Daily updates from the first annual AFI DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Target, founding sponsor Victory Park, March 22 to April 1, 2007

Saturday, March 31, 2007

Looking Back: A Filmmaker's Last Day

Final impressions of the 2007 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival from filmmaker Phil Abetacola (THE CHASE) in words and pictures on his personal blog:
"Overall, the films have been very good, or at least very well done, and the people have been wonderful. When I say this, I don’t just mean the filmmakers, but also the staff.

Now thinking of this does bring into my mind something James said a day ago. He said, 'they really have it down, this illusion that this festival is all about us.'

Now when James says 'us' he doesn’t mean it editorially as in filmmakers in general, but 'us' as in James and myself.

When we walk in to any sponsored event, get into any shuttle, which are all Lexus by the way, and when we need to eat or drink, it's all provided and it’s always for us, specifically for us."
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Looking Back: 'Fest's a Winner'

Looking back at the 2007 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival with Robert Wilonsky, Dallas Observer, on the Unfair Park blog:
"Sounds like the fest's a winner, at least with theater managers who say their 'plexes have been full-up for most screenings. Shawn Mahan, general manager at the Magnolia Theater, says he expected attendance to be 'up and down, and, for the most part, it's been up'; lines have wrapped around the building for some screenings, a pattern oft repeated over at the Angelika (least, that's what my folks have said, and they’ve been damned near every day)."
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More Staff Photos

AFI DALLAS Staff

Click here for photos of the hard-working staff and volunteers of the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival.

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Daily Email Newsletter Archive

Daily email newsletters for the 2007 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival:

Sign up for future free newsletters here.

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Attend AFI FEST 2007 in Hollywood

From the heart of Texas to the heart of Hollywood, connect with AFI to become an AFI Insider.

Get in on the buzz surrounding the hot new film event that all of Texas will be talking about: the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival.

Your AFI Insider status lets you dream big - Texas big - with the chance to win a trip to Hollywood to attend the prestigious AFI FEST 2007 presented by Audi.

It's the longest-running film festival in Los Angeles, and the lucky winner and guest will receive airfare for two from Texas to LA, a room at the historic Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel and star treatment with insider access to screenings, galas and festival parties.

And that’s not all. AFI Insiders get access to exclusive content and features at AFI.com:

* Eclectic, stimulating podcasts and videos from AFI’s many year-round film series, retrospectives and festivals

* The downloadable ballot for AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies - 10th Anniversary Edition

* Discussions driven by AFI’s online community of movie-lovers, like the current conversation about the greatest American movies, where you can log on and share your opinion.

And it's all free! So get ready to see and be seen. Fill out this short form, and then watch your inbox turn into box office gold.

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BEINGS Encore with UFOlogist in Person

BEINGS Poster The AFI DALLAS International Film Festival encore presentation of BEINGS is Sunday April 1, 9:00pm, at The Angelika. In attendance: best-selling author and UFOlogist Nick Redfern.

Coverage from Dallas Morning News

A roundup of "Scenes from AFI," a column covering the 2007 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival in the Dallas Morning News.
Scenes from AFI: TCU grad has taste of success
Mar 30, 2007 - By STEPHEN BECKER / Staff Writer. The 24-year-old actress from Haltom City stars in two films playing in the festival – Dallas-shot The Night of the White ...
Scenes from AFI: Look at a rocker's life
Mar 29, 2007 - By STEPHEN BECKER / The Dallas Morning News. AJ Schnack faced a unique challenge in making his most recent film, Kurt Cobain: About a Son. ...
Scenes from AFI: Zombie tale eats at you
Mar 28, 2007 - By CHRIS VOGNAR / Movie Critic. Canadian filmmaker Andrew Currie is coming to town for AFI Dallas, and he wants a recommendation for a good steakhouse. ...
Scenes from AFI: A composer who knows the score
Mar 27, 2007 - By STEPHEN BECKER / Staff Writer. Is there an award that Marvin Hamlisch hasn't won? He's one of a handful of people to win an Oscar, Grammy, Emmy and Tony, ...
Scenes from AFI: Lynch keeping it odd
Mar 26, 2007 - By CHRIS VOGNAR / The Dallas Morning News. AP. He'll probably say more than that when he and Laura Dern pick up their Star Awards tonight before a screening ...
Scenes from AFI: Underdog racer is really driven
Mar 26, 2007 - By STEPHEN BECKER / Staff Writer. Like Ricky Bobby in Talladega Nights, Jeff Milburn has always wanted to go fast. From attending races with his family as a ...
Scenes from AFI
Mar 26, 2007 - By CHRIS VOGNAR / Movie Critic. Robert Edsel's epiphany came about seven years ago, as he crossed the Ponte Vecchio in Florence, Italy. ...
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AFI DALLAS Film Awards Announced Tomorrow

