.
Among the U.S. premieres are: Robert Keener’s FOOD, INC. – The documentary takes a look at food preparation, industrialized and otherwise for the mass population, exposing the highly mechanized underbelly that’s been hidden from the American consumer with the consent of our government’s regulatory agencies, the USDA and FDA.
FOOD, INC.
(Canada)
Director: Robert Keener
Documentary takes a look at food preparation, industrialized and otherwise for the mass population.
GIGANTIC
(USA)
Director: Matt Aselton
Cast: Paul Dano, Zooey Deschanel, John Goodman, Jane Alexander, Ed Asner
Comedy is centered around a mattress salesman and a young woman he meets at his store.
HUNGER
(United Kingdom)
Director: Steve McQueen
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Liam Cunningham, Stuart Graham, Liam McMahon
Drama takes a harrowing look at the last six weeks in the life of imprisoned Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands.
MOON
(United Kingdom)
Director: Duncan Jones
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey
Drama follows the lone occupant of a lunar mining base as he prepares to return to earth and his life at home.
ONE NATION
(USA)
Director: Justin Wilson
Documentary provides an artful look at 1968 through a pastiche of images from that year.
PLAYGROUND
(USA)
Director: Libby Spears
Executive Producers: Steven Soderbergh, George Clooney
Documentary explores the rampant worldwide child sex trafficking industry.
RIP A REMIX MANIFESTO
(Canada)
Director: Brett Gaylor
Documentary looks at the changing landscape of music in The Internet Age focusing on the line between musical inspiration and copyright infringement.
ROCK PROPHECIES
(USA)
Director: John Chester
The documentary is a backstage pass into the eccentric world of rock n’ roll from the vantage point of an obsessed photographer, Robert M. Knight, who at 18 years old captured and befriended Jimi Hendrix and the members of Led Zeppelin, well before they became the iconic stars we know them as today.
ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE UNDEAD
(USA)
Director: Jordan Galland
Cast: Jake Hoffman, Devon Aoki, Ralph Macchio, Jeremy Sisto
Comedy about a theater director who finds himself in the middle of a two thousand year old conspiracy involving Shakespeare, the Holy Grail and vampires.
THE SEVEN OF DARAN
(USA)
Director: Lourens Blok
Cast: Jonathan Harmse, Ketrice Maitisa, Caroline Goodall
Children’s tale follows an English boy on an African adventure with the help of a talking giraffe and a precious medallion.
SKIN
(UK/South Africa)
Director: Anthony Fabian
Cast: Sophie Okonedo, Sam Neill, Alice Krige
Set in 1955 and based on a true story, the film looks at the social and personal impact on two white Afikaner parents and their daughter in rural South Africa, after the girl is born with dark skin.
SUGAR
(USA)
Director: Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck
Cast: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino
Drama about a Dominican baseball star that is signed to a minor league contract.
Stay tuned for more exciting film and event updates!
DALLAS VIDEO FESTIVAL
Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation
The Dallas Video Festival opened last night and runs through Sunday, November 9 at the Angelika Film Center. Once again packed with wonderful films and video works, it’s a festival not to be missed. For the entire schedule, click here. Some of the highlights we’ll be checking out:
A President to Remember: In the Company of John F. Kennedy
Friday, November 7
7:00 P.M.
This new film is composed from four break-through films by Robert Drew. Each is an unprecedented record in candid photography of a phase of John F. Kennedy’s political life. Kennedy is seen in close-up from young Senator campaigning for the Presidency, to an ebullient new President moving into the White House, to a burdened President trying to solve grave problems in the Oval Office. The shock of his death is seen through the faces of his compatriots.
Guts N’Glory
Friday, November 7
7:00 P.M.
Co-sponsored by AFI DALLAS, this is the screening of the annual Guts N’ Glory competition. Ten teams are given 16mm and 8mm film stock to shoot three minutes of silent footage in 24 hours that must include a given prop, line of dialogue, theme and location. The competing teams may use the live accompaniment of their choosing as they see their footage projected for the first time. In the past, teams have presented a live band, performed narration and dialogue, and poetry.
The Pleasure of Being Robbed
Friday, November 7
10:00 P.M.
A curious and lost Eleonore looks for something everywhere, even in the bags of strangers who find themselves sadly smiling only well after she's left their lives. They owe her their thanks. Directed by Josh Safdie.
Boogie Man: The Lee Atwater Story
Saturday, November 8
1:00 P.M.
