DIFF 2023 showcases the power of film with over 100 films from more than 60 countries. Festival goers will find socially conscious dramas, thrilling documentaries, heartwarming comedies, pulse-pounding action films, and more. But movie enthusiasts may want to make plans now. Travel + Leisure magazine recently named Dallas among the “12 Best Places to Travel in April 2023,” citing the festival as a must-see event.
The Dallas International Film Festival has revealed its full lineup of feature films for its 17th edition, showcasing over 100 films from more than 60 countries. The festival has something for just about everyone, from socially conscious dramas to thrilling documentaries and heartwarming comedies to pulse-pounding action films.
Running from April 28 to May 5, 2023, at the Violet Crown Cinema in West Village Uptown, DIFF 2023 also boasts a red-carpet lineup and special events, including world premieres and Q&As with filmmakers and actors.
DIFF 2023 promises to celebrate the art of filmmaking, featuring established and emerging artists alike—many with local ties. Under the leadership of James Faust, DIFF’s Artistic Director, the festival continues to be a beacon of creative excellence that amplifies important stories and unheard voices.
“Festivalgoers can start making their movie plans, including the opportunity to see several films that will be world premiering with us here in Dallas,” Faust said in a statement. “DIFF gives some of the earliest and rarest opportunities to see several films on the big screen that amplify important stories and unheard voices – films that, in many cases, will be personally introduced by and discussed with the filmmakers in attendance.”
Making plans now could be good advice for local movie enthusiasts: Travel + Leisure magazine recently named Dallas among the “12 Best Places to Travel in April 2023,” citing the festival as a must-see event. Moreover, MovieMaker magazine also recognized Dallas as one of the “Best Places to Live and Work as a MovieMaker 2023.”
Here’s a selective look at featured films in various genres.
Film descriptions provided by DIFF.
The documentaries in DIFF’s 2023 lineup offer a wide range of fascinating stories with strong ties to Dallas-Fort Worth and Texas. One anticipated film, “Breaking the Code” reveals the incredible journey of Fort Worth artist Vernon Fisher, who established himself as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century.
For Star Wars fans, director Jeremy Coon’s latest film takes audiences on a journey through the “ill-fated” Star Wars Holiday Special, featuring never-before-seen behind-the-scenes footage. Coon, a graduate of Richardson’s Berkner High School, has a unique take on this infamous piece of Star Wars history.
Meanwhile, “Gibson Icons: Rex Brown of Pantera” delves into the heart of the Texas music scene with an intimate look into the life of the renowned Rex Brown and his influential Lone Star State band. And the world-premiere documentary “Into the Spotlight” follows a Dallas-based theatre troupe composed of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, showcasing their creativity and determination.
Rounding out our Texas ties, “Karen Carpenter: Starving for Perfection” is an unvarnished documentary produced by Dallas-based AMS Pictures, exploring the personal struggles of the iconic singer.
Here are some featured documentaries:
AFGHAN DREAMERS
Members of an all-girl robotics team from Afghanistan struggle to succeed in international competitions while combating their male-dominated culture and the threat of Taliban rule.
BAD PRESS
Angel Ellis, a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, fights alongside her free press Myskoke Media reporters for government transparency and access to information. Highlighting Ellis’ advocacy for ethical coverage of Indigenous topics and communities, it highlights how her fight to expose government corruption has ramifications across her tribal boundaries in Oklahoma and beyond.
BREAKING THE CODE
World Premiere
Legendary Fort Worth artist Vernon Fisher was born to rural Texas farmers in 1943 with a childhood exposure to painting that was only “something you did to houses.” By the 1980s, he was exhibiting alongside Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat, establishing himself as one of the most significant artists of the 20th century. The film follows Fisher as he continues to create art that challenges social norms and asks important questions about reality.
DEEP RISING
The fate of the planet’s last untouched wilderness, the deep ocean, is explored alongside a threat from a secretive organization that is about to allow massive extraction of seabed metals to address the world’s energy crisis.
A DISTURBANCE IN THE FORCE: HOW THE STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL HAPPENED
Directed by Jeremy Coon and Steve Kozak, this film is the tale of the ill-fated The Star Wars Holiday Special that aired on CBS the week of Thanksgiving 1978, and was never re-aired, going on to become the franchise’s dark secret. Featuring behind-the-scenes archival footage from Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher, Harrison Ford, and Anthony Daniels, it also incorporates the voices of “Weird Al” Yankovic, Kevin Smith, Seth Green, and the late Gilbert Gottfried. The screening is scheduled for May 3 and 4 and May. Director Jeremy Coon is a graduate of Berkner High School in Richardson.
THE ETERNAL MEMORY
Spanish Documentary
Directed by Maite Alberdi, this Chilean film follows the relationship of prominent Chilean journalist Augusto Góngora and actress Paulina “Pauli” Urrutia. It won the Grand Jury Prize at the 2023 Sundance Film Festival. A couple for 23 years, Augusto was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease eight years ago, and Paulina cares for him, helping maintain his identity despite the challenges of his illness.
GIBSON ICONS: REX BROWN OF PANTERA
Renowned worldwide, Rex Brown and his Texas brethren forged a blueprint with the DFW-based band Pantera that’s been studied by nearly every hard rock and heavy metal band that has followed. Throughout this intimate look into his musical journey, Rex shares personal stories surrounding his childhood, the bonds built between his band members, and the enduring legacy of Pantera.
