DIFF today announced the line-up for the 19th edition of the annual Dallas International Film Festival, April 25 – May 1, 2025. The Festival was named in October as an Oscar® Qualifying Festival by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and will feature screenings of more than 120 films, Q&A sessions, and panels with filmmakers and actors, nightly DIFF Red Carpets, and special events.
Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Victory Park, located steps away from American Airlines Center at 2365 Victory Park Lane, will serve as the host venue. Additional screenings and events will be held in the innovative AT&T Discovery District, the vibrant Harwood District, the historic Texas Theatre, and the artful Virgin Hotels Dallas – which returns for the third year as the Premier Sponsor of the Festival – among other world-class Dallas destinations to be announced.
“For our first year as an Oscar® Qualifying Festival, we have curated a powerful collection of feature, documentary and short films. One particular highlight will be the world premiere of HAPPY AS LARRY – last year, the screenplay for that film was a semifinalist in our first-ever Screenwriting Competition, and it has now returned to DIFF as a completed film, a testament to the role film festivals like ours play in furthering the art of film,” said James Faust, DIFF Artistic Director. “Another highlight will be a music and film panel with Abraham Alexander, who was nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Original Song for SING SING, which played at DIFF in 2024. Movie lovers have come to us for nearly two decades to discover the gems of cinema, and this year will not disappoint.”
The lineup of feature films for DIFF 2025 to-date includes:
40 ACRES (Narrative Feature) (Canada)
Director: R.T. Thorne
In a post-apocalyptic world with food scarcity, a Black family of Canadian farmers descended from American Civil War migrants defend their homestead against cannibals trying to seize their resources.
ADA-MY MOTHER THE ARCHITECT (Documentary) (USA, Israel)
Director: Yael Melamede
Ada Karmi Melamede is one of the most accomplished female architects in the world, but very little is known about her outside her home country of Israel. ADA – MY MOTHER THE ARCHITECT is a deeply moving portrait of an extraordinary woman directed by her daughter, filmmaker, and former architect, Yael Melamede. Ada is a true pioneer who, like many successful working mothers of her time, was forced to make impossible choices. Despite personal sacrifices, Ada’s work gave physical form to some of Israel’s highest democratic ideals, most notably in the acclaimed Supreme Court building in Jerusalem, the Open University, Ben Gurion airport, and numerous civic institutions around the country. ADA – MY MOTHER THE ARCHITECT profiles a woman and artist deeply tested by the realities of career and motherhood, and a unique mother-daughter bond.
ALL THAT WE LOVE (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Yen Tan
Upon the loss of her beloved dog, Emma faces an empty nest and renewed feelings for her estranged ex-husband, as she navigates the joy and sorrow of starting anew.
A PORTRAIT OF A POSTMAN (Documentary) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Chris Charles Scott
A Portrait of a Postman is the astonishing true story of Kermit Oliver, a reclusive genius who spent decades working the graveyard shift at a Texas post office—while secretly creating masterpieces that would hang in the Smithsonian and designing million-dollar scarves for Hermès. His colleagues never knew they stood beside one of the greatest living American artists. Plucked from obscurity into the world of high fashion, Kermit’s life seemed destined for legend—until a tragic murder derailed everything, pushing him further into the shadows. Stranger than fiction yet profoundly human, this documentary unravels the mystery of a man whose brilliance was hidden in plain sight, ensuring that history will finally place him where he belongs—alongside Warhol, Pollock, and the greats.
ANDRE IS AN IDIOT (Documentary) (USA)
Director: Tony Benna
Andre, an irreverent man, embarks on an unexpected journey after receiving a terminal diagnosis, determined to maintain his humor while learning to die happily.
BARRON’S COVE (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Evan Ari Kelman
After his son is tragically killed, a grieving father with a history of violence kidnaps the child responsible, igniting a frenzied manhunt fueled by a powerful politician — the father of the kidnapped boy.
BUDDIES AND THE HEIR (Narrative Feature) (Brazil)
Director: Marcelo Galvao
BUDDIES AND THE HEIR (*Colegas e o Herdeiro*) is a delightful road movie and the much-anticipated sequel to the 2012 hit “Buddies,” the most awarded comedy in Brazilian cinema history. The original film, featuring Down syndrome protagonists and produced by a blind visionary, became a critical and public success that left an indelible mark on Brazilian cinema. This new adventure is also the final work of this remarkable producer, who passed away last year.
CAFÉ CHAIREL (Narrative Feature) (Mexico)
Director: Fernando Guillermo Barreda Luna
Two lonely people burdened by loss find solace in each other’s company working at a small café, revealing the subtle yet profound impact of their shared grief and their unexpected connection.