Boogie Man is a gripping political thriller about Lee Atwater, a blues-playing rogue whose rambunctious rise from the South to Chairman of the GOP made him a political rock star. He mentored George W. Bush and Karl Rove while leading the Republican party to historic victories, helping make “liberal” a dirty word, and transforming the way America elects our Presidents. In eye-opening interviews with elite Republicans and friends of Atwater, Boogie Man sheds new light on his crucial role in America's shift to the right.
Moral Kombat
Sunday, November 9
5:15 P.M.
Shot entirely in high-definition video, the full-length feature documentary studies the controversial, polarizing subject of the video game controversy through a series of interviews with experts on both sides of the matter – some believing that violent games should be banned, others supporting their protection under the First Amendment.
2008 AFI DALLAS FESTIVAL FILM UPDATE
Mermaid
More films screened at the 2008 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival continue to make headlines. The winner of the Target Filmmaker Award for Best Narrative Feature, Mermaid has been selected as the to represent Russia as the official submission in the foreign language category for the Academy Awards. As well, Nae Caranfil's The Rest Is Silence, has been tapped to represent Romania.
Tom McCarthy's The Visitor takes top prize at Deauville The Visitor picks up The Grand Prize at The 34th Deauville Festival of American Film, boosting its Oscars buzz. Lance Hammer's Ballast won both the Jury Prize and the Cartier Revelation Prize.
COMMUNITY PARTNER EVENT UPDATE
Join AFI DALLAS October 4th at the Nasher for a screening of Cleopatra
As AFI DALLAS looks forward to our third year, we continue to develop and expand our relationships with our Community Partners. In the coming weeks, AFI DALLAS has a few events that we want to let you know about. On Saturday, September 27th we will have a presence at the “All About Uptown Festival.” The event runs from 11:00am – 11:00pm on Fairmount Street, between Cedar Springs and McKinney Ave; featuring chef’s showcases, Dean Foods Kids Korner, historic tours of Uptown and much more.
On October 4th, AFI DALLAS and the Nasher Sculpture Center will present an outdoor screening of Cleopatra, the 1963 classic starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in
celebration of all things Tut. The screening will begin at 7:30 p.m. and is free and open to the public. The blockbuster exhibit Tutankhamun and The Golden Age of The
Pharaohs opens at the Dallas Museum of Art on October 3rd.
The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture The Dallas Institute of Humanities and Culture has created a new young professionals group. AFI DALLAS was there for the kick off on the 4th of September at the Institute’s conference center and on October 2nd we will be at the Angelika Film Center for a special screening of Stop the Presses with filmmakers Mark Birnbaum and Manny Mendoza in attendance. Additionally, we are supporting Dr. Larry Allums and his Speaking of Movies series that occurs on the first Monday of every month through December. October’s film for discussion is Woody Allen’s acclaimed Vicki Christina Barcelona. For more information about Au Courant or the Speaking of Movie Series, click here.
PROGRAMMING UPDATE
CIAO
More and more films screened at AFI DALLAS continue to be shown and win awards around the world at festivals and other venues. here! Films has just acquired the North American rights to Yen Tan’s CIAO, planned for an autumn theatrical release. The film won the jury prize for best feature at the Philadelphia International Gay and Lesbian Film Festival and an Honorable Mention at AFI DALLAS 2008.
Filmmaker Magazine named their “25 New Faces of Independent Film” for this year. The list includes BJ Perlmutt, the AFI DALLAS 2008 Student Competition Winner with his short film LES VULNERABLES, John Magary, the AFI DALLAS 2008 winner for Best Short with his film THE SECOND LINE, and The Zellner Brothers, whose feature film GOLIATH screened at the AFI DALLAS 2008 festival. GOLIATH is available for viewing exclusively On Demand from IFC Festival Direct.
David Boyle’s BIG DREAMS, LITTLE TOKYO is now out on DVD.
And Fantastic Fest announced that Jeffrey Schwarz’s SPINE TINGLER – THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY, screened at AFI DALLAS 2008, will screen during their fourth annual fest.
Ashley Sabin & David Redmon, the duo behind KAMP KATRINA, screened AFI DALLAS 2007 in the Target Ten Documentary Feature Competition, and INTIMIDAD, screened AFI DALLAS 2008 in the Target Ten Documentary Feature Competition, officially announced plans for a new boutique distribution label, Carnivalesque Films.
SPECIAL SCREENING OF PINEAPPLE EXPRESS
Pineapple Express
On Tuesday, July 22, 7:30pm at AMC NorthPark join Moroch and Assoc. for a premiere screening of Pineapple Express.
