Normally I approach the notion of Dallas and film culture with pretty lowered expectations. We may be the second largest city in Texas, but when it comes to art we’re pretty close to dead last. Austin is usually where it’s at. This year though, it looks like Dallas is going to attempt to make its mark on the film world. The lineup for this year’s AFI Film Festival has just been announced, and while it still can’t compete with SXSW it’s by far the best lineup for any Dallas film festival I’ve seen in the seven years I’ve lived here.
Beginning on March 27 and ending on April 9, the eleve-day festival will feature 210 movies and shorts in over 290 screenings all around the city of Dallas. Winners of the Target Ten Narrative and Documentary Competitions will be awarded a cool $25,000 in cash. And for Dallas, this year’s AFI is rather star-studded. Helen Hunt, Charlize Theron, and even Mickey Rooney will at some point, probably be in town. In fact Hunt’s directorial debut, a movie called Then She Found Me will be AFI’s opening night presentation.
Other high-profile movies being screened include Battle in Seattle, Snow Angels, and What Just Happened. Making their world premieres at AFI Dallas will be the movies Bowling for Soup – Live and Very Attractive, Fat Man Walking, Fissure, Frag, The Last Lullaby, Split: A Divided America, Stop the Presses: the American Newspaper in Peril, and Tracing Cowboys. Making their U.S. premiere are the films Battle for Haditha, Glass: A Portrait of Philip in Twelve Parts, Iron Ladies of Liberia, and Sonic Youth: Sleeping Nights Awake.
Below is the full list of movies being screened at this year’s AFI Dallas:
TARGET TEN NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITIONBAD HABITS (MALOS HáBITOS) – DIR: Simón Bross (Mexico)
Starring: Ximena Ayala, Elena de Haro, Marco Antonio Trevi?oTHE BEST OF ME (LO MEJOR DE MI’) – DIR: Roser Aguilar (Spain)
Starring: Marián álvarez, Juan Sanz, Lluís HomarCAPTAIN ABU RAED – DIR: Amin Matalqa (Jordan)
Starring: Nadim Sawalha, Hussine Al-Souse, Udey Al-QadiseDISFIGURED – DIR: Glenn Gers (USA)
Starring: Deidra Edwards, Staci Lawrence, Ryan C. BensonTHE GUITAR – DIR: Amy Redford (USA)
Starring: Janeane Garofalo, Saffron Burrows, Isaach De Bankole, Paz de la Huerta, Ashlie AtkinsonTHE CLASS (KLASS) – DIR: Ilmar Raag (Estonia)
Starring: Vallo Kirs, P?rt Uusberg, Lauri PedajaTHE LAST LULLABY – DIR: Jeffrey Goodman (USA)
Starring: Tom Sizemore, Sasha AlexanderTHE LITTLE TRAITOR – DIR: Lynn Roth (Israel)
Starring: Alfred Molina, Ido Port, Theodore BikelMERMAID – DIR: Anna Melikyan (Russia)
Starring: Mariya Shalayeva, Yevgeni Tsyganov, Mariya SokovaTRACING COWBOYS – DIR: Jason Wulfsohn (USA)
Starring: Eileen Dietz, Megan Edwads, Sacha Grunpeter
