The Dallas International Film Festival presented by AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers announced today the DIFF Talk/Show : a free series of panel discussions conducted by notable filmmakers and beginning Saturday, April 6, 2013. Filmmakers and film-goers alike connect on their shared love of all things film. All talks are free to the public except the Featured Q&A with Mary Elizabeth Winstead and the Featured Q&A with William Friedkin , both on Saturday, April 13 .
Additionally, DIFF is pleased to announce the addition of more full-length and short films to the 2013 Festival line-up.
“This Festival is about bringing film – the art of it, study of it, enjoyment of it – directly to audiences, making it accessible for everyone who loves this art to be a part of its celebration,” said James Faust, Artistic Director of the Dallas International Film Festival. “The Talk/Show series is one more way that the Festival and the Dallas Film Society are bringing that to North Texas.”
The Festival also presents screenings and Q&As with honorees and special guests. A schedule of the series follows (content and locations subject to change – check http://diff2013.dallasfilm.
TALK/SHOW SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 6 – Location: The McKinney Avenue Contemporary, 3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX 75204
11 a.m.: By the Book: Legal Issues in Filmmaking*
When it comes to making a film, there’s a lot of red tape and potential pitfalls to navigate, including: copyrights, fair use, music licensing, contracts as well as production, purchase and distribution deals. A panel of experienced entertainment lawyers and industry insiders will shed some light on the dark forest of legal issues in film.
Moderator: Danica L. Mathes – Entertainment & Intellectual Property Attorney with Bell Nunnally & Martin LLP
Panelists:
Evan E. Fitzmaurice, Attorney with Selman Munson & Lerner P.C. (Austin)
Evan M. Fogelman, Attorney with Underwood Perkins, P.C. (Dallas)
Megan Gilbride, Producer of THE BOUNCEBACK and WHERE SOLDIERS COME FROM (Austin)
David Hale Smith, Literary Agent with DHS Literary and InkWell Management (Dallas)
* Approved for 1.0 hour of CLE credit.
1 p.m.: Screenwriting-Adapting for the screen (Presented by the Dallas Screenwriters Association)
Fans of comics, graphic novels, classics, tween stories and other literary material gauge a film’s success based on whether it maintains the core values of the original work. Join this discussion on how to inspire convincing and enthralling visual responses to the printed word, allowing audiences to “see” the story, while maintaining its essence.
Moderator: Carolyn Hodge, Dallas Screenwriters Association
Panelists:
Skip Hollandsworth, senior editor at Texas Monthly magazine, whose 1997 article, “Midnight in the Garden of East Texas,” became the film, BERNIE
James V. Hart, screenwriter of HOOK, BRAM STOKER’S DRACULA, TUCK EVERLASING, JACK AND THE BEANSTALK: THE REAL STORY, CONTACT, MUPPET TREASURE ISLAND, and many others not adapted from source material, including the current film EPIC.
3 p.m. Special FX-Previs
2-D Storyboards are dead. The world of “Previs” (previsualization) has revolutionized the industry. The art of finding out what your film looks like before you shoot it can be an enormous boost to the speed of your shoot. Industry professionals will discuss these tools and their many applications.
Moderator: Joey Cade, VFX Producer
Panelists:
Kyle Robinson, Previs Supervisor at Pixel Liberation Front
Dan Kaufman, VFX Supervisor
Wes Meyers, VFX Supervisor at Element X Creative
Jonathan Haug, Director, Producer, originally from Dallas
Chris Olivia, VFX and Previs Supervisor, Game Director
Sunday, April 7 – Location: Nasher Sculpture Center, 2001 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
1 p.m.: Grass roots funding for “Movies with a Mission” (Presented by FilmMatters in conjunction with Art House Dallas)
This panel explores the common challenges filmmakers, activists and non-profit organizations often face to secure funding for “movies with a mission.” The discussion will cover grassroots fundraising, including how to find individual donors with an interest in the film’s subject matter and how to engage a filmmaker’s network through various online funding platforms.
Moderator: Michael Cain, M3 Films, former Artistic Director of Dallas Film Society
Panelists:
Jason Cirone, Producer and Filmmaker
Lauren Embrey, President and CEO of the Embrey Family Foundation and CEO of Embrey Interests, Ltd.
T.C. Johnstone, Filmmaker
Keith Maitland, Director
3 p.m.: Funnybooks to Film (Presented by BigFanBoy.com)
Join Mark Walters for a discussion on comic book and superhero movies, which ones work, those that didn’t, and why.
Moderator: Mark Walters , BigFanBoy.com founder
Panelists:
James O’Barr , THE CROW creator
Steve Niles , an acclaimed American comic book author and novelist
Saturday, April 13 – Location: Crow Collection of Asian Art, 2010 Flora Street, Dallas, TX 75201
Passholders receive priority seating at this free event.
