This week I review the remake of a Stephen King classic, “Firestarter” and Hulu’s new crime drama series, “Candy”.
Archives for : Texas
EARTHX FILM FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES ITS 2022 PROGRAM LINEUP FEATURING OVER 75 FILMS
— BEN MASTERS’ FILM DEEP IN THE HEART NARRATED BY AWARD WINNER MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY WORLD PREMIERING ON OPENING NIGHT AT THE FEST —
Also Screening are Festival Favorites FIRE OF LOVE, WE FEED PEOPLE, and THE TERRITORY Along with Stories Unique to Texas
Curiosity Joins Festival as Presenting Sponsor
Dallas, TX (April 8, 2022) – EarthX Film Festival 2022 presented by Curiosity unveiled its programming lineup today with over 75 feature-length and short films screening during its four-day run May 12-15. This year’s theme, “A Celebration of the Outdoors,” continues the Film Festival’s mission to highlight films and emerging media that celebrate nature and outdoor adventure stories exploring the environment, conservation, climate change, and science while honoring the heroes working to protect our planet. This year for the first time, the EarthX Film Festival will be held in the Dallas Arts District, providing easy walking for attendees to the five theater venues tapping into the vibrant downtown community and making it an exciting cultural touchstone for the city. Each night of the Film Festival will feature a musical act performing before a showcase screening.
Curiosity, a leading factual entertainment media company, has joined the festival as the Presenting Sponsor. Curiosity’s flagship streaming service, Curiosity Stream, delivers thousands of films, series, and shows on space, history, nature, tech, lifestyle and more, all on demand, available to watch on all the major streaming devices. They will also be presenting a screening of the Curiosity original film GOING CIRCULAR, exploring circularity, an innovative concept that could save our collective future on planet Earth.
“We’re thrilled to present films this year that showcase our amazing planet and the people dedicated to making a difference. It’s always been our vision to create a world-class event that celebrates the spirit of Texas and welcomes global citizens to experience the rich arts culture in Dallas,” said Michael Fletcher, CEO of EarthX. “We’re pleased to welcome Curiosity as our Presenting Sponsor. They share our vision in the power of storytelling to change the world, and we’re grateful for their continued support.”
Curiosity is thrilled to partner with EarthX to bring this incredible lineup of game-changing films to thousands of festival-goers both in person and virtually,” said Rob Burk, head of original content for Curiosity. “We know firsthand to resonate deeply with viewers, films must dive into our past and present and also explore solutions for the future, and we are proud to support the EarthX Film Festival mission to empower documentary fans to learn, enjoy, and take action.”
For more information and tickets, go to: https://earthxfilmfestival.org/ or download the app available on iOS and Android.
OPENING SCREENING
This year’s Film Festival has something for everyone with 24 features and 54 shorts, music, art installations, panel discussions, and more. The festival’s opening night will be the world premiere of Ben Masters’ film DEEP IN THE HEART, narrated by Academy Award® Winner Matthew McConaughey. The first feature-length wildlife film ever produced about Texas, DEEP IN THE HEART, is a visually stunning celebration of what makes Texas unique — its diverse landscapes and remarkable wildlife behavior that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Filmed over two years, DEEP IN THE HEART showcases Texas’ breathtaking species and wild places, the connectivity of water and wildlife, and recognizes Texas’ conservation importance on a continental scale.
“Texas has one of the most diverse wildlife and ecosystems in the country. For Texans, this is a love letter to the diverse and vibrant state that we call home,” said Ben Masters, filmmaker. “We’re all interconnected, and it’s only by conserving what we have that we can ensure our future. I’m proud to bring DEEP IN THE HEART to the EarthX Film Festival.”
FESTIVAL FAVORITES COMING TO DALLAS
The Festival has programmed several festival darlings in the lineup, including Sara Dosa’s FIRE OF LOVE, WE FEED PEOPLE, directed by Ron Howard, THE TERRITORY (Sundance Audience Award winner), Lucy Walker’s BRING YOUR OWN BRIGADE, and Rachel Lears’ TO THE END.
