Attendees at this year’s Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF) are in for eight action-packed days that include showings of over 100 international films, Q&A sessions with filmmakers and actors, red-carpet events, and more.
This year’s festival — the 17th since its inception in 2006 — will take place April 28-May 5 at the Violet Crown Cinema in West Village, the site of the original gathering.
In a nod to the festival’s long run, organizers on Wednesday unveiled the first 17 films that will be showcased there this year.
Of those announced, five films are fictional and 12 are documentaries. Additionally, four of the revealed films will make their world premiere, including the comedy/adventure Chocolate Lizards, the documentary Into the Spotlight, the bull-riding documentary Savage and the comedy/drama The Doldrums.
As is customary, several films shown have connections to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
Gibson Icons: Rex Brown of Pantera follows the bassist of the iconic Arlington heavy metal band.
Breaking the Code is a documentary on Fort Worth artist Vernon Fisher.
The Doldrums and The Wild Man were filmed in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, and Into the Spotlight documents a Dallas-based theatre troupe.
James Faust, the artistic director of DIFF, said in a statement that “These films are just a glimpse of the powerful stories we’re honored to present at DIFF 2023 … highlighting important and untold stories that have been explored by talented filmmakers.”
Virgin Hotels Dallas is the premier sponsor of the event. “Virgin Hotels Dallas is rooted in the arts and culture,” General Manager Michael Bridges said in a press release. “I couldn’t think of a better organization to support in the Dallas community.”
Film passes that grant access to all screenings are on sale now, with prices ranging from $100 to $500. The higher-priced passes grant access to different events and/or afterparties. Film buffs can purchase passes here or wait until the tickets for individual showings go on sale.
The DIFF’s mission is “to build a community where we can share and experience stories together. With our year-round screenings, education, community partnerships, and the largest film festival in North Texas, we bring film home,” according to its website. The non-profit works year-round to “support local filmmakers, as well as fellow film organizations in DFW.”