The 2007 AFI DALLAS International Film Festival Awards Ceremony is Sunday April 1, 2007, 11:00 am, W Hotel, 33rd Floor, Victory Park, Dallas. (Invitation only.) The following awards will be announced. Some of the winning films will screen later on Sunday.

Target Filmmaker Award
Awarded to a film in Narrative Feature Competition and a film in International Documentary Competition; each winning film receives a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize.

  • Target Narrative winner screens April 1, 6:00pm, Magnolia
  • Target Documentary winner screens April 1, 7:00pm, Angelika

Grand Jury Prize - Short
Awarded to a film in the Shorts Competition, as selected by the Shorts Jury.

  • Jury Short winner screens with other winning shorts, Sunday April 1, 6:15pm, Magnolia

Grand Jury Prize - Texas
Awarded to a film in the Texas Competition, as selected by the Texas Jury.

Grand Jury Prize - Animation
Awarded to a film in the Animation Competition, as selected by ReelFX Studios.


Grand Jury Prize - Student
Awarded to a film in the Student Competition, as selected by the Student Jury.


Audience Awards - Narrative, Documentary & Short
Many films at the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival are eligible for an Audience Award; winners are determined by ballot vote following screenings.

  • Audience Narrative winner screens April 1, 4:00pm, Magnolia
  • Audience Documentary winner screens April 1, 6:30pm, Magnolia
  • Audience Short winner screens with other winning shorts, Sunday April 1, 6:15pm, Magnolia

Best HD Feature - Presented by HDNet
Awarded to the best HD feature, as selected by HDNet. Films eligible for this award are marked with the HDNet logo.



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AFI DALLAS Schedule: Saturday March 31

Click here for March 31 schedule and tickets to the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival presented by Target, founding sponsor Victory Park.

AT&T TALK/SHOW at Nasher Sculpture Center - 2001 Flora St. [Map]
12:00n The True Independence of Independent Film - Hosted by Gary Cogill, WFAA
2:00p What's the Female Point? - Hosted by Missy Schwartz, Entertainment Weekly
3:30p The Past Ten Years - Hosted by 2929 Entertainment CEO Todd Wagner

Inwood Theatre - 5458 W. Lovers Lane [map]
7:30p Away from Her - Closing Night Screening & Gala

SMU Hughes-Trigg Theater - 6425 Boaz Ln. [map]
4:00p A Lawyer Walks Into a Bar
6:30p Documentary Shorts

The Magnolia - 3699 McKinney Ave. [Map]
11:45a A Place to Dance
12:00n An American in Sophiatown
12:00n Eve of Understanding
1:30p Shut up & Shoot Me
2:00p Come Back, Africa
2:00p Canvas
4:00p Animation Competition
4:30p 10 Items or Less
5:00p Borderlands
6:00p The Orange Thief
7:00p Living and Dying
7:15p Shorts Program 6
8:30p Sharkwater
9:30p Borland (preceded by A Death in the Woods)
9:45p Netherbeast Incorporated
9:45p Wrestlemaniac

Angelika Film Center - 5321 E. Mockingbird Ln. [Map]
11:45a Man in the Chair
12:00n August the First
2:30p Shorts Program 5
2:30p Student Competition 2
4:30p Booker T. Washington Student Films
6:45p The Ten
7:00p New Year Baby
9:00p Strong Enough to Break
9:15p Running on Empty
11:00p Horror Shorts

Victory Plaza - AFI 100... Series - 3090 Olive St. [Map]
12:15p Some Like it Hot
3:15p Sunset Boulevard
6:00p The Wizard of Oz
8:30p Singin' in the Rain

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Scenes from This Week at AFI DALLAS

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Interview with Director of Wrestlemaniac

Director Jesse Baget talks about Mexican wrestling and horror in his new film Wrestlemaniac with Pop Syndicate.

See Wrestlemaniac at the AFI DALLAS International Film Festival Friday March 30, 12:00 midnight, and Saturday March 31, 9:45pm, at The Magnolia.

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