This year’s Festival features a wide range of filmmakers, including award winners Jeff Orlowsky (CHASING ICE), Raj Patel & Zak Piper (THE ANTS AND THE GRASSHOPPER), young superstar Lindsey Hagen (CALIFORNIA NATURAL) and several newcomers, includingtwo, second grade brothers making their first film with their father called LIFE IN THE SLOW LANE. The films cover a variety of important topics, from the healing experience for veterans through nature (ERIC AND THE BEES, BASTARDS’ ROAD), to female big wave surfing (BIG VS SMALL), and tiger poaching (TIGRE GENTE). Also screening are popular outdoor culture films REEL ROCK: BLACK ICE, The North Face’s award-winning film LEARNING TO DROWN, SPIRIT OF THE PEAKS from REI and Protect Our Winters, and MOUNTAIN REVELATIONS from Protect Our Winters.
LOCAL SPOTLIGHT – UNIQUELY TEXAS STORIES
This year’s festival turns a spotlight on Texas with DEEP IN THE HEART that addresses Texas conservation issues, BATTLE FOR THE HEART OF TEXAS that addresses property rights in energy production, WHEN IT’S GOOD, IT’S GOOD, focusing on oil-drilling communities in West Texas, and REI’s SLIM PICKINS about diversity in outdoor culture.
SHORT FILMS
Many of the Festival’s shorts are associated with well known brands and film companies including Patagonia’s RAISED FROM THE EARTH about living off the land, and THE MONSTER IN OUR CLOSET which focuses on the plastic in our fashion. The Redford Center is presenting two short films on mass transit, COMMUNITY POWER ARIZONA: EN NUESTRXS MANOS (IN OUR HANDS) and COMMUNITY POWER NEVADA: UNIDXS EN ACCION (UNITED IN ACTION).
You can find the entire EarthX Film Festival 2022 line-up here:
FEATURE-LENGTH FILMS
- Bastards’ Road, Director Brian Morrison
- Battle for the Heart of Texas, Director John Brown
- Before They Fall, Director Cam MacArthur
- Big vs Small, Director Minna Dufton
- REEL ROCK: Black Ice, Director Peter Mortimer, Zachary Barr
- Bring Your Own Brigade, Director Lucy Walker
- Chasing Ice, Director Jeff Orlowski
- Coextinction, Director Gloria Pancrazi, Elena Jean
- Deep in the Heart, Director Ben Masters
- Ferngully: The Last Rainforest, Director Bill Kroyer
- Fire of Love, Director Sara Dosa
- Godspeed, Los Polacos!, Director Adam Nawrot
- Going Circular, Director Ricard Dale, Nigel Walk
- Inhabitants, Director Costas Boutsikaris, Anna Palmer
- Learning to Drown, Director Ben Knight
- Mountain Revelations, Director Justin Fann
- Newtok, Director Michael Kirby, Andrew Burton
- Spirit of the Peaks, Director Connor Ryan, Tim Kressin
- The Ants and the Grasshopper, Director Raj Patel, Zak Piper
- The Territory, Director Alex Pritz
- Tigre Gente, Director Elizabeth Unger
- To the End, Director Rachel Lears
- We Feed People, Director Ron Howard
- Zero Gravity, Director Thomas Verrette
SHORT FILMS
- 80° North, Director Brandon Holmes
- All Bodies on Bikes, Director Zeppelin Zeerip
- American Scar, Director Daniel Lombroso
- An Eye for Detail, Director Matthew Harmer
- Bad Boy of Bonsai, Director Juan A. Moreno
- Breaking Trail, Director Jesse Roesler
- California Natural, Director Lindsey Hagen
- Camp Yoshi, Director Faith E. Briggs
- Chasing the Sublime, Director Amanda Bluglass
- Community Power Arizona: En Nuestrxs Manos (In Our Hands), Director Pita Juarez
