The organizers of our local film festivals don’t like it when we talk about the film fest wars. I get where they are coming from. Even though the USA Film Festival and the Dallas International Film Festival go head-to-head every April, competing to snag the best films off the film festival circuit (not to mention the largest donations from local cinematic arts patrons), the only real winners are you and me, Dallas movie lovers, who keep getting more opportunities to see all the important movies that come out each year.
Well, last year there was a new addition to the crowded local film fest market (which includes the DIFF and USA, as well as the Dallas Video Festival, Thin Line Film Festival, Lone Star Film Festival, Asian Film Festival, Texas Black Film Festival, Arab Film Festival, and more). It’s called the Oak Cliff Film Festival, and it was launched by the filmmakers/film presenters who run the Texas Theatre (Aviation Cinemas). The quartet put together a solid lineup in their first year, and they’re going to give it another go around this year. I commend them. Putting together a film fest is hard work. It takes perseverance It’s exhausting. Sometimes it knocks you down and you have to get up and keep on going. Anyway, that’s what I think the entertaining new bumper for the film fest (above) is about. Well, that and the fact that if you are going to market, brand, and promote a film festival, good luck going up against a passionate crew of talented young filmmakers. They’re probably going to win.
