DALLAS International Film Festival Opening Night

Dallas International Film Festival announced it will take over all eight screens of the Angelika Film Center for a Opening Night Celebration that will showcase multiple films and highlighting the great diversity (narrative, documentary, Texas made, classic Mexican cinema, shorts, etc.) within the program this year. 1,600 Dallas film goers will participate in the festivities and see featured films including BILL CUNNINGHAM NEW YORK, MULTIPLE SARCASMS, NOSOTROS LOS POBRES, SKATELAND and a special Shorts block. In addition, the Festival announced a Super Saturday lineup of films packed with four world premieres, including HOLD, SIN ELLA (WITHOUT HER), VIRSA and WE ARE THE SEA.

The 11-day festival (April 8 – 18) will feature 153 feature films and shorts with 170 screenings. For the fourth consecutive year, Target will once again take the lead with the filmmaker awards sponsorship as the Target Narrative and Target Documentary Feature Competition winners will each receive a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize.

DALLAS Film Society Chairman Michael Cain said. “The screening of multiple films on Opening Night is a direct result of listening to the filmmakers and  our audience. We closed last year with multiple films and the audience loved  the selection and choice. This move enables us to welcome a larger audience  and turn the spotlight on more filmmaking teams who now share ownership of  the Opening Night of the festival. As founder Liener Temerlin reminds us  often, the city has come to expect a world class presentation from this film  festival. By taking over the entire Angelika Film Center of Dallas for the  screening of multiple visions, we are able to deliver this once again.”

This year, the DALLAS Star Award, presented annually by the DALLAS International Film Festival to film artists in recognition of their unique contributions to cinema, will be given to writer-director Guillermo Arriaga (BABEL, 21 GRAMS), writer-director John Lee Hancock (THE ROOKIE, THE BLIND SIDE), three time Academy Award nominated cinematographer Wally Pfister (BATMAN BEGINS, THE PRESTIGE, THE DARK KNIGHT) and Mexican film Icon Pedro Infante (NOSOTROS LOS POBRES, USTEDES LOS RICOS, PEPE EL TORO) to mark Mexico’s Bicentennial. The stunning awards are designed from Steuben Crystal and are presented courtesy of Neiman Marcus.

Arriaga will be presented his DALLAS Star Award prior to a special “Conversation with…” panel discussion of his career and screening of his film THE BURNING PLAIN, Hancock and Pfister will both receive their DALLAS Star Award prior to the filmmaker awards during The DALLAS Film Society Honors event on Friday, April 16. The DALLAS Star Award will be presented posthumously to Infante prior to the screening of NOSOTROS LOS POBRES.

Academy Award winning Writer/Director Pete Docter will be the recipient of the Texas Avery Animation Award presented by REEL FX ENTERTAINMENT, which honors lifetime achievement in animation filmmaking. The award will be presented to Docter prior to a special celebration of his career in animation.

Sponsored by Match.com, the Opening Night Festivities will showcase multiple films including narratives, documentaries and short films on all 8 screens of the Angelika Film Center at Mockingbird Station on Thursday, April 8. An audience of 1,600 Dallas film lovers will gather to enjoy red carpet arrivals, films and an Opening Night Celebration to be held throughout Mockingbird Station.

Special guest Bill Paxton and Honorary Chairs Mayor Tom Leppert and Laura Leppert will walk the red carpet and welcome festival goers to this fourth celebration of the best in cinema.

More information: http://dallasfilm.org/press/501