- Community Power Nevada: Unidxs En Acción (United In Action), Director Nico Cadena
- Eric and the Bees, Director Erin Brethauer, Tim Hussin
- Finding Gulo, Director Colin Arisman
- From My Window, Director Frank Pickell
- Humanity Has Not Yet Failed, Director Norma V. Toraya, Jared P. Scott
- I am One of the People, Director Cameron Woodle
- If I Tell Them, Director Oliver Sutro
- Kāhuli, Director Chris Jones
- Life in the Slow Lane, Director Sol de Glanville, Ben de Glanville
- Like a River, Director Jim Aikman
- Listen to the Beat of our Images, Director Audrey Jean-Baptiste, Maxime Jean-Baptiste
- Loon, Director Jason Whalen, Chris Zuker
- Mission Mountain, Director Kody Kohlman, Andrew Bydlon
- Mother of the Sea, Director Nicholas Brown
- Mylo, Director Chris Bukard
- No Soy Oscar, Director Jon Ayon
- Nuisance Bear, Director Jack Weisman, Gabriela Osio Vanden
- One Star Reviews: National Parks, Director Alex Massey
- Patagonia Provisions: The Ocean Solution Film, Director Darcy Hennessey Turenne
- Raised from the Earth, Director Forest Woodard
- Rebirth of a Reef, Director Shaun Wolfe
- Return to Earth, Director Darcy Wittenburg, Darren McCoullough, Colin Jones
- Rockies Repeat, Director Caroline Hedin
- Slim Pickins, Director Justin Jeffers
- The Captain, Director Gregory Kohs
- The Diamond, Director Caitlyn Greene
- The Endless Wave, Director Tom Attwater
- The Interconnectedness of all Living Things, Director Jenn den Broeder
- The Land of Griffons, Director Riccardo Soriano
- The Last Last Hike, Director Celene Francois
- The Monster in Our Closet, Director Kathryn Bays, Nicole Gormley
- The Seeds We Keep, Director Gabriel E.W. Carter
- The Seeker, Director Lance Edmands
- The Wilderness Within, Director Jason van Bruggen
- They Carry Us With Them: Gabriel Frey, Director Jeremy Seifert
- Thomas Deininger. Trash Artist., Director Gnarly Bay
- To Live Here (sống ở đây), Director Melanie Dang Ho
- Wastewater: The Tale of Two Cities, Director Sarah Franke
- We Decided to Become Farmers, Director Rob Herring, Ryan Wirick
- What Remains, Director Paavo Hanninen
- When It Comes from the Earth, Director Katalin Egely
- When it’s Good it’s Good, Director Alejandra Vasquez
ABOUT EARTHX FILM FESTIVAL 2022
The 2022 EarthX Film Festival is four days of film, music and interactive environmental programs and events set in the heart of Dallas Arts District, May 12-15. Our mission is to bring awareness of the environmental crisis in order to create sincere action on both an individual and communal scale; to inspire local and global change on how we as humans affect our home planet and our fellow beings. We aim to include Texas, and the Southwest, in the conversation on climate change through compassionate, positive, truthful storytelling.For more information, visit https://earthxfilmfestival.org
SUMMARY OF AWARD WINNERS
2021 Dallas-Fort Worth Film Critics Association
(Choices listed in order of votes received)
BEST PICTURE
Winner: THE POWER OF THE DOG
Runners-up: BELFAST (2); KING RICHARD (3); WEST SIDE STORY (4); LICORICE PIZZA (5); DUNE (6); NIGHTMARE ALLEY (7); THE FRENCH DISPATCH (8); THE LOST DAUGHTER (9); CODA (10)
BEST ACTOR
Winner: Benedict Cumberbatch, THE POWER OF THE DOG