TARGET TEN DOCUMENTARY COMPETITIONCIRCUS ROSAIRE – DIR: Robyn Bliley (USA)CRAWFORD – DIR: David Modigliani (USA)DINNER WITH THE PRESIDENT: A NATION’S JOURNEY – DIR: Sabiha Sumar & Sachithanandam Sathananthan (Pakistan)I.O.U.S.A. – DIR: Patrick Creadon (USA)INTIMIDAD – DIR: David Redmon, Ashley Sabin (Mexico)IRON LADIES OF LIBERIA – DIR: Daniel Junge (USA)MORE SHOES – DIR: Lee Kazimir (USA)SPLIT: A DIVIDED AMERICA – DIR: Kelly Nykes (USA)STOP THE PRESSES: THE AMERICAN NEWSPAPER IN PERIL – DIR: Manny Mendoza & Mark Birnbaum (USA)STRANDED: I COME FROM A PLANE THAT CRASHED ON THE MOUNTAINS – DIR: Gonzalo Arijon (France)
DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE THE BLACK LIST – DIR: Timothy Greenfield-Sanders (USA)
Featuring: Chris Rock, Lou Gossett Jr., Vernon Jordan, Thelma GoldenDEREK – DIR: Isaac Julien (UK)
Narrated by Tilda SwintonFRAG – DIR: Mike Pasley (USA)HECKLER – DIR: Michael Addis (USA)
Featuring: Jamie Kennedy, Patton Oswalt, Rob ZombieTHE LINGUIST – DIR: Seth Kramer, Daniel Miller, Jeremy Newberger (USA)PAGEANT – DIR: Ron Davis & Stewart Halpern (USA)RESOLVED – DIR: Greg Whiteley (USA)
DEEP ELLUM SOUNDSBOWLING FOR SOUP: LIVE AND VERY ATTRACTIVE – DIR: King Hollis (USA)
Featuring: Bowling for SoupDIXIE HUMMINGBIRDS: 80 YEARS YOUNG – DIR: Jeff Scheftel (USA)
Featuring: The Dixie HummingbirdsFROM THE MOUTHPIECE ON BACK – DIR: Jason DaSilva, Colleen O'Halloran (USA)GLASS: A PORTRAIT OF PHILIP IN TWELVE PARTS – DIR: Scott Hicks (Australia)
Featuring: Philip GlassJOY DIVISION – DIR: Grant Gee (UK/USA)
Featuring: Joy DivisionLOU REED’S BERLIN – DIR: Julian Schnabel (USA)NERDCORE RISING – DIR: Negin Farsad (USA)PUBLIC ENEMY’S WELCOME TO THE TERRORDOME – DIR: Robert Patton-Spruill (USA)
Featuring: Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Beastie Boys, Tom Morello, Henry Rawlins, Talib Kweli, Jonathan Davis (Korn)SLINGSHOT HIP HOP – DIR: Jackie Reem Salloum (USA)SONIC YOUTH: SLEEPING NIGHTS AWAKE – DIR: Michael Albright (USA)
Featuring: Sonic Youth
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONSAKEELAH AND THE BEE (2006) – DIR: Doug AtchisonAUNTIE MAME (1958) – DIR: Morton DaCostaBOYS TOWN (1938) – DIR: Norman TaurogCERTIFIABLY JONATHAN – DIR: Jim Pasternak (USA)
Starring: Jonathan Winters, Robin Williams, Howie Mandel, Sarah Silverman, Nora Dunn, Tim Conway, Jefferey Tambor, Jimmy Kimmel, Rob Reiner, David ArquetteFAT MAN WALKING – DIR: PJ Bagley (Documentary)ICE AGE (2002) – DIR: Chris Wedge, Carlos Saldanha MISSIONARY MAN – DIR: Dolph Lundgren (USA)
Starring: Dolph Lundgren, Kateri Walker, Chelsea RickettsTHE SEARCHERS (1956) – DIR: John FordSOME LIKE IT HOT (1959) – DIR: Billy Wilder
DALLAS PREMIERE SERIESASSASSINATION OF A HIGH SCHOOL PRESIDENT – DIR: Brett Simon (USA)
