Dallas International Film Festival released the first 10 films of its lineup on Monday and we're liking the way it looks so far. Among the films announced is a flick produced by local Lascaux films called Words and Pictures , the world premiere of a movie starring Nick Offerman, and the North American premiere of a Chinese movie called Firestorm. A few other big stars comprise the roster, including Nic Cage and Clive Owen, and Texan natives David Gordon Green and Kat Candler direct films.
The festival takes place April 3-13 and boasts more than 150 films, according to the press release. Passes go on sale March 17 with prices ranging from $125 for a Festival Lounge Pass to $750 for an all-access Star Pass.
More information on the recently announced films available below.
WORDS AND PICTURES (USA) DIRECTOR: Fred Schepisi Cast: Keegan Connor Tracy, Clive Owen, Juliette Binoche SYNOPSIS: An art instructor and an English teacher form a rivalry that ends up with a competition at their school in which students decide whether words or pictures are more important.
JOE (USA) DIRECTOR: David Gordon Green Cast: Nicholas Cage, Tye Sheridan, Ronnie Gene Blevins SYNOPSIS: An ex-con, who is the unlikeliest of role models, meets a 15-year-old boy and is faced with the choice of redemption or ruin.
HELLION (USA) DIRECTOR: Kat Candler Cast: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins SYNOPSIS: When motocross and heavy metal obsessed, thirteen-year-old, Jacob's increasing delinquent behavior forces CPS to place his little brother, Wes, with his aunt, Jacob and his emotionally absent father, Hollis, must finally take responsibility for their actions and for each other in order to bring Wes home.
QUEENS & COWBOYS: A STRAIGHT YEAR ON THE GAY RODEO (USA) DIRECTOR: Matt Livadary SYNOPSIS: QUEENS & COWBOYS: A STRAIGHT YEAR ON THE GAY RODEO chronicles a complete season of the International Gay Rodeo Association. Roping and riding across North America for the past 30 years, the IGRA's courageous cowboys and cowgirls brave challenges both in and out of the arena on their quest to qualify for the World Finals at the end of the season. And along the way, they'll bust every stereotype in the book.
RICH HILL (USA) DIRECTOR: Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palermo SYNOPSIS: RICH HILL intimately chronicles the turbulent lives of three boys living in an impoverished Midwestern town and the fragile family bonds that sustain them.
ABOVE ALL ELSE (USA) DIRECTOR: John Feige
SYNOPSIS: One man will risk it all to stop the tar sands of the Keystone XL oil pipeline from crossing his land. Shot in the forests, pastures, and living rooms of rural East Texas, ABOVE ALL ELSE follows David Daniel as he rallies neighbors and environmental activists to join him in a final act of brinkmanship: a tree-top blockade of the controversial pipeline. What begins as a stand against corporate bullying becomes a rallying cry for climate protesters nationwide.
IDA (Poland) DIRECTOR: Pawel Pawlikowski SYNOPSIS: Anna, a young novitiate nun in 1960s Poland, is on the verge of taking her vows when she discovers a dark family secret dating back to the years of the Nazi occupation.
FIRESTORM (NORTH AMERICAN PREMIERE) (China/Hong Kong) DIRECTOR: Alan Yuen Cast: Andy Lau SYNOPSIS: A storm is heading to the city of Hong Kong, and with it comes another occurrence so destructive, it vows to bring down everything it touches. A crew of seasoned criminals led by the notorious Nam (Hu Jun), armed with high-powered weapons, pulls off another smooth and violent armored car heist in broad daylight in a crowded street. Whoever tries to get in their way, they will show no mercy. This puts the police force to shame and humiliation.
BELIEVE ME (WORLD PREMIERE) (USA) DIRECTOR: Will Bakke Cast: Nick Offerman, Johanna Braddy, Christopher McDonald SYNOPSIS: Desperate, broke, and out of ideas, four college seniors start a fake Christian charity to embezzle money for tuition
PARIS, TEXAS (1984) 30th Anniversary Screening reuniting cast and crew at the Historic Texas Theatre. (West Germany/USA/France/UK) DIRECTOR: Wim Wenders Cast: Harry Dean Stanton, Nastassja Kinski, Dean Stockwell SYNOPSIS: A man wanders out of the desert after a four year absence. His brother finds him, and together they return to L.A. to reunite the man with his young son. Soon after, he and the boy set out to locate the mother of the child, who left shortly after the man disappeared.