GO ON, BE BRAVE
The story of Andrea Lytle Peet’s race against time – a diagnosis of ALS and an attempt at the impossible. Peet aims to be the first person with ALS to complete a marathon in all 50 states, the film follows her journey as she inspires others to go on, be brave.
INTO THE SPOTLIGHT
World Premiere
A heartfelt story of how a script, a stage, and a theater program composed of adults with disabilities celebrate their creativity, explore life’s complexities, and empower a community, in their own words and their own way. INTO THE SPOTLIGHT is a documentary feature film that follows a Dallas-based theatre troupe, composed of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, who are determined to write, rehearse, and perform their 11th annual original musical during the 2021-22 season. Only disabled people are interviewed and the only people who answer the questions are the disabled people themselves.
ISRAELISM
The role of Israel in American Jewish identity is challenged when two young American Jews join an awakening within the community after they witness Israel’s brutal treatment of the Palestinian people first-hand. Heartbroken and enraged at the older generation of American Jews who raised them to defend the State of Israel at all costs, they join a struggle not just for Palestinian rights but also within the Jewish community.
IT AIN’T OVER
The film gives Yogi Berra his due in following the life of the bad-ball hitting catcher and D-Day veteran, loving husband and father, product endorser and originator (mostly) of his own brand of proverbs now ingrained into everyday life.
IT’S ONLY LIFE AFTER ALL
Directed, produced, and edited by Alexandria Bombach, this is an intimate look into the lives of the Indigo Girls, one of the most iconic American folk-rock bands. Featuring never-before-seen archival and intimate Cinéma verité, the film dives into the songwriting and storytelling of bandmembers Amy Ray and Emily Saliers that helped transform a generation.
KAREN CARPENTER: STARVING FOR PERFECTION
A captivating and unvarnished documentary about Karen Carpenter’s personal struggles as told through never-before-released recordings as well as legendary voices who knew her and were inspired by her music. Highly relevant to today’s audiences, Carpenter’s quest for perfection resulted in low self-esteem, a disheartening love life, and a public battle with anorexia nervosa. Dallas-based AMS Pictures produced the film.
MAX ROACH: THE DRUM ALSO WALTZES
The story of an American jazz musician whose far-reaching ambitions were inspired and challenged by the inequities of the society around him, this film follows Roach’s seven-decade career through deep personal struggle, showing the price he paid for his outspoken views.
THE NEW AMERICANS: GAMING A REVOLUTION
Directed by Ondi Timoner, the film is a meme-driven journey into the intersection of finance, media, and extremism with the founders of Reddit and WallStreetBets, crypto fanatics, bored housewives, and TikTok-ers turned millionaire traders. The latest film by Timoner (whose LAST FLIGHT HOME, won the DIFF 2022 Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary Feature) looks at the explosive and irreversible ramifications of our digital future.
THE RATIONAL MIDDLE: NET ZERO
Rational Middle and Shell partnered to explore the technologies, policies and partnerships required to achieve net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 to catalyze a conversation that leads to awareness and action and address the global challenge of climate change. The series is directed and produced by Gregory Kallenberg.
REVIVAL69: THE CONCERT THAT ROCKED THE WORLD
Young, scrappy concert promoter John Brower puts his life on the line (literally) to turn his failing Toronto Rock n Roll Revival into a one-day event, later coined in rock mythology as “the second most important event in rock n’ roll history.” And it almost didn’t happen. The festival united rock legends and the almost famous, but it was the 11th hour arrival of John Lennon and the Plastic Ono Band that ignited a truly seminal moment for the 20,000 fans, triggering Lennon’s final decision to leave the Beatles forever.
SAVAGE
World Premiere
World premiering at DIFF 2023 with an inspiring and intimate portal into the world’s most dangerous sport. This comeback story of bull rider Clayton Savage shares the journey of one man’s grit and rugged willpower to achieve the elusive dream of becoming a world champion in a game that is often life…or death.
SK8 GIRLZ
World Premiere
World premiering at DIFF 2023 with an underdog story, this film documents the rise of an all-female skateboarding team based out of Orange County as they tear down the barriers created by a male-centric sport. It is the second feature film from Sarah Ivy and the second film about women and skateboarding to screen at DIFF.
STEPHEN CURRY: UNDERRATED
This coming-of-age story documents Stephen Curry, one of the most influential, dynamic, and unexpected players in basketball history, and his rise from an undersized college player to a four-time NBA champion.
STILL: A MICHAEL J. FOX MOVIE
The film chronicles the personal and professional triumphs and travails of actor Michael J. Fox, exploring what happens when an incurable optimist confronts an incurable disease. With a mix of adventure and romance, comedy and drama, watching the film feels like … well, like a Michael J. Fox movie.
TO KILL A TIGER
On the night of a family wedding in Jharkand, India, Ranjit fears the worst after waking up to find his daughter is not home. Dragged into the woods, she was gang-raped by three men, and the village solution is to marry her to one of them, which Ranjit refuses. Instead, he challenges the status quo, determined to get justice for his daughter.
WE WILL SPEAK
The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity, yet generations of assimilation efforts by the U.S. government and anti-Indigenous stigmas have forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a State of Emergency for the language in 2019. This feature-length documentary was shot on-location in Oklahoma and North Carolina throughout 2019-2022; and through intimate interviews, vérité footage of community gatherings, and extensive archival materials, explores the nuanced ways the Cherokee language is vital to maintaining a unique cultural identity and relationship with the world.
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