Starring: Mischa Barton, Zachary Booth, Gabrielle BrennanAT THE DEATH HOUSE DOOR – DIR: Steve James & Peter Gilbert (USA)
(Documentary)BAGHEAD – DIR: Mark Duplass & Jay Duplass (USA)
Starring: Ross Partridge, Steve Zissis, Greta Gerwig, Elise MullerBEFORE THE RAINS – DIR: Santosh Sivan (USA)
Starring: Leopold Benedict, Rahul Bose, Nandita Das, Jennifer Ehle, Linus RoacheBIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER* – DIR: Christopher Bell (USA)
(Documentary)CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’ (ENDLESS) – DIR: Cristian Nemescu (Romania)
Starring: Armand Assante, Jamie Elman, Maria DinulescuTHE FORBIDDEN KINGDOM – DIR: Rob Minkoff (USA)
Starring: Jet Li, Jackie Chan, Michael AngaranoFORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL – DIR: Nicholas Stoller (USA)
Starring: Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis, Jonah Hill, Bill HaderGONZO: THE LIFE AND WORK OF HUNTER S. THOMPSON – DIR: Alex Gibney (USA) (Documentary) THE LIFE BEFORE HER EYES – DIR: Vadim Perelman (USA)
Starring: Uma Thurman, Evan Rachel Wood, and Eva AmurriMONGOL – DIR: Sergei Bodrov (Germany/Kazakhstan/Russia)
Starring: Aliya, Tegen Ao, Tadanobu AsanoNOISE – DIR: Henry Bean (USA)
Starring: Tim Robbins, William Hurt, William Baldwin, Bridgette Moynahan, Gabrielle BrennanPRICELESS – DIR: Pierre Salvadori (France)
Starring: Audrey Tatou, Gad ElmalehSAVAGE GRACE – DIR: Tom Kalin (USA)
Starring: Julianne Moore, Hugh Dancy, Stephen Dillane, Elena AnayaTHE VISITOR – DIR: Tom McCarthy (USA)
Starring: Richard Jenkins, Haaz Sleiman, Danai Jekesai GuriraWHEN DID YOU LAST SEE YOUR FATHER? – DIR: Anand Tucker
Starring: Colin Firth, Jim Broadbent (UK/Ireland)
TEXAS COMPETITION sponsored by MPS StudiosCIAO – DIR: Yen Tan (USA)
Starring: Adam Neal Smith, Alessandro Calza, Ethel LungCOOK COUNTY – DIR: David Pomes
Starring: Anson Mount, Xander Berkeley, Ryan Donowho, Polly ColeFISSURE – DIR: Russ Pond
Starring: James MacDonald, Scarlett McAlister, Jim BlumettiGOLIATH – DIR: David Zellner & Nathan Zellner
Starring: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner, Caroline O'ConnorNORTH STARR – DIR: Matthew Stanton
Starring: Jerome Hawkins, Matthew Stanton, Chris SullivanSIX MAN, TEXAS – DIR: Alan Barber
(Documentary)TULIA, TX – DIR: Kelly Whalen & Cassandra Herman
(Documentary)
ENVIRONMENTAL VISIONS COMPETITION sponsored by Current EnergyBURNING THE FUTURE: COAL IN AMERICA – DIR: David NovackFIELDS OF FUEL – DIR: Josh TickellFLOW: FOR THE LOVE OF WATER – DIR: Irena SalinaUP THE YANGTZE – DIR: Yung Chang
WORLD CINEMAAFTER THE NIGHT… DAWN (NISHIJAPON) – DIR: Sandip Ray (India)
Starring: Rituparna SenguptaAMAL – DIR: Richie Mehta (Canada)