Runners-up: Will Smith, KING RICHARD (2); Andrew Garfield, TICK, TICK, BOOM! (3); Peter Dinklage, CYRANO (4); Denzel Washington, THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH (5)
BEST ACTRESS
Winner: Kristen Stewart, SPENCER
Runners-up: Olivia Colman, THE LOST DAUGHTER (2); Jessica Chastain, THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE (3); Lady Gaga, HOUSE OF GUCCI (4); Nicole Kidman, BEING THE RICARDOS (5)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Winner: Kodi Smit-McPhee, THE POWER OF THE DOG
Runners-up: Troy Kotsur, CODA (2); Ciaran Hinds, BELFAST (3); Ben Affleck, THE TENDER BAR (4); Jesse Plemons, THE POWER OF THE DOG (5)
BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Winner: Ariana DeBose, WEST SIDE STORY
Runners-up: Kirsten Dunst, THE POWER OF THE DOG (2); Aunjanue Ellis, KING RICHARD (3); Caitriona Balfe, BELFAST (4); Ruth Negga, PASSING (5)
BEST DIRECTOR
Winner: Jane Campion, THE POWER OF THE DOG
Runners-up: Steven Spielberg, WEST SIDE STORY (2); Kenneth Branagh, BELFAST (3), Denis Villeneuve, DUNE (4); Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA (5)
BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
Winner: DRIVE MY CAR
Runners-up: A HERO (2); THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD (3); THE HAND OF GOD (4); FLEE (5)
BEST DOCUMENTARY
Winner: SUMMER OF SOUL
Runners-up: FLEE (2); THE RESCUE (3); PROCESSION (4); VAL (5)
BEST ANIMATED FILM
Winner: ENCANTO
Runner-up: THE MITCHELLS VS. THE MACHINES
BEST SCREENPLAY
Winner: Jane Campion, THE POWER OF THE DOG
Runner-up: Paul Thomas Anderson, LICORICE PIZZA; Kenneth Branagh, BELFAST (tie)
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Winner: Greig Fraser, DUNE
Runner-up: Ari Wegner, THE POWER OF THE DOG
BEST MUSICAL SCORE
Winner: Hans Zimmer, DUNE
Runner-up: Jonny Greenwood, THE POWER OF THE DOG
RUSSELL SMITH AWARD (best low-budget or cutting-edge independent film)
Winner: FLEE
STUDIO MOVIE GRILL CHISHOLM TRAIL RELEASES NEWLY ADDED SHOWTIMES FOR GROUNDBREAKING BOX OFFICE WEEKEND
SEE SPIDER-MAN: NO WAY HOME IN BRAND NEW, LUXURY DINE-IN THEATER
WHAT: Dallas-based Studio Movie Grill (SMG) is reopening its newest flagship theater and first in Fort Worth, TX, to welcome movie-goers for what is expected to be a groundbreaking weekend at the box office. Spider-Man: No Way Home, only in theaters, will find a home at SMG with 7 newly added showtimes to be featured at SMG Chisholm Trail for opening weekend.
WHEN: Beginning December 17, 2021, be one of the first to visit the tenth location in Texas, SMG Chisholm Trail, and see the film everyone is talking about in a brand-new house that everyone will be talking about!
• Find tickets here:
https://www.studiomoviegrill.com/locations/texas/fort-worth-chisholm-trail/2021/12/17
• Level up your experience with SMG’s new non-alcoholic fun featured drink for December, “Spider Bite”, inspired by Spider-Man: No Way Home. Only $1 extra with a kids meal and $5 if purchased individually
WHERE: The Shops at Chisholm Trail Ranch | 5413 Sierra Springs Lane, Fort Worth, TX 76123 Located in The Shops at Chisholm Trail Ranch, a major retail development housing more than 200,000 square feet of stores in a rapidly growing area southeast of the Chisholm Trail Parkway and McPherson Boulevard intersection in southwest Fort Worth.