Critically acclaimed director David Gordon Green takes a break from the brooding drama that defined such early efforts as George Washington and Undertow for this action-flavored buddy comedy concerning two pot-smoking friends (Seth Rogen and James Franco) who unwittingly become involved with a vicious gang of drug dealers. Judd Apatow and Shauna Robertson produce a script co-penned by star Rogen and Evan Goldberg.
Seating is limited, so arrive early. First come, first served.
Pineapple Express opens Friday, August 8, 2008.
IF YOU MISSED IT AT AFI DALLAS, YOU CAN STILL CATCH IT AT "BEST OF FEST"
Cook County plays Best of Fest.
Join us again this Thursday at the Studio Movie Grill- Arlington as
we celebrate the best of the 2008 AFI DALLAS International Film
Festival by presenting Audience Award Winner The Black List at 5:30 p.m. and MPS Studios Texas Filmmaker Award Winner Cook County at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is free and you’ll have the chance to enter a drawing for
a variety of prizes, including passes to the 2009 AFI DALLAS
International Film Festival.
FINAL NIGHT OF BEST OF FEST:
Thursday,
July 10
Studio Movie Grill
Arlington
5:30 p.m. Audience Award Winner The Black List
7:30 p.m. MPS Studios Texas Filmmaker Award Winner Cook County
For
descriptions of all these films, click here.
A special thanks to Brandon Jones and the whole team at Studio Movie Grill for their support of our "Best of Fest". And an additional thanks to Texas Black Film Festival for helping to promote our final night of "Best of Fest" screenings.
EDUCATION PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE IN 2008 AFI DALLAS
Barry Levinson speaks to students at SMU
AFI DALLAS prides itself on not only exhibiting the best in international cinema, but also creating opportunities for thought-provoking discussions about film and the film community. Throughout the 2008 Festival, filmmaker Q & A’s, educational panels, and special programs for high schools and universities provided environments for students, filmmakers, industry professionals and filmgoers to learn about this most American of art forms.
AFI DALLAS featured over 260 screenings of 271 features and shorts, and most of those screenings were followed by Q & A sessions with some of the filmmakers who visited from 34 countries. These sessions were lively and informative. “Over and over again, the filmmakers were raving about how smart our AFI DALLAS audiences were— asking intelligent questions and provoking lively discussion,” says James Faust, AFI DALLAS Senior Programmer.
A series of panel discussions—the A T & T Talk/Shows and A T & T Wet Deck Conversations—ran throughout the Festival and featured conversations on topics like “Documentaries Today,” “Movies with a Mission” and filmmaking in Texas. Participants included filmmakers with films screening in the Festival, moderators from media outlets like Documentary Magazine, The Advocate and Reuters.
Educational programs were also targeted to high school and college students. Josh Brolin and director Barry Levinson met with students at SMU in separate sessions, and Stephen Rea traveled to TCU for a master class. Other filmmakers met with high school students at Garland High School, Bishop Lynch High School and the Booker T. Washington Arts Magnet. All in all, fifteen area high schools (including one from New Jersey!) and five universities participated in AFI DALLAS as Educational Partners.
The Festival also provided an opportunity for this next generation of filmmakers to exhibit their latest works. Special screenings of short films by high school and university students gave them an opportunity to see and discuss the work of their peers.
As AFI DALLAS begins planning for the 2009 festival, we continue to look for ways to incorporate education into all of our programming. If you are interested in becoming an Educational Partner, please e-mail us at info@AFIDALLAS.com.
AFI DALLAS 2008 UPDATES
ROBERT DE NIRO, JOHN TURTURRO AND STANLEY TUCCI IN WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
Already, films
that Festival goers had the chance to see in the 2008 edition of the AFI DALLAS
International Film Festival are on to other venues and accomplishments.
The Cannes Film Festival will include several films produced by AFI DALLAS Star
Award recipient Todd Wagner, including What Just Happened?—which
screened at AFI DALLAS with Robert De Niro, Barry Levenson, Art Linson and Todd
Wagner in attendance. (Other Todd Wagner productions at Cannes include The
Burning Plain and Two Lovers.) The Tribeca Film Festival—which
opens today—will screen AFI DALLAS films Lou Reed’s Berlin, Bigger,
Stronger, Faster, Before the Rains and Baghead among others.
Peter Gilbert and Steven James' At the Death House Door won the jury's documentary feature award at the Atlants Film Festival.
The Visitor, the Overture Films drama about a middle-aged professor aiding a Syrian street musician, remained atop the specialty charts for a second week with a $9,250 per-screen average. It opens in Dallas on May 2. Join our friends Moroch and Associates for a special sneak screening on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:30 p.m. at the Angelika.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) announced Monday that it will showcase twenty-two documentary features as part of its lineup, including "Ron Davis and Stewart Halpern's Pageant.