Starring: Rupinder Nagra, Naseeruddin Shah, Seema Biswas, Koel PurieBATTLE FOR HADITHA – DIR: Nick Broomfield (UK)
Starring: Elliot Ruiz, Yasmine Hanani, Andrew McLarenBLIND – DIR: Tamar van den Dop (The Netherlands/Belgium/Bulgaria)
Starring: Joren Seldeslachts, Halina Reijn, Katelijne VerbekeBLOOD BROTHERS (TIAN TANG KOU) – DIR: Alexi Tan (Taiwan/Hong Kong)
Starring: Daniel Wu, Ye Liu, Qi ShuFARO, GODDESS OF WATER (FARO – LA REINE DES EAUX) – DIR: Salif Traore (France/Canada/Mali)
Starring: Sotigui Kouyaté, Balla Habib Dembélé, Maimouna Hélène DiarraFUGITIVE PIECES – DIR: Jeremy Podeswa (Canada)
Starring: Rachelle Lefevre, Larissa Laskin, Devon Bostick, Rosamund PikeTHE HOME SONG STORIES – DIR: Tony Ayres (Australia)
Starring: Joan Chen, Yuwu Qi, Joel LokJC CHAVEZ – DIR: Diego Luna (Mexico)
(Documentary) Featuring: Julio Cesar Chavez, Oscar De La Hoya, Don King, Diego Luna, Mike TysonTHE MONSTER AMONG US – Cynthia Mondell & Alan Mondell (USA)
(Documentary)MY BROTHER IS AN ONLY CHILD – DIR: Daniele Luchetti (Italy)
Starring: Elio Germano, Riccardo Scamarcio, Angela FinocchiaroNOT BY CHANCE – DIR: Philippe Barcinski (Brazil)
Starring: Rodrigo Santoro, Leonardo Medeiros, Letícia SabatellaTHE REST IS SILENCE (RESTUL E TACERE) – DIR: Nae Caranfil (Romania)
Starring: Marius Florea VizanteSILENT RESIDENT (WEISSE LILIEN) – DIR: Christian Frosch (Austra/Germany/Luxembourg/Hungary)
Starring: Brigitte Hobmeier, Johanna Wokalek, Martin WuttkeSUMMERHOOD – DIR: Jacob Medjuck (Canada)
Starring: John Cusack, Christopher McDonald, Raquel Alessi, Lucian MaiselTRIANGLE – DIR: Ringo Lam, Johnny To, Hark Tsui (Germany/Hong Kong)
Starring: Louis Koo, Simon Yam, Kelly Lin
AFI FEST/SILVERDOCS SHOWCASEAFGHAN MUSCLES – DIR: Andreas Dalsgaard (Denmark)
(Documentary)MUNYRANGABO – DIR: Lee Isaac Chung (Rwanda/USA)
Starring: Jeff Rutagengwa, Eric Ndorunkundiye, Jean Pierre HarerimanaOPERATION FILMMAKER – DIR: Nina Davenport (USA)
(Documentary) Featuring: Liev Schreiber, Dwayne JohnsonPLEASE VOTE FOR ME – DIR: Weijun Chen (China)
(Documentary)SPINE TINGLER: THE WILLIAM CASTLE STORY – DIR: Jeffrey Schwarz (USA)
(Documentary) Featuring: John Waters, John Landis
MAVERICKSCHRYSALIS – DIR: Julien Leclercq (France)
Starring: Albert Dupontel, Marie Guillard, Patrick BauchauFLASHPOINT (DAO HUO XIAN) – DIR: Wilson Yip (Hong Kong/China)
Starring: Donnie Yen, Louis Koo, Collin ChouSTUCK – DIR: Stuart Gordon
Starring: Mena Suvari, Stephen ReaTIME CRIMES (LOS CRONOCRIMENES) – DIR: Nacho Vigalondo (Spain)
Starring: Karra Elejalde, Candela FernándezTHE TRACEY FRAGMENTS – DIR: Bruce McDonald (Canada)
Starring: Ellen Page, Ryan CooleyVEXILLE – DIR: Fumihiko Sori (Japan)
(Animated)
FAMILY FRIENDLYDIAMOND DOG CAPER – DIR: Mark Stouffer (USA)
Starring: French Stewart, Luke Benward, Kevin Farley, John FarleyJUMP! – DIR: Helen Hood Scheer (USA)