About Studio Movie Grill: Conceived in 1993, Studio Movie Grill (“SMG”) modernized the traditional movie-going experience by combining first run movies with full-service, in-theater dining and now has 226 screens in 7 states. SMG was named to Inc. Magazine’s List of “Fastest Growing Private Companies” three years in a row, placed 13th in Box Office Magazine’s Giants of the Industry in 2020, and, in prior years, 50 films put SMG in the top 10 at the Box Office with key titles grossing as high as #5 in box office receipts. Honoring its commitment to Opening Hearts and Minds, One Story at a Time™, SMG’s legacy programs include its longtime Special Needs Screenings, which strive to help families. In June 2018, SMG created a unique loyalty program, SMG Access which, as loyal guests earn rewards, has allowed them to join SMG in offering movies and meals to underserved community members. To date, this program has earned over 44,000 movies and meals. For additional information, visit studiomoviegrill.com.
Luke Wilson stars as devoted high school football coach, Rusty Russell, who led a team of orphans to the State Championship during the Great Depression. This inspiring true story was set and shot in North Texas. The film had its world premiere at Isis Theater in Fort Worth. The stars of the movie, including Luke Wilson, Vinessa Shaw, and Wayne Knight walked the red carpet. Susan Stephens spoke with the actors and filmmakers about people who have impacted where they are today, a film that brought them up when they were feeling down and more.
“12 Mighty Orphans” opens in Texas June 11 and nationwide June 18.
Kilburn Live and Hasbro Team Up to Bring NERF Challenge to Dallas For the Ultimate Adrenaline-Pumping Active Play Experience at Centennial Hall at Fair Park This Summer
Dallas, TX (April 20, 2021) – Today, Kilburn Live, a global live entertainment company, and HASBRO, Inc., a global play and entertainment company, announced they are bringing their groundbreaking, live entertainment experience NERF Challenge to Dallas starting May 28 at Centennial Hall at Fair Park. After a highly successful debut in Los Angeles in 2019, Kilburn Live anticipates Dallas to be eager to show why everything is bigger (and more competitive) in the Lone Star State.
“We are thrilled to bring this amazing experience to Dallas, and it feels like a natural fit to kick-off our 2021 tour in this great city,” said Mark Manuel, CEO at Kilburn Live. “It has been a tough year, and we know that now, more than ever, people just want to get back out there and start playing again, especially by this Summer. And if it is play they are looking for, nothing compares to NERF Challenge. It is 90,000 square feet of active, competitive play in a variety of sports, blaster play, obstacle courses, carnival games, and insane one-of-a-kind activations, like our human wrecking bowl. And with our giant leaderboard keeping track of everyone’s scores, we are sure to ignite that competitive Texas spirit.”
Housed in the massive Centennial Hall, NERF Challenge offers guests the opportunity to fully immerse themselves in the ultimate heart-pumping, action-packed, competitive sports experience. Whether you are an adrenaline-seeker, competitor, or simply a NERF fan, NERF Challenge offers kids and enthusiasts the opportunity to be among the first to get hands-on with the latest in cutting-edge NERF technology.
“We’re excited to partner once again with Kilburn Live to bring this interactive experience to Dallas and around the country,” said Matthew Proulx, Vice President, Location Based Entertainment at Hasbro. “We know that people are ready to get out and play, and NERF’s cutting-edge play-centered technology will get pulses racing and brains working double time.”
Kilburn Live and Hasbro have created the ultimate gamified live experience featuring NERF’s iconic blasters and sports products designed to test a player’s speed, agility, concentration, and accuracy. Must-try NERF Challenge experiences include:
- Dodge Blast – Partner up and storm a fortified position held by your friends using NERF blasters to score points on stationary targets, all while avoiding a barrage of darts.
- Wrecking Bowling – Try your hand at bowling, NERF style! Strap in and become a human wrecking ball with a single purpose: scoring the elusive strike!
