Moments ago, the AFI Dallas International Film Festival sent along its complete schedule for this year's fest, which runs March 26 through April 2 -- with, as we've noted before, most screenings taking place this year at the AMC NorthPark, the title sponsor. Well, even at 77 features and 96 short films, it's not quite the full schedule: The closing-night film hasn't yet been announced, because it promises to be "a little bit different" than past years' adios -- perhaps two films on the final night, or an evening-with affair featuring attending filmmakers. Word should come down late this week or early next.
The full list follows, but of particular interest is the opener: The Brothers Bloom, the second film from writer-director Rian Johnson, whose 2006 debut Brick -- a film noir set in a modern-day high school -- ranks as one of the most audacious, thrilling cinematic debuts in recent history. His follow-up, about con artist brothers (Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo) tangling with an heiress (Rachel Weisz), was supposed to open in selected cities at the end of '08; instead, it is scheduled for a May 29 wide release, so consider yourself sneak-previewed. Johnson and Brody are expected to attend, as is co-star Rinko Kikuchi.
Another big get for the fest is Big Fan, Wrestler writer and former Onion editor-in-chief Robert Siegel's moody Sundance 2009 favorite starring Patton Oswalt as a parking-lot attendant who's also the self-proclaimed "world's biggest New York Giants fan." Oswalt's expected to attend, as is co-star Kevin Corrigan. Both can be seen in three clips available here -- clips, incidentally, that are entirely NSFW.
Henry Selick, director of The Nightmare Before Christmas and the new Coraline, will also come to town -- as the recipient of the Texas Avery Animation Award, so named, of course, for one of North Dallas High School's most famous former students. And our old pal Keven McAlester, whose The Dungeon Masters debuted in Toronto last fall, will make his triumphant homecoming with the doc about gamers.
After the jump, co-founder Michael Cain's comments, party details and the full schedule.
Now in its third year, AFI Dallas no longer has to beg filmmakers and studios for films: "It's an interesting position to be in," Cain tells Unfair Park, "to be approached." Which has made assembling the lineup that much harder, as AFI Dallas has scaled back the number of days the fest will run (last year, the thing felt like it ate up the entire spring).
"It's allowed us to create a tighter program," he says. "The quality can stand up to any program in the world. And to have Robert Towne here and someone like Guillermo Arriaga, who wants to come back and show his film in Dallas, that's what we're seeing -- they're experiencing Dallas and want to come back. It says a lot about the festival and Dallas -- what they see in Victory Park and the Arts District and Dallas's appreciation for filmmaking and art. Last year, I thought we nailed a lot of it. We can always get better. But our whole team has been working together to make the whole experience more seamless. And NorthPark, in addition to Victory Park, has really opened their doors and said, 'Don't limit yourselves to what you think you can do, but throw everything out there.'"
Cain says he expects two, three parties a night -- most at NorthPark, but also "across the city," a first for the AFI Dallas, which initially kept its filmmakers' shindigs in and around Victory Park. The opening night party will actually be split into two galas: a pre-party at the Neiman Marcus in NorthPark, followed by a post-screening drink-off in CenterPark.
Tickets go on sale today for the festival.
And now, the starting lineup.
TARGET NARRATIVE FEATURE COMPETITION
AGAINST THE CURRENT
DIR: Peter Callahan (USA)
Cast: Joseph Fiennes, Justin Kirk, Elizabeth Reaser, Mary Tyler Moore, Michelle Trachtenburg
BIG FAN
DIR: Robert D. Siegel (USA)
Cast: Patton Oswalt, Kevin Corrigan, Michael Rapaport, Marcia Jean Kurtz
CHILDREN OF INVENTION
DIR: Tze Chun (USA)
Cast: Cindy Cheung, Michael Chen, Crystal Chiu
GIGANTIC
DIR: Matt Aselton (USA)
Cast: Paul Dano, Zooey Dechanel, John Goodman, Ed Asner, Jane Alexander
THE MISSING PERSON
DIR: Noah Buschel (USA)
Cast: Michael Shannon, Amy Ryan, Frank Wood
MORENITA
DIR: Alan Jonsson Gavica (Mexico)
SKIN
DIR: Anthony Fabian (UK/South Africa)
Cast: Sam Neill, Sophie Okonedo, Alice Krige
TARGET DOCUMENTARY FEATURE COMPETITION
AMERICANA
DIR: Topaz Adizes (USA)
THE EYES OF ME
DIR: Keith Maitland (USA)
HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM
DIR: Nicole Torre (USA)
PROM NIGHT IN MISSISSIPPI
DIR: Paul Saltzman (Canada)
Featuring: Morgan Freeman
ROUGH AUNTIES
DIR: Kim Longinotto (UK)
WHATEVER IT TAKES
DIR: Christopher Wong (USA)
DOCUMENTARY SHOWCASE
ART & COPY
DIR: Doug Pray (USA)
DUNGEON MASTERS
DIR: Keven McAlester (USA)
FOOD INC.