(Documentary)NIM’S ISLAND – DIR: Jennifer Flackett & Mark Levin (USA)
Starring: Abigail Breslin, Jodie Foster, Gerard ButlerSON OF RAMBOW – DIR: Garth Jennings (UK/France)
Starring: Zofia Brooks, Neil Dudgeon, Tallulah Evans
FAMILY FRIENDLY SHORTS BLOCK, including:ASTON’S STONES (ASTONS STENAR) – DIR: Lotta Geffenblad & Uzi Geffenblad (Sweden)
(Animated)OBARA & THE MERCHANTS – DIR: Manauvaskar Kublall (USA)
Narrated by: Alonzo BodenRACCOON AND CRAWFISH – DIR: Calvert J. Waller III, Heather Carpini, Karabo Legwaila, Mark Edwards, Peter Hale, Shaun Foster (USA)
(Animated)PAUL’S GRANDPA (PAUL’S OPA) – DIR: Ove Sander (Germany)
Starring: Julius Hillebrand, Rolf Nagel, Claudia SchmutzlerA SUNNY DAY – DIR: Gil Alkabetz (Germany)
(Animated)
ANIMATION COMPETITIONA-Z – DIR: Sally Arthur (UK)BARE – DIR: Andy Lyon (USA)GLITCH – DIR: Peter Ricq (Canada)JEU – DIR: Georges Schwizgebel (Canada)KEY LIME PIE – DIR: Trevor Jimenez (Canada)KID SHOW – DIR: Tom DesLongchamp (USA)LIL’ ITALY – DIR: Justin Harder (USA) **not in competitionMADAM TUTLI-PUTLI – DIR: Chris Lavis & Maciek Szczerbowski (Canada)MY BIODEGRADABLE HEART – DIR: Dana Adam Shapiro (USA)NAKED BRANCHES – DIR: Will Kim (USA)SHUT EYE HOTEL – DIR: Bill Plympton (USA)SIMULCRA – DIR: Tatchapon Lertwirojkul (USA)VOODOO BAYOU – DIR: Javier Gutierrez (Mexico)
COMMUNITY SHOWCASEDEBAKEY – DIR: Ken Mandel (USA)FOOD FIGHT! – DIR: Chris Taylor (USA)KARMA POLICE – DIR: John Venable (USA)THE LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF JAMES BYRD – DIR: Ricky Jason (USA)LIFTED – DIR: Randall Dottin (USA)
MIDNIGHT SPECIALSBLOOD ON THE HIGHWAY – DIR: Barak Epstein & Blair Rowan (USA)
Starring: Tom Towles, Nicholas BrendonBIG MAN JAPAN – DIR: Hitoshi Matsumoto (Japan)
Starring: Hitoshi Matsumoto, Riki Takeuchi, UaMIDNIGHT SHORTS BLOCK, including (and in competition):DACH – DIR: Robert Glassford & Timo Langer (UK)FAR OUT – DIR: Phil Mucci (USA)FILTHY FOOD – DIR: T. Arthur Cottam (USA)HIRSUTE – DIR: A.J. Bond (Canada)THE OBJECT – DIR: Leslie Ali (UK)ONE DAY ACROSS THE VALLEY – DIR: Andrea Giacomini (USA)RABBIT TROUBLES – DIR: Dimitar Mitovski & Kamen Kalev (Bulgaria)THE RAMBLER – DIR: Calvin Reeder (USA)SHARP TEETH – VII – DIR: Limbert Fabian (USA)
VICTORY PLAZA SCREENINGS (ADDITIONAL)THE GOONIES (1985) – DIR: Richard Donner GREASE (1978) – DIR: Randal KleiserWHO FRAMED ROGER RABBIT (1988) – DIR: Robert Zemeckis THE WIZ (1978) – DIR: Sidney Lumet