- Try-athlon Ninja Style Circuit Course – The ultimate test of speed and agility, this soft play obstacle course is designed to put your athletic prowess to the test.
- Bernoulli Baseball – The ultimate test of eye-hand coordination as you attempt to score a line drive hit on a floating, moving ball.
- Vortex Throw – Climb to the top of the leaderboards by rapidly firing NERF footballs at a giant dartboard-like target.
- Colossal Foosball – In this super-sized version of the classic game, you and your friends can step onto the field and compete in a larger-than-life game of Foosball.
The NERF Challenge will kick off on May 28 in Dallas and run through August 8. Presale tickets will be available on April 21, with general ticketing opening to the public on April 23. For more information about the NERF Challenge experience and to purchase tickets, visit www.nerfchallenge.com or @nerfchallenge on Facebookand Instagram.
Kilburn Live and The NERF Challenge teams will be strictly following state and city-mandated Covid-19 protocols to ensure safety of all of our guests. Furthermore, Kilburn has adopted best-in-class cleaning and sanitizing protocols for all of its events.
The last time director Paul Greengrass and Tom Hanks worked together was for “Captain Phillips”. A solid movie that was strong in its performances, but lacking in its story. Now, the two have teamed up again, and Hanks plays an even better Captain in the film, “News of the World”.
Hanks stars as Captain Kyle Kidd, a war veteran who travels from town to town five years after the Civil War, to read the news across Texas. But this man doesn’t just read the news, he brings life to it with his energy and storytelling; almost like a performance. He entertains the crowds at each stop with his loud, commanding voice.
While on his news tour, Kidd stumbles across a 10-year old girl which he names Johanna (Helena Zengel). She’s found abandoned on the road. She was raised by the Kiowa tribe, and doesn’t speak any English. Once Kidd realizes Johanna has no one to help her, he takes it upon himself to get her to her aunt and uncle’s farm near San Antonio. But this is no easy journey, and Kidd still must complete his work. Johanna tags along and watches in admiration as Kidd reads his “stories” to the towns they visit before their final destination.
“News of the World” does have some action, and there is enough intensity to keep you engaged. But be prepared for a lot of quiet and slow moments. With the exception of one shoot-out, this isn’t a very wild western. The enjoyment of the film comes from Kidd and Johanna. The two have great chemistry, and a very natural father/daughter like relationship. The dialogue between them is never forced or cheesy. The progression of the care and trust they build is incredibly heartwarming. They are both troubled and lost, but they find a home in each other.
The film is beautifully shot with luminous cinematography by Dariusz Wolski, and has a fantastic production design by David Crank. The exteriors of this film are wonderful, but what gives this movie life is the heart behind the two lead characters.
“News of the World” is an unconventional western. But regardless of your genre preference, Hanks and Zengel will win you over.
Rating: 4/5
“News of the World” opens in theaters December 25 and On Demand in January.
AMAZON’S TREASURE TRUCK HITS THE ROAD FOR MULTI-CITY ELECTRIC BEAUTY POP-UP TOUR, PAMPERING GUESTS WITH STOP IN DALLAS
WHO: Amazon Treasure Truck Pop-Up Beauty Experience hosted in collaboration with Aveeno, Bed Head, Butter London, Gillette, L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, Neutrogena, Pantene, Philips Norelco, and Venus.
WHAT: Amazon’s Treasure Truck experience hits the road once again for a multi-city Electric Beauty Pop-Up Tour, providing consumers with a day of pampering and so much more. Kicking off on Saturday, Sept. 21, the Beauty Pop-Up Tour will travel from New York to Chicago on Saturday, Sept. 28, then to Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 5, and culminate in Los Angeles on Saturday, Oct. 12, bringing with it an exciting and interactive beauty-themed experience. The pop-up will feature hands-on demonstrations and product samples from leading brands such as Aveeno, Bed Head, Butter London, Gillette, L’Oréal Paris, Maybelline New York, Neutrogena, Pantene, Philips Norelco, and Venus.