12:30 p.m.: A Conversation with Sherry Lansing
Moderated by John Hersker (Movie Tavern)
Dallas Star Award recipient, producer, philanthropist and first female head of a major studio, Sherry Lansing, will talk about her life in film
FEATURED Q&A s with the films:
Saturday April 13 12:30 p.m. – Location: Angelika Film Center, 5321 E Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX, 75206
Special screening of SMASHED with actress, Mary Elizabeth Winstead
DIFF presents a special screening of the film SMASHED with a special discussion with Dallas Shining Star Award recipient and actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead. For tickets, visit: www.DallasFilm.org.
Saturday April 13 3:30 p.m. – Location: Angelika Film Center, 5321 E Mockingbird Ln., Dallas, TX, 75206
40th Anniversary screening of THE EXORCIST with Director William Friedkin
DIFF presents a special screening of the 40th anniversary restored print of THE EXORCIST. The event will include a talk by Dallas Star Award recipient and honored director William Friedkin moderated by Chris Vognar, film critic with The Dallas Morning News. For tickets, visit: www. DallasFilm.org .
Also, DIFF is pleased to add several film titles to the Festival’s diverse mix of subjects, viewpoints , and aesthetics from film visionaries the world over. The additions are a mix of full-length and short films.
Full-length films added to the line-up:
BRAVE MISS WORLD (USA) –
Director: Cecilia Peck (in attendance)
Israeli beauty queen Linor Abargil was abducted and raped two months before being crowned Miss World in 1998. Ten years later, she’s ready to talk about it – and to encourage others to speak out. As a globe-trotting victims’ advocate, Linor encourages people to stand against sexual violence by putting an end to their silence. She travels to meet teens in South Africa, where girls are statistically more likely to be raped than educated. She visits Princeton and UC Santa Barbara, where women describe a campus culture that fails to take assaults seriously. From rape crisis centers to Hollywood’s living rooms, Linor is met with emotional support. Yet when she attends a celebrity rape trial that hits too close to home, she suffers a breakdown. In searching for something to ease her pain, Linor takes an unexpected turn. For victims of sexual assault, the journey toward wholeness never ends; still, Linor Abargil, the BRAVE MISS WORLD, continues her unflinching efforts to fight for justice and keep the nightmares at bay.
THESE BIRDS WALK (PAKISTAN/USA)
Directors: Omar Mullick & Bassam Tariq
In Karachi, Pakistan, a runaway boy’s life hangs on one critical question: where is home? The streets, an orphanage, or with the family he fled in the first place? Simultaneously heart-wrenching and life-affirming, THESE BIRDS WALK documents the struggles of these wayward street children and the Samaritans looking out for them in this ethereal and inspirational story of resilience.
THE BIG SHOOTOUT: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF 1969 (USA)
Director: Mike Looney (in attendance)
On December 6, 1969, in Fayetteville, AR, Texas and Arkansas met in the “game of the century” in celebration of the 100th season of college football. With Secret Service men overlooking his 35-yard line seat, President Nixon was there, bringing along George Bush for company. Civil rights and war protestors were there. Fifty million watched on TV including LBJ. Bill Clinton listened on short wave radio in England. More than a game, 1969 was more than a year. This journey provides a glimpse of one of America’s most fascinating periods, featuring interviews with Beano Cook, players, politicians, professors and protestors. Darrell Royal appears in his final interview and Frank Broyles discusses the Shoot Out for the first time. THE BIG SHOOT OUT: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF 1969 will leave viewers longing for 1969—yet leery of its return.
THE DISCOVERERS (USA)
Director: Justin Schwarz (in attendance)
A road movie about a dysfunctional family who embark on a Lewis and Clark re-enactment trek and discover themselves and each other in the process.
HOUSTON (GERMANY/USA)
Director: Bastian Günther (in attendance)
A German corporate headhunter travels to Houston, Texas, in pursuit of a renowned oil company CEO, only to have his life fall apart.
SANITARIUM (USA) –
Directors: Kerry Valderrama, Bryan Ortiz & Bryan Ramirez (in attendance)
SANITARIUM blends together the maddening stories of three mental institution patients. Each tale is tied together by Dr. Stenson (Malcolm McDowell), the primary physician at the Sanitarium institution, who comments on the recent arrival of the patients. As Dr. Stenson speaks, the individual’s back story begins, and we see in frightening detail what lead them to their crazed states of mind. With elements from “The Twilight Zone,” “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” and “Tales from the Crypt,” SANITARIUM focuses on the paranormal, inexplicable and the downright horrifying.
BEYOND RIGHT AND WRONG: STORIES OF JUSTICE AND FORGIVENESS (USA) –
Directors: Lekha Singh (in attendance) & Roger Spottiswoode
BEYOND RIGHT AND WRONG tells the stories of people who both endured and perpetrated cruelty and aggression in the genocide in Rwanda, the violence in Israel/Palestine, and the "troubles" in Northern Ireland. After the blood has dried, treaties are negotiated and s creams have turned to silence, victims and perpetrators face an uneasy and painful peace. All wounds have not healed. The documentary portrays the resilience of humanity when facing the chasm between rage and acceptance.