THE CONFESSION (Narrative Feature) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Will A Canon
Set in rural Texas, a struggling musician moves back into her childhood home and discovers a disturbing family secret that threatens to unravel her entire life.
DANIELLA FOREVER (Narrative Feature) (Spain, USA, Belgium)
Director: Nacho Vigalaondo
This film follows a man as he joins a sleep trial that allows him to rebuild his life with his girlfriend who died in an accident through the use of lucid dreams.
DIY: THE RISE AND FALL AND RISE OF PUNK (Documentary) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Joel Cecilio Herrera
DIY is an extrospective dissection of Pop-Punk; from the SoCal garages of the 80’s to the enduring impact the genre has had on music, fashion, and culture.
DUE WEST (Narrative Feature) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Evan Miller
A small-town woman in need of medical care in West Texas is forced to break the law.
EASTERN WESTERN (Narrative Feature) (USA, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria)
Director: Biliana Grozdanova
Set in the 1880s, EASTERN WESTERN follows Igor, a recent immigrant and widower who struggles to raise his two-year old son Ivo in the mountains of the American West. The harshness of winter brings new challenges, testing Igor’s parenting and survival skills. Duncan, an acquaintance who brings occasional provisions, offers Igor the chance to join his family’s horse business and move into their ranch. Igor is attracted to the idea that will give him and his son a true place in American society, but he struggles to leave behind their first American home.
GALLAGHER (Documentary) (USA)
Director: Josh Forbes
This documentary about the legendary watermelon smashing 80s icon Gallagher is a story of triumph and heartache in a fascinating, hilarious, strange character study of a true American comedy icon.
GUNMAN (Narrative Feature) (Argentina)
Director: Cris Tapia Marchiori
GUNMAN (Gatillero) is a tense, real-time thriller. A raw story of tragedy and redemption, made through a single continuous shot, it was filmed in the real Isla Maciel, on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
HAPPY AS LARRY (Narrative Feature) (United Kingdom) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Hugo Andre
Unsatisfied with life after years of writing novels far more interesting than his own life, Larry decides to go on one last adventure in the Isle of Skye before his scheduled demise.
FREE LEONARD PELTIER (Documentary) (USA)
Director(s): David France, Jesse Short Bull
Leonard Peltier, an activist jailed for decades after a disputed conviction, faces his twilight years as a new generation fights for his release from prison before it’s too late.
FRIENDSHIP (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Andrew DeYoung
Suburban dad Craig has his life turned upside down by the arrival of a new neighbor. As Craig’s attempts to make an adult male friend spiral out of control, their blossoming relationship threatens to ruin both of their lives.
KINTSUGI DREAMS: THE UNMUKT CHAND STORY (Documentary) (India) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Raghav Khanna
The film follows Unmukt’s journey from India to the United States as he tackles issues of immigration, patriotism and identity while trying to fulfill his childhood dream of playing international cricket.
THE LIBRARIANS (Documentary) (USA)
Director: Kim A Snyder
As an unprecedented wave of book banning is sparked in Texas, Florida, and beyond, librarians under siege join forces as unlikely defenders fighting for intellectual freedom on the front lines of democracy.
LUV YA, BUM! (Documentary) (USA)
Director(s): Sam Wainwright Douglas, David Hartstein
In the ’70s, Houston was booming…except for the city’s woeful pro football team. The Oilers gambled on hiring Bum Phillips, an unconventional East Texas coach known for cowboy hats, ostrich boots, and folksy one-liners. Ditching tradition and embracing a family-first atmosphere, Bum brought in “misfits” and “has-beens” to build a winner. At its peak, Bum’s Oilers blew up into the “Luv Ya Blue!” phenomenon, with Earl Campbell and the Oilers going to war with a Pittsburgh Steelers dynasty. Bum’s success on and off the field, his humanity and unique style left a legacy now carried forward by many, including his son and grandson, celebrated coaches Wade and Wes Phillips.
MATTER OF TIME (Narrative Feature) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Jeremy Snead
Charlie Fleck, a 29-year-old aspiring videogame designer, is given the opportunity of a lifetime with a time-stopping device given to him by his friend, an eccentric toy shop owner, Gibbs.
MOTHERLAND (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Evan Matthews
In an alternate present society where the state frees parents from the burden of raising children, a rule enforcer learns a shocking truth that sparks her rebellion.
NIGHT IN WEST TEXAS (Documentary) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Deborah S. Esquenazi
Forty years after a gay Apache man is framed for the brutal murder of a closeted Catholic priest, a police chief uncovers long-buried evidence that shakes up the small, oil-rich West Texas town that imprisoned him.