Beauty-product-lovers can experience the following in Dallas on Saturday, Oct. 5:
- Hand Masks Hosted by Aveeno
- Volumizer Styling Hosted by Bead Head
- 10-Minute Manicure Hosted by Butter London
- Makeup Application Bar Hosted by L’Oréal and Maybelline
- Skin360 Skin Scans Hosted by Neutrogena
- Braid Bar Hosted by Pantene
- Beard Trims Hosted by Norelco
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 5, 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. CT
WHERE: Fashion Industry Gallery
1807 Ross Ave #167
Dallas, TX 75201
DETAILS: Amazon’s Treasure Truck is a unique rolling, immersive shopping experience with top-tier products. To find out when Treasure Truck will be out in your city, you can sign up for text message notifications at amazon.com/treasuretruck. You can also follow Treasure Truck on social media @treasuretruck.
Want the #GetLostGetFound tour to come to your state? Then vote for your state and Nat Wolff, Cara Delevingne and John Green might visit a city near you! http://papertownsmovie.com/tour
The Dallas Film Society has announced the winners of the 9th Annual Dallas International Film Festival’s competition series. This year’s Festival, presented by AutoNation, features 169 films representing 32 countries, with a total of 18 premieres including 11 World Premieres, three North American Premieres and four US Premieres.
Grand Jury Awards and Special Jury Prizes were presented for the Narrative Feature Competition, Short Film Competition and Texas Feature Competition during Dallas Film Society Honors, co-presented by the Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation, Sheri Deterling, Geoff Hawkes and the Highland Dallas, at The Highland Dallas. Grand Jury Awards were also given for the Documentary Feature Competition, Animated Short Competition and Student Short Competition.
And the winners are…
Narrative Feature Competition Grand Jury Award
RADIATOR (United Kingdom)
Director: Tom Browne
Cast: Richard Johnson; Gemma Jones; Daniel Cerqueira
A dark, difficult comedy concerning the middle aged Daniel who returns home to help his elderly parents, Leonard and Maria who live in squalor, eccentrically.
Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize, Ensemble Acting
ECHOES OF WAR (USA) – World premiere
Director: Kane Senes
Cast: James Badge Dale; Ethan Embry; William Forsythe; Maika Monroe
A Civil War veteran returns home to the quiet countryside, only to find himself embroiled in a conflict between his family and the brutish cattle rancher harassing them.
Narrative Feature Competition Special Jury Prize, Cinematography
SOME BEASTS (USA) – World Premiere
Director: Cameron Nelson
Cast: Frank Mosley; Lindsay Burdge; Heather Kafka
Living in an insular farming community, Sal Damon, a modern-day Thoreau, seeks solace from a past relationship in Appalachia. After his neighbor dies and he discovers a feral child living on the lam, he must reconcile his place in a world that lives outside of the law.
Documentary Feature Competition Grand Jury Award
BARGE (USA)
Director: Ben Powell
Dry land’s misfits find purpose and direction twenty-eight days at a time as the steady hands of a towboat due for the port of New Orleans. From a green deckhand following his father and grandmother into the family business, to a former convict working his way to First Mate, job by job; as long as the boat’s moving they’re making money.
Short Film Competition Grand Jury Award
THE CHICKEN (Germany/Croatia)
Director: Una Gunjak
The day-to-day life of a six-year-old girl growing up during unstable times in Sarajevo is shaken up when a chicken joins her family.
Short Film Competition Special Jury Prizes
THE FACE OF UKRAINE: CASTING OKSANA BAIUL (Australia)
Director: Kitty Green
Adorned in pink sequins, little girls from across a divided, war-torn Ukraine audition to play the role of gold medal-winning figure skater Oksana Baiul, whose tears of joy once united their troubled country.