And two documentary films that played at AFI DALLAS will air this summer on HBO. Tune in for Greg Whiteley’s Resolved on June 16 and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders’ and Elvis Mitchell’s The Black List, Vol. 1 on August 25.
SPECIAL SCREENING OF YOUNG@HEART
The Young@Hearts Chorus
Monday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.
Landmark’s Magnolia Theatre
Prepare to be entertained by the inspiring individuals of Young@Heart, a New England senior citizens’ chorus that has delighted audiences worldwide with their covers of songs by everyone from The Clash to Coldplay. As Stephen Walker's documentary begins, the retirees, led by their demanding musical director, are rehearsing their new show, struggling with Sonic Youth’s dissonant rock anthem “Schizophrenia” and giving new meaning to James Brown's "I Feel Good." What ultimately emerges is a funny and unexpectedly moving testament to friendship, creative inspiration, and defying expectations.
Young@Heart, from filmmakers Sally George and Stephen Walker, captures seven unforgettable weeks in the lives of the members of the Young@Heart Chorus. Based in Northampton, Massachusetts, the group is made up of two dozen spirited seniors who specialize in reinterpreting rock, punk and R & B classics from a unique perspective. In Young@Heart, Walker and George take an often hilarious and poignant look at the group as they prepare for a one night only concert in their hometown. A lineup that includes former schoolteachers, executives, doctors and food service workers, the chorus is guided by their longtime director Bob Cilman. With less than two months to go until the concert, the performers struggle with the new lyrics and unfamiliar melodies of seven new songs. During their thrice weekly rehearsals, they gradually take possession of music ranging from R&B classics like Allen Toussaint’s “Yes We Can Can” to Coldplay’s emotionally powerful ballad “Fix You,” upending assumptions about old age, love, sex and death.
Starting out as a lighthearted look at a quirky musical group, the film gains unexpected gravitas when two members of the chorus die within days of each other and the lyrics of the group’s repertoire take on powerful new significance. From 92-year-old war bride Eileen Hall’s rousing rendition of The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go?” to Pat Linderme’s moving interpretation of Prince’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” each performance responds to the ravages of age with startling emotional depth.
Join AFI DALLAS for a special screening of Young@Heart ON Monday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m. at Landmark’s Magnolia Theatre. Director Stephen Walker, Chorus Director Bob Cilman and several chorus members will be in attendance for a Q and A after the screening. The first 150 people in line will receive a free voucher good for one screening for the upcoming AFI DALLAS International Film Festival. No RSVP required. Seating is limited and not guaranteed. Please arrive early.
AFI DALLAS ANNOUNCES 2008 FILMS!
ROBERT DE NIRO, JOHN TURTURRO AND STANLEY TUCCI IN WHAT JUST HAPPENED?
Line-up includes world premieres and films from across the globe.
The eleven-day AFI DALLAS International Film Festival, which runs March 27 to April 6, will present 230 narrative features, documentaries and short films representing 30 countries in more than 250 screenings, including seven world premieres and six US premieres. The Festival will kick off March 27 with Helen Hunt's directorial debut, Then She Found Me, as the Festival's Opening Night Gala presentation and Battle in Seattle will screen April 5 as its Closing Night Gala presentation.
Commenting on the 2008 lineup, Senior Programmer James Faust said, "This year's films really represent a diverse group of international and local filmmakers and films that cover a wide spectrum of world views and cinematic vision. It's an exciting group of films that we're thrilled to bring to Dallas audiences."
Following the format introduced last year, the Festival will feature Centerpiece Screenings with red carpet entrances at theaters throughout the city, award presentations, filmmaker panels and other special events celebrating film. The Festival will culminate in an awards ceremony held at W Dallas-Victory Park Hotel on Sunday, April 6. In addition to the Target Filmmaker Awards, filmmakers will vie for $20,000 in cash, goods and services from MPS Studios for the winner of the Texas Competition, a $10,000 prize from HD Net for the Best HD Feature, and $10,000 from Current Energy for the winner of the new Environmental Visions Competition. Additional awards will be presented to the jury winners of the Animation, Student Film and Shorts categories, and audience awards for Narrative Feature, Documentary and Shorts.
For the full schedule of films and other events, visit AFIDALLAS.com. And be sure to pick up your 2008 AFI DALLAS Quick Guide in the March 26 issue of The Dallas Morning News.
