A Feast for the Eyes

There's something super appealing about the idea of attending a film festival. Going to the movies to see something like Avatar has its allure, but it's a vaguely pedestrian endeavor, fraught with pitfalls like asshats in front of you thinking they're the exception to the "no cell phone" rule. Nobody goes to the movies for a boost in social or intellectual status--at least nobody that you'd want to hang around with--but there is something nice about going to a film where other patrons are genuinely interested in the experience of it. In the past few years, the AFI Film Fest has created quite a bit of buzz in Dallas, bringing a true film-going experience to our city complete with numerous celebrities, including assorted Wilson brothers and a variety of indie darlings. This year, the tradition continues under a different name with the Dallas International Film Festival, which runs Thursday through April 18 in various theaters (including the Magnolia in West Village and the Angelika at Mockingbird Station) our fair burg. Film connoisseurs will be overwhelmed by the roster of more than 200 movies, including that Bill Hicks documentary everyone is talking about, as well as opportunities to hear directors and stars speak about their craft during panel presentations. Dig into dallasfilm.org for all the scheduling and venue details, and get your passes early. Passes and packages run between $100 and $750, and individual tickets are available as well.
April 8-18, 2010