DIRTY WARS (USA) –
Director: Richard Rowley (writer Jeremy Scahill in attendance)
It’s the dirty little secret of the War on Terror: all bets are off, and almost anything goes. We have fundamentally changed the rules of the game and the rules of engagement. Prior to 9/11, it was customary for America to sound a formal declaration of war on a given country before attacking. Today drone strikes, night raids, and U.S. government–condoned torture occur in hidden corners across the globe, generating unprecedented civilian casualties. Investigative reporter Jeremy Scahill traces the rise of the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), the most secret and elite fighting force in U.S. history, exposing covert operations carried out by men who do not exist on paper and will never appear before Congress. No target is off-limits for the JSOC “kill list,” even if the person is a U.S. citizen.
SMASHED (USA) –
Director: James Ponsoldt (actress, Mary Elizabeth Winstead in attendance)
A married couple whose bond is built on a mutual love of alcohol gets their relationship put to the test when the wife decides to get sober.
Short Films Added Include:
CAVALIER (USA)
Director: Steven Schardt (in attendance)
A father with restricted custody kidnaps his 20 month-old son to take him on a road-trip.
SLASH (USA)
Director: Clay Liford (in attendance)
Sam likes Harry Potter fan fiction so much, he decides to write his own. Only it's highly erotic, and he's just thirteen.
Passes and Tickets
DIFF Passes are now available at the online Prekindle Box Office at www.DallasFilm.org and at the Prekindle Main Box Office located on the southeast side of Mockingbird Station on the first floor, next to Urban Taco (469-547-1230). Prices range from $100 for a Festival Lounge Pass to $750 for an all-access Star Pass, which includes:
· All-access pass to all screenings
· One invitation to the Opening Night Screening and Gala on April 4, 2013, subject to availability
· Admission for one person to all Centerpiece screenings and parties during the Festival
· Access for one person to the Festival Lounge (Must be 21 or over to enter the Festival Lounge or to consume alcohol)
· Admission for one person to all regular film screenings and panel discussions
· Dallas International Film Festival swag bag full of unforgettable merchandise
For a fast and easy guide on “How to Fest,” watch the video at http://diff2013.dallasfilm.
About the Dallas Film Society
The Dallas Film Society celebrates films and their impact on society. A 501(c)3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society recognizes and honors filmmakers for their achievements in enhancing the creative community, provides educational programs to students to develop better understanding of the role of film in today's world, and promotes the City of Dallas and its commitment to the art of filmmaking. The annual Dallas International Film Festival, scheduled for April 4-14, 2013, is a presentation of the Dallas Film Society. In addition to producing one of the largest festivals in the Southwest, the Society produces numerous year round events, screening series and partnership programs with arts organizations around the city. For more information, call (214) 720-0555, or visit www.DallasFilm.org. The offices of the Dallas Film Society are located at 3625 North Hall Street, Suite 740, Dallas, TX 75219.
2013 Dallas International Film Festival Sponsors
ABCO; Akin Gump Strauss Hauer and Feld, LLP; Alamo Drafthouse DFW; Angelika Film Center; Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation; Arts + Culture Magazine; Austin Film Festival; AutoNation Volkswagen Dealers; Balloons Everyday; Barefoot Wine & Bubbly; Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital; BNY Mellon Wealth Management; BuyLED’s; CBS Radio; Cinelease; Cinemark USA, Inc.; Colibri Promotions; Commerce House/Pam and Mark Denesuk; Community Trust Bank; The Container Store; Crow Collection of Asian Art; CultureMap; D Magazine; Dallas Convention and Visitors Bureau; Dallas Film Commission; Dallas Morning News; Dallas Museum of Art; Dallas Observer; Dallas Producers Association; David Baertsch db Editorial; Deep Eddy Vodka; Division of Film and Media Arts – SMU; Downtown Dallas, Inc.; Earth Day Dallas; El Creative; Element X Creative; Flagship Marketing; Forte Prime; FunFlicks; Gemini Light, Sound & Video; GrandLuxe Magazine; Holiday Inn Dallas Park Cities; Hotel Palomar/Central 214; InformateDFW; KellyKitchensPR.com; Klyde Warren Park; Kung Fu Saloon; La Madeleine; LOOK Cinemas; Marc Lee; Mary Kay, Inc.; Matthews Southwest; The McKinney Avenue Contemporary; Media 2-Way Radio; Mockingbird Station; Mockingbird Taproom; Modern Luxury; Modia Home Theater; Movie Magic; MPS Studios Dallas; My Sweet Charity; Nasher Sculpture Center; Newtek; NYLO Dallas South Side; Panavision; PaperCity; Pencilneck Software; PlainsCapital Bank; Post Asylum; Prekindle; Pure Evil Sound & Music Design; ReelFX; Rentex; SAGIndie; Salon Pompeo; Savannah College of Art and Design; smartwater; Southwest Airlines; Stella Artois; Texas Association of Film Commissions; Texas Capital Bank; Texas Film Commission; Time Warner Cable; Two Sisters Catering; TXU Energy; UBER; Univision Radio; Univision TV; Uptown Latino; Urban Taco; Vergent Communications; Videotex Systems; Well Go USA Entertainment; West Village; WFAA; Whole Foods; WRR Classical 101.1 FM.
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