DIR: Robert Kenner (USA)
THE GARDEN
DIR: Scott Hamilton Kennedy (USA)
TYSON
DIR: James Toback (USA)
Featuring: Mike Tyson
DEEP ELLUM SOUNDSRIP: A REMIX MANIFESTO
DIR: Brett Gaylor (Canada)
Featuring: Girl Talk
ROCK PROPHECIES
DIR: John Chester (USA)
Featuring: Jeff Beck, Slash, Santana, Steve Vai, ZZ Top, Def Leppard, Kenny Wayne Shepard, Sick Puppies, Panic at the Disco
SAY MY NAME
DIR: Nirit Peled (USA) Featuring: MC Lyte, Erykah Badu, Estelle, Big Manda, Chocolate Thai, Monie Love, Dr. Roxanne Shante, Mystic, Princess and DIamond, Remy Ma
SOUL POWER
DIR: Jeffrey Levy-Hinte (USA)
Featuring: Muhammad Ali, James Brown, B.B. King, Don King, Celia Cruz
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
CHINATOWN (1974)
DIR: Roman Polanski
Cast: Jack Nicholson, Faye Dunaway, John Huston
DOUBLE INDEMNITY (1944)
DIR: Billy Wilder
Cast: Fred MacMurray, Barbara Stanwyck, Edward G. Robinson
GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES (1955)
DIR: Howard Hawks
Cast: Jane Russell, Marilyn Monroe, Charles Coburn
GILDA (1946)
DIR: Charles Vidor Cast: Rita Hayworth, Glenn Ford, George Macready
THE LAST PICTURE SHOW (1971)
DIR: Peter Bogdanovich
Cast: Jeff Bridges, Cybill Shepherd, Cloris Leachman, Ellen Burstyn, Randy Quaid, Timothy Bottoms, Ben Johnson
ROCK SLYDE
DIR: Chris Dowling
Cast: Patrick Warburton, Andy Dick, Rena Sofer, Elaine Hendrix
ROSENCRANTZ AND GUILDENSTERN ARE UNDEAD
DIR: Jordan Galland
Cast: Jake Hoffman, Devon Aoki, John Ventimiglia, Ralph Macchio, Jeremy Sisto
DALLAS PREMIERE SERIES
THE 2 BOBS
DIR: Tim McCanlies (USA)
Cast: Jay Chandrasekhar, Leonardo Nam, Mika Boorem, Devin Ratray
ADAM RESURRECTED
DIR: Paul Schrader (USA)
Cast: Jeff Goldblum, Willem Dafoe
ALIEN TRESPASS
DIR: RW Goodwin (USA)
Cast: Eric McCormack, Robert Patrick, Jenni Baird
THE BROTHERS BLOOM
DIR: Rian Johnson (USA)
Cast: Rachel Weisz, Adrien Brody, Mark Ruffalo, Rinko Kikuchi
THE BURNING PLAIN
DIR: Guillermo Arriaga (USA)
Cast: Charlize Theron, Kim Basinger, Joaquim de Almeida, Jennifer Lawerence
HUNGER
DIR: Steve McQueen (UK)
Cast: Michael Fassbender, Stuart Graham
THE HURT LOCKER
DIR: Kathryn Bigelow (USA)
Cast: Jeremy Renner, Guy Pearce, Ralph Fiennes, Evangeline Lilly
LIGHTBULB
DIR: Jeffrey Balsmeyer (USA)
Cast: Dallas Roberts, Jeremy Renner, Ayelet Zurer
LIKE DANDELION DUST
DIR: Jon Gunn (USA)
Cast: Mira Sorvino, Barry Peppers, Cole Hauser
LYMELIFE
DIR: Derick Martini (USA)
Cast: Alec Baldwin, Kierin Culkin, Rory Culkin, Cynthia Nixon, Timothy Hutton
MOON
DIR: Duncan Jones (UK)