ONE HITTA QUITTA (USA)
Director: Ya’Ke Smith
A boy, who has never had to suffer the consequences for his actions, becomes severely addicted to internet violence, leading him to act out in violent ways himself.
Student Short Film Competition Grand Jury Award
CAST IN INDIA (India/USA)
Director: Natasha Raheja
Iconic and ubiquitous, thousands of manhole covers dot the streets of New York City. Enlivening the everyday objects around us, this short film is a glimpse of the working lives of the men behind the manhole covers in New York City.
Animated Short Film Competition Award
WORLD OF TOMORROW (USA)
Director: Don Hertzfeldt
A little girl is taken on a mind-bending tour of her distant future.
Texas Film Competition Grand Jury Award
SACRIFICE (USA)
Director: Michael Cohn
Cast: Luke Kleintank; Dermot Mulroney; Melora Walters; Austin Abrams; Brandon Smith; Lewis Tan
HANK (Luke Kleintank) is a handsome, multi-talented high school student who has just led his football team to a stunning victory during the biggest game of the season. Eager scouts are circling and Hank’s blue-collar parents, (played by Dermot Mulroney and Melora Walters), are counting on their golden boy to win a scholarship to a good college so he can enjoy a brighter future, far away from their hardscrabble life in Texas. Their younger son, TIM (Austin Abrams) more of a loser than a winner, idolizes his older brother and persuades Hank and his friends, KAZ (Brandon Smith) and BENNY (Lewis Tan), to let him tag along on their celebratory hunting trip. It is a decision they soon regret. Tim’s immature behavior after an accidental shooting leads to a series of bad decisions, a second wave of tragedy, and a hasty cover-up. Hank finds himself at the center of a desperate and rapidly deteriorating situation that tests his moral compass and threatens to destroy his family…and his dream.
Texas Film Competition Special Jury Prize
THE LOVE INSIDE (USA) – World Premiere
Director: Andy Irvine; Mark Smoot
Cast: Zachary Knighton; Joey Kern; Kat Foster; Betsy Phillips; Bryon Brown; Ashley Spillers; Indigo Rael
When Vaughn invites his closest friends to a cabin in rural Texas to meet his fiancée, he expects a relaxing weekend reminiscing about the old days. But when a friend arrives with his ex-girlfriend, long repressed feelings are reawakened and his engagement is suddenly thrown into doubt in this subversive romantic comedy.
Silver Heart Award
FRAME BY FRAME (USA)
Director: Alexandria Bombach; Mo Scarpelli
After decades of war and an oppressive Taliban regime, four Afghan photojournalists face the realities of building a free press in a country left to stand on its own – reframing Afghanistan for the world and for themselves.
Narrative Feature Audience Award
THUNDER BROKE THE HEAVENS (USA) – World Premiere
Director: Tim Skousen
Cast: Alex Peters; Gavin Howe; Tanner Beard; Tom Nowicki; Hadley Eure
In a Hansel and Gretel-esque modern fairy tale, siblings Samantha (13) and William Paul (6) must survive on their own after a tragedy kills their family. They are placed in an abusive foster home, but when Samantha overhears that they are to be split up, they escape to live in a crumbling shack in the woods. Life is hard, but they receive help from a mysterious source. When supplies run out and William Paul falls ill, Samantha must find a way for them to survive – before it’s too late.
Documentary Feature Audience Award
BATKID BEGINS: THE WISH HEARD AROUND THE WORLD (USA)
Director: Dana Nachman
On one day, in one city, the world comes together to grant one 5 year old cancer patient his wish. BATKID BEGINS: THE WISH HEARD AROUND THE WORLD looks at the ‘why’ of this flash phenomenon. Why did the intense outpouring of spontaneous support for a child reverberate around the world and become one of the biggest ‘good news stories’ ever?
Short Film Audience Award
MELVILLE (USA)
Director: James Johnston
Marcus is dealing with some serious shit but he can’t seem to talk to anyone about it.