STUDENT COMPETITIONCAPTURE CLAUS – DIR: Chris McInroy (USA)A DAY’S WORK – DIR: Rajeev Dassani (USA)DOXOLOGY – DIR: Michael Langan (USA)THE EXECUTION OF SOLOMON HARRIS – DIR: Wyatt Garfield & Ed Yonaitis (USA)FINAL JOURNEY – DIR: Lars Zimmermann (USA)FREE AT LAST – DIR: Wyndll Robertson (USA)HIGH MAINTENANCE – DIR: Phillip Van (USA/Germany)KATIE’S JOURNEY – DIR: Samuel J?rgensen (USA)THE VULNERABLE ONES (LES VULNERABLES) – DIR: Bent-Jorgen Perlmutt (Congo/USA)THE LINE – DIR: Kent Bassett (USA)THE LUTHERAN – DIR: Brad Bosley (USA) NEST OF SPIDERS – DIR: Jesse Pilkes (USA)SONG OF DAVID – DIR: Oded Turgeman (USA)WHAT DO WE WANT, WHEN DO WE WANT IT – DIR: Alex Jablonski (USA)
SHORTS COMPETITION THE BABYSITTER – DIR: David H. Steinberg
Starring: Molly Hagan, Brie Larson, Josh CookeBITTER SWEET (Горько ) – DIR: Yurat Safarov (Russia)BLOOM – DIR: Lance Larson (USA) BONGO BONG – DIR: Ken Wardrop (Ireland)A CATALOG OF ANTICIPATIONS – DIR: David Lowery (USA)COLLECTIBLES – DIR: Miranda Yousef (USA)CURSING HANLEY – DIR: Kelly Harms (Canada)DIVA – DIR: Josephine Mackerras (France)FANTASIE IN BUBBLEWRAP – DIR: Arthur Metcalf (USA)FAREWELL PACKETS OF TEN – DIR: Ken Wardrop (Ireland)
FOUND – DIR: Bill Sebastian (USA)FRINGE – DIR: Tate Lown (USA)THE FROZEN CITY – DIR: Alex Perez (USA)GALLERIA – DIR: Vivieno Caldinelli (Canada)HEARTBEATS (HARTSLAGEN) – DIR: Vincent Coen (Belgium)INTERVENTION – DIR: Casey Gooden (USA)KIDS + MONEY – DIR: Laura Greenfield (USA)THE KNIFE GRINDERS TALE – DIR: R.L. Hooker (USA) L.H.O. – DIR: Jan Zabeil & Kristof Kannegie?er (Germany)LOVE STORY – DIR: Amit (UK)LUCK OF THE DRAW – DIR: S.J. Main (USA)
Starring: James DuvallMOVEMENT – DIR: Alex O’Flinn (USA)MY CARNIVAL – DIR: Michele Nocchi (Italy)ON THE ASSASSINATION OF THE PRESIDENT – DIR: Adam Keker (USA)PARTS – DIR: Scott Hanson (USA)ROCK POCKETS – DIR: Trevor Anderson (Canada)SAFARI – DIR: Catherine Chalmers (USA) THE SCHOOLYARD – DIR: Chloé Leriche (Canada)THE SECOND LINE – DIR: John Magary (USA)SOFT – DIR: Simon Ellis (UK)SONG OF SLOMON – DIR: Emmanuel Shirinian (Canada) SPIDER – DIR: Nash Edgerton (Australia) STOLEN YOUTH – DIR: Leon Chambers (UK)SUNLIT SHADOWS – DIR: Benjamin M. Piety (USA)TOKYO JIM – DIR: Jamie Rafn (UK)TONY ZOREIL – DIR: Valentin Potier (France)WAVES – DIR: Adrian Sitaru (Romania)X – DIR: Josh Brolin (USA)
Starring: Eden Brolin
LOCAL STUDENT SHORTSNORTH TEXAS COLLEGE SHOWCASELOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS’ BLOCK
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON BLOCK, including:BENNY THE COCKROACH – DIR: Edgar BenevetesBLANK TAPE – DIR: Peter GreenBREAD OF LIFE – DIR: Balkin TanihuBUSY BEES AT THE BEACH – DIR: Marcie MauteCONSECUTIVE DREAMS – DIR: Kayla EscobedoTHE LAST FAREWELL – DIR: Chaz WallaceL’ELEPHANT ROSE – DIR: Ryan BockLONGTIME WANTING – DIR: Daniel J. GrossMIDNIGHT FIGHT – DIR: Marc Edwards MORNING RITUAL – DIR: Annie SuchPARANOIA – DIR: Alex HalbertWAKE UP – DIR: Dean Harbour
http://www.cinemablend.com/new/AFI-Dallas-Festival-Lineup-Announced-8077.html