AFI DALLAS ANNOUNCES NEW FILMMAKER AWARDS
The AFI DALLAS International Film Festival is proud to announce new filmmaker awards to be presented for the Best Texas Film and Best Environmental Film. The awards, which will be sponsored by MPS Studios and Current Energy, respectively, will be in addition to the existing $25,000 Target Filmmaker Awards for Best Narrative Feature and Best Documentary, and $10,000 HDNet Award.
The MPS Studios Texas Filmmaker Award will award $8,000 in cash and $12,000 in goods and services this year to the winner of the Texas Competition, which encourages and promotes Texas filmmaking by showing both short and feature films shot in Texas. MPS Studios is a Texas-based, Texas-owned company servicing filmmakers nationwide from production through post-production and providing deliverables for distributors both domestic and international.
Current Energy's Eco-Friendly Award will provide $10,000 in cash to the winner of the Environmental Visions Competition. The new category was introduced this year to highlight films and filmmakers that best communicate the importance of environmental conservation through the art of film. Current Energy is a Dallas-based company that provides energy efficient solutions that are environmentally friendly.
2008 OPENING NIGHT FILM ANNOUNCED
AFI DALLAS is pleased to announce that the Opening Night Film for the 2008 Festival will be Then She Found Me, the directorial debut of Helen Hunt. Ms. Hunt will be in attendance for the screening on March 27 at the historic Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas.
The film follows a New York schoolteacher as she hits a midlife crisis when, in quick succession, her husband (played by Matthew Broderick) leaves, her adoptive mother dies and her real one (Bette Midler), an eccentric talk show host, materializes and turns her life upside down as she begins a courtship with the father of one of her students (Colin Firth).
Helen Hunt will be presented with an AFI DALLAS Star Award, joining luminaries such as Lauren Bacall, Marvin Hamlisch and David Lynch—all presented Star Awards at the 2007 festival.
AFI DALLAS will announce its full schedule February 27. Tickets go on sale online and in the Main Box office at Victory Park on March 7.
FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD.
Join the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival and Community Partner Dallas Symphony Orchestra for a celebration of one of the favorite movie musicals of all time, The Wizard of Oz.
As a highlight to the AFI DALLAS’ family friendly programming, we are pleased to announce a partnership with the internationally renowned Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Under the baton of conductor Richard Kaufman, the Dallas Symphony will provide the live symphonic score to the original voice audio. Delight to the voices of Judy Garland, Frank Bolger and others while you enjoy the live sounds of the Dallas Symphony. Ranked #6 on AFI’s 100 Years…100 Movies list, The Wizard of Oz has delighted audiences since its release in 1939. Simply put, this is an event not to be missed.
A limited number of tickets have been set aside for the April 4 performance for AFI DALLAS patrons and supporters; ticket prices range from $41 to $70. This special block of tickets will only be available until February 15.
To purchase tickets, call Ashley Delaney at 214-871-4075 or e-mail her at a.delaney@dalsym.com.
AFI DALLAS and Texas Frightmare Weekend Celebrate the 40th Anniversary of George Romero's NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD.
AFI DALLAS will team with Texas Frightmare Weekend presented by Anchor Bay Entertainment for a special screening of George A. Romero’s horror classic Night of the Living Dead on February 21st at the Landmark Inwood Theater.
The seminal 1968 black-and-white independent horror film revolves around the mysterious reanimation of the dead and the efforts of a handful of people to survive the night while trapped in a rural Pennsylvania farmhouse. Described as “subversive on many levels,” it has been remade twice, and has also spawned (to date) four subsequent “Dead” films by Romero, including his most recent –Diary of the Dead, which is scheduled for release on February 15th. A fifth film is in the planning stages. In 1999, the Library of Congress entered Night of the Living Dead into the United States National Film Registry with other films deemed "historically, culturally or aesthetically important."
The screening will conclude with a question and answer session with the legendary director and cast members, including Marilyn Eastman, Bill Hinzman, George Kosana, Judith O’Dea, Kyra Schon, Russ Streiner, and John Russo.
Also appearing at the screening will be horror and science fiction film legends and standouts Malcolm McDowell, Dee Wallace Stone, Tom Savini, Ed Neal, Danielle Harris, Scout Taylor Compton, Kristina Klebe, Courtney Gains, Kelli Maroney, and Ken Foree.
AFI DALLAS Senior Programmer James Faust said, “This event is special to AFI DALLAS because it allows us to salute a great influential filmmaker who made one of the first truly independent movies of all time. As film fans, it also allows us to celebrate a cinematic creation that has truly stood the test of time.”
To RSVP for this once-only event, send an e-mail to zombies@AFIDALLAS.com by February 15. Seating is extremely limited.