OMAHA (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Cole Webley
Set against the backdrop of the 2008 economic crisis, Omaha follows a struggling father (John Magaro) who embarks on a road trip across the American West with his two children, Ella and Charlie, in search of hope and a better life. What begins as a seemingly spontaneous family journey gradually reveals deeper layers of both grief and resilience, as Ella starts to sense that her father’s intentions may be masking a more profound truth.
THE OTHER (Narrative Feature) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Paul Etheredge
After years of struggling with infertility, a Caucasian couple, Daniel and Robin, become foster parents to Kathelia (8), a mute, African American orphan, with the hope of becoming a permanent family. The challenges begin immediately. Despite her young age, Kathelia shows fierce independence and prefers to keep her new parents at a distance. Robin and Daniel attribute this behavior to Kathelia’s turbulent past (her mother murdered her family). More difficult to explain: a persistent black mold that sprouts throughout the house, a red slime that skins over the swimming pool, and the eerie “presence” that haunts Robin.
PARTY PEOPLE (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Joey LePage
One night. One party. And 15 people who are just trying to get there.
REMAINING NATIVE (Documentary) (USA)
Director: Paige Bethmann
This coming-of-age documentary is told from the perspective of Ku Stevens, a 17-year-old Native American runner, struggling to navigate his dream of becoming a collegiate athlete as the memory of his great grandfather’s escape from an Indian boarding school begins to connect past, present, and future. Ku is the solo runner at his high school with no coach. Living on the Yerington Paiute reservation in Northwest Nevada he needs more to be seen by his dream school, the University of Oregon. As Ku trains, unreconciled emotions unearth the memory of his great-grandfather, Frank Quinn. At 8 years old, Frank ran 50 miles across the desert to escape an Indian boarding school. Frank’s story becomes interwoven with Ku’s journey to run a collegiate qualifying time. Will Ku outrun his history or will he learn to run in parallel with it to achieve his dreams?
SABA (Narrative Feature) (India)
Director: Maksud Hossain
In Dhaka, Bangladesh, 25-year-old Saba cares for her paralyzed mother, Shirin, after an accident leaves her unable to walk. As Saba shoulders the responsibilities of caregiving and earning a living, the daily grind seems never-ending, and Shirin’s demands grow as her health deteriorates. While working at a job she found to earn money for Shirin’s surgery, Saba meets Ankur, who brings a glimmer of hope into her life. When Saba senses her mother’s impending death, this moment of overwhelming pain also signals the end of her seemingly endless cycle of life.
THE SALAMANDER KING (Narrative Feature) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Austin Nichols
THE SALAMANDER KING is an indie comedy that focuses on a group of Austinites who work and play at a municipal golf course – aka MUNY – that’s come under threat of extinction due to the city’s rapid growth. The main characters are an increasingly endangered species in Austin – misfits and creative types who embrace the city’s mantra: Keep Austin Weird. The film is also a story about the universal desire to be part of a community and the need for shared public spaces. Despite their disparate backgrounds, the misfits at MUNY share a strong bond with one another and view the course as integral to the preservation of their “found family”.
THE SHORT GAME (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Frank Sanza
Jeremy Avery is vying for a college golf scholarship, but his preparation and game are affected by family pressures related to his younger autistic brother Ethan. Jeremy’s path leads him on a journey of discovery both internal and of his brother’s savant like gifts, that could create an unstoppable pair.
STELLA STEVENS: THE LAST STARLET (Documentary) (USA)
Director: Andrew Stevens
The film explores the personal and professional life of Stella Stevens, one of Hollywood’s last starlets. Her career spanned from the final days of the male dominated old Hollywood studio system, through the evolution of the new Hollywood, which coincided with the struggle for women’s rights, and human rights of all races and identities, for which she was an advocate.
TAKE IT AWAY (Documentary) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Adrian Alejandro Arredondo
Today, artists like Peso Pluma and Grupo Frontera dominate the airwaves. The meteoric rise of Tejano and Regional Mexican music can arguably be traced to one man: Johnny Canales, whose syndicated music variety show was appointment viewing in millions of households across North America, and launched the careers of legendary musicians like Selena, Ramon Ayala, and Intocable. Through deep archival footage and interviews, TAKE IT AWAY explores the rise and fall not just of Canales, but the evolution of the genre itself.
TO USE A MOUNTAIN (Documentary) (USA) US PREMIERE
Director: Casey Carter
Physics, geology, and democracy collide across the expansive American interior, in a series of vignettes from six candidate sites for a sacrificial nuclear dumping ground.
TOXIC (Narrative Feature) (Lithuania)
Director: Saulė Bliuvaitė
Dreaming of an escape from the bleakness of their hometown, two teens form a unique bond at a local modeling school, where the promise of a better life pushes girls to violate their bodies in increasingly extreme ways.