Cast: Sam Rockwell, Kevin Spacey, Dominique McElligott, Benedict Wong, Matt Berry
PETER AND VANDY
DIR: Jay DiPietro (USA)
Cast: Jason Ritter, Jess Weixler
SUGAR
DIR: Anna Boden & Ryan Fleck (USA)
Cast: Algenis Perez Soto, Rayniel Rufino
VALENTINO: THE LAST EMPEROR
DIR: Matt Tynauer (USA)
Featuring: Valentino, Giancarlo Giammetti
(500) DAYS OF SUMMER
DIR: Marc Webb
Cast: Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Zoey Deschanel
TEXAS COMPETITION sponsored by MPS Studios
BOLLYWOOD BEATS
DIR: Mehul Shah (USA)
Cast: Sachin Bhatt, Lillete Dubey
DESDEMONA: A LOVE STORY
DIR: Phillip Guzman (USA)
Cast: Jorge Jimenez, Denton Blane Everett, Cindy Vela
ONE NATION
DIR: Justin Wilson (USA)
THE OTHER SIDE OF PARADISE
DIR: Justin D. Hilliard (USA)
Cast: Arianne Martin, John Elliot, Frank Mosley, Drew Waters
ST. NICK - DIR: David Lowery (USA)
TATTOOED UNDER FIRE
DIR: Nancy Schiesari (USA)
ZOMBIE GIRL
DIR: Aaron Marshall, Justin Johnson, & Erik Mauk (USA)
Featuring: Emily Haggins
ENVIRONMENTAL VISIONS COMPETITION sponsored by Current Energy
AT THE EDGE OF THE WORLD
DIR: Dan Stone (USA)
CRUDE
DIR: Joe Berlinger (USA)
SUNDANCE CHANNEL - ECO TRIP: COTTON SHIRT (SHORT)/ADDICTED TO PLASTIC (FEATURE) (USA)
UPSTREAM BATTLE
DIR: Ben Kempas (Germany)
WORLD CINEMA
THE AMERICAN TRAP (Piège américain, Le)
DIR: Charles Binamé (Canada)
Cast: Gérard Darmon, Colm Feore, Joe Cobden, Janet Lane
EMPTY NEST (NIDO VACÍO, EL
DIR: Daniel Burman (Argentina, Spain, France, & Italy)
Cast: Carlos Bermejo, Eugenia Capizzano, Inés Efron
EVANGELION: 1.0 YOU ARE (NOT) ALONE
DIR: Masayuki, Kazuya Tsurumaki, Hideaki Anno (Japan)
HEAVEN ON EARTH
DIR: Deepa Mehta (Canada)
Cast: Preity Zinita, Balinder Johal
HELLCATS (Ddeugeoun-geosi joh-a)
DIR: Chil-in Kwon (South Korea)
Cast: Mi-suk Lee, Min-hie Kim
KASSIM THE DREAM
DIR: Kief Davidson (USA/Uganda)
Featuring: Kassim Ouma
LULU AND JIMI
DIR: Oskar Roehler (Germany)
Cast: Jennifer Decker, Ray Fearon
PARIS 36 (FAUBOURG 36)
DIR: Chirstophe Barratier (France)
Cast: Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac
RUDO Y CURSI
DIR: Carlos Cuaron (Mexico)
Cast: Diego Luna, Gael Garcia Bernal, Guillermo Fracella
FAMILY FRIENDLYLOCK & ROLL FOREVER
DIR: Chris Grismer (USA/JAPAN)
Cast: Lucas Grabeel, Ike Barinholtz, Taylor Negron, Brad Dourif
PEARL
DIR: King Hollis (USA)
SEVEN OF DARAN
DIR: Lourens Blok (The Netherlands)
THE SPONGEBOB SQUAREPANTS MOVIE
DIR: Stephen Hillenburg (USA)
ANIMATION COMPETITION presented by REEL FX Entertainment
CHICKEN COWBOY
DIR: Stephen Neary (USA)
FROM BURGER IT CAME
DIR: Dominic Bisignano (USA)