UNEARTH (Documentary) (USA)
Director: John Hunter Nolan
UNEARTH follows a charismatic and inspiring set of Native Alaskan activists and commercial salmon fishermen as they navigate the treacherous waters of the power players, politics, and tactics driving forward North America’s largest-ever proposed copper mine in their beloved homeland of Bristol Bay, Alaska, revealing the potentially unsustainable cost of our sustainable future. This timely, shocking, yet uplifting story unveils a mining industry wrought with systematic recklessness, exposes the delicate balance between mined materials critical to a sustainable future and their unsustainable cost, and offers a beacon of hope when good triumphs over evil.
WHAT WE HIDE (AKA SPIDER & JESSIE) (Narrative Feature) (USA)
Director: Dan Kay
After discovering their mother has fatally overdosed, two scrappy sisters (portrayed by Emmy Nominated Mckenna Grace and rising star Jojo Regina), terrified they’ll be separated by an overburdened foster care system, conceal the body. But as the local police chief (Tony Nominated Jesse Williams), mom’s drug counselor, and her volatile ex-boyfriend (Stranger Things’ Dacre Montgomery) get closer to uncovering the truth, the girls will have to decide just how far they are willing to go to keep their secret buried.
WILLIE NELSON PRESENTS: KING OF THE ROADIES (Documentary) (USA) WORLD PREMIERE
Director: Amy Lee Nelson
This is a true story about the unreal life of an unsung country music hero. Willie Nelson and friends share stories of the enigmatic Texan, Ben Dorcy (aka Lovey), an unsung hero who shaped American music history, pioneered an entire profession as the world’s first roadie, and rivaled time itself to keep the show on the road.
The lineup of short films for DIFF 2025 to-date includes:
4TH DEMENTIA
ADO
BARK
CHERRY PIE, DIE!
DEATH’S CRISIS
DON’T LEAVE HOME!
EXPIRATION DAY
FAMILY SUNDAY
FISHMONGER
FOXBODY
GARDENING
GEORGE
GOOD BOY BANJO
HEAVY IS THE HEAD
HOOPS, HOPES & DREAMS
I HID MY HEART INSIDE MY HEAD
LAS AUTÉNTICAS Y VERDADERAS AMAZONAS DE YAXUNAH
LAST TO LEAVE
LES BÊTES
LONDON, KY
THE MAN WHO COULD NOT REMAIN SILENT
MARVELOUS GIFT
MEDICINE
MONKEY
MOTHER’S CHILD
THE MOURNING OF
O.C.D.
ODESSA, TX
ONCE MORE, LIKE RAIN MAN
PACK RAT
THE POMEGRANATE
RED SANDS
RETURN TO CHEYENNE
THE RISE AND DECLINE OF PUNK ROCK
¡SALSA!
SILENT PANORAMA
SUPPER
SWIMMING WITH BUTTERFLIES
TIGER
WALTZ FOR THREE
WHEN IT COMES (IT WILL HAVE YOUR EYES)
WRECKING PARTY
The lineup of music videos for DIFF 2025 to-date includes:
BLOOD GROOVE
BUDDHA WAS A RICH BOY
CHOKIN’
COUNTRY COUTURE
FLOODED REALMS
REAGANOMICS
RUTH ( ルース)
WHATEVER
WYNONA
The Dallas International Film Festival will also feature live screenplay table reads, awards, and other events and activations where filmmakers, screenwriters, film industry leaders, celebrities, sponsors, and audiences come together to experience and discuss film. Films are curated from submissions received by filmmakers worldwide, across Texas, and the United States, and include narrative features, documentaries, and short films of all genres from studios and independent filmmakers.
Grand Jury Prizes for DIFF 2025 will be awarded for Best Texas Short Film, Best Texas Feature, Best Documentary Short Film, Best Documentary Feature, Best International Feature, Best International Short Film, Best Narrative Feature, Best Animated Short Film, and Best Student Film within the Shorts Competition. Additionally, Audience Awards will be given for Best Documentary Feature, Best Narrative Feature, and Best Short Film. There will also be a Dallas County Historical Commission Prize for Best Historical Film.
Other film categories and tracks will include: Music, Sports, World Films, Latino Films, Family Films, Indigenous Films, LGBTQIA+, Persons with Disabilities, Environment/Sustainability, and Midnight Films, among others.
Oscar® Qualifying short film awards at the Dallas International Film Festival are: Grand Jury Prize – Best Animated Short Film; Grand Jury Prize – Best Documentary Short Film; and Grand Jury Prize – Best Narrative Short Film. Films that win qualified awards between October 1, 2024, and September 30, 2025, may be qualified to enter the 98th Academy Awards®, provided that the films meet all the requirements set forth in the official rules for that season.