I AM SO PROUD OF YOU
DIR: Don Hertzfeldt (USA)
LIES
DIR: Jonas Odell (Sweden)
MUTT
DIR: Glen Hunwick (Australia)
TOKEN HUNCHBACK
DIR: Tim Reckart (USA)
UNBELIEVABLE4
DIR: Sukwon Shin (USA)
COMMUNITY SHOWCASE
HAZE
DIR: Pete Schuermann (USA)
THE LEAST AMONG YOU
DIR: Mark Young (USA)
WARRIOR QUEEN
DIR: Hezekiah Lewis (USA)
MIDNIGHT SPECIALS
GRACE
DIR: Paul Solet (USA)
Cast: Jordan Ladd
NOT QUITE HOLLYWOOD
DIR: Mark Hartley (Australia)
YOROI: THE SAMURAI ZOMBIE
DIR: Tak Sakaguchi (Japan)
Cast: Tak Sakaguchi
STUDENT COMPETITION
COMMUNION
DIR: Markus Kirschner (USA)
Cast: Louisa Krause
THE EARLY NINETIES
DIR: Andrew Mailliard (USA)
HUG
DIR: Khary Jones (USA)
LOVE, SADIE
DIR: Naiti Gámez (USA)
LUCY: A PERIOD PIECE
DIR: Julie Sagalowsky (USA)
SLEET/SNOW
DIR: Daniel Laabs (USA)
TAG
DIR: Alex O'Flinn (USA)
LOCAL STUDENT SHORTS
NORTH TEXAS COLLEGE SHOWCASE
BOOKER T. WASHINGTON BLOCK
LOCAL HIGH SCHOOLS' BLOCK
SHORTS COMPETITION
ACTING FOR THE CAMERA
DIR: Justin Nowell (USA)
CHINA'S WILD WEST
DIR: Urszula Pontikos (UK)
DANSE MACABRE
DIR: Pedro Pires (Canada)
DANZAK
DIR: Gabriela Yepes (Peru/USA)
ELLA AND THE ASTRONAUT
DIR: Rodrigo Ojeda-Beck & Robert Machoian (USA)
GRANDE DIP
DIR: Angelo Restaino (USA)
HEADSHOT
DIR: Miles Fisher (USA)
THE HORRIBLE SLOW MURDERER WITH THE EXTREMELY INEFFICIENT WEAPON
DIR: Richard Gale (USA)
HUNGER
DIR: Chad Jackson (USA)
I LIVE IN THE WOODS!
DIR: Max Winston (USA)
THE ISLAND
DIR: Trevor Anderson (Canada)
KATE WAKES
DIR: Jasmine Kosovic (USA)
Cast: Adam Goldberg & Antoinette Valente
LAST MEAL
DIR: Mark Stern (USA)
MAKE MY DAY
DIR: Pelle Møller (Denmark)
THE MANAGEMENT OF GRIEF
DIR: Sai Selvarajan (USA)
MEGATRON
DIR: Marian Crisan (Romania)
NEXT FLOOR
DIR: Denis Villeneuve (Canada)
OIL CHANGE
DIR: Todd Luoto (USA)
ONE CUP OF COFFEE
DIR: Sarah Adina Smith (USA)
Featuring: Rohan Marley
POETRY OF EXACTITUDE
DIR: Alan Govenar (France/USA)
PRINCESS MARGARET BLVD
DIR: Kazik Radwanski (USA)
PUSH BUTTON HOUSE
DIR: Robert Profusek & Ryan Silbert (USA)
RIP AND THE PREACHER
DIR: Michael Lennox (UK/Ireland)
SHORT TERM 12
DIR: Destin Daniel Cretton (USA)
Cast: Brad Henke, Tania Verafield, Phoenix Henke, & Adam Shapiro
SISTER WIFE
DIR: Jill Orshel (USA)
SMALL COLLECTION
DIR: Jeremiah Crowell (USA)
SMOKEY
DIR: Scott Thurman (USA)
SNAKE MOUNTAIN COLADA
DIR: Calvin Reeder (USA)
SUSANNAH
DIR: Evan Nicholas (USA)
TEAM TALIBAN
DIR: Benjamin Kegan (USA)
TRECE AÑOS
DIR: Topaz Adizes (USA/Cuba)
TIPPING POINT
DIR: Javier Solis (USA)
TREEVENGE
DIR: Jason Eisener (Canada)
UNDONE
DIR: Brian Lee Hughes (USA)
