April 17, 2024

Opening Night

7:00pm - Thelma
93-year-old Thelma Post (June Squibb) is strong, sturdy and incharge – defying a lifetime of odds as she’s successfully brushed off assisted living into her nineties. But, her independent world is rocked when she falls victim to elder-abusing phone scammers posing as her beloved grandson, Daniel (Fred Hechinger), and regrettably sends them $10,000 in cash. With her family now worried that she’s entering a “new phase,” Thelma decides to do the unthinkable -- confront the scammers and get her money back -- enlisting the help of a reluctant old friend, Ben (Richard Roundtree, in his final on-screen performance), and his highpowered mobility scooter in a perilous mission across Los Angeles to prove she’s just as capable as ever. At once an homage and playful subversion of the action genre, as well as a soulful exploration of aging and autonomy, Thelma celebrates our most senior
generation. Writer/director Josh Margolin’s feature debut is based on a real-life experience of his grandmother and marks Squibb’s
first leading film role of her 70+ year career. An “action” comedy unlike any other, the film also stars Parker Posey, Clark Gregg and Malcolm McDowell. The film will be released by Magnolia Pictures on June 21st. 97mins

7:00pm - Nonfiction Short Films
Join us for a program featuring fascinating true stories showcasing inspirational people. Diane Fredel-Weis’ TO MYSELF, WITH LOVE: THE BESSIE STRINGFIELD STORY is the first film about trailblazer Bessie Stringfield - the first Black woman to ride a motorcycle across the United States. Bessie accomplished this feat in 1930 at the age of 19 during the Jim Crow era and her achievements continue to inspire riders today. Dan Gagliasso’s FILMING
UNDER FIRE: JOHN FORD’S OSS FIELD PHOTO BRANCH is the story of how Hollywood director John Ford and other leading filmmakers -- including Harold Rosson, Gregg Toland, Joe August, Budd Schulberg and Sterling Hayden -- contributed to America’s victory over Nazism and fascism in World War II through their service in the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) Field Photographic Branch. Andrea von Siebenthal’s MORE THAN BROTHERS
highlights the human cost of political decisions through the personal sacrifices and humanitarian efforts of two Green Berets in a race against time to save the Afghans who kept them safe during their deployments and their Afghan allies whose lives have been uprooted since the withdrawal. 68mins.

7:00pm - Who Is Stan Smith?
From Executive Producers LeBron James and Maverick Carter, Danny Lee’s Who Is Stan Smith? highlights Smith’s tennis accomplishments as well as his humanitarian work off the tennis court: Smith’s relationship with Arthur Ashe heavily inspired his anti-racist activism, as did his later relationship with Black player Mark Mathabane, whom Smith helped escape from apartheid in South Africa. More than the namesake of one of the world’s most iconic sneakers, Stan Smith has lived a champion’s life on and off the tennis court. Chronicling his rise from collegiate superstar to World No.1 and beyond, Smith blazed new paths for athletes, both as a humanitarian and fashion icon. Complete with intimate first-person accounts and dynamic archival materials, Who Is Stan Smith? is a powerful and inspiring portrait of the man behind the shoe that became a movement. The film will be released by Sonder Entertainment on May 17th. 95mins

April 18, 2024

7:00pm - Footloose
Join us as we celebrate the 40th anniversary of an 80s classic musical drama and enjoy
the wonderful opportunity to hear from Dean Pitchford, the writer whose lively lyrics
brought the beloved film to life!

Footloose jumps with spirit, dazzling dance numbers and an electrifying musical score. It portrays the timeless struggle between innocent pleasure
and rigid morality, when city-boy Ren McCormick (Kevin Bacon) finds himself in an uptight, small southwestern town where dancing and rock music
have been banned by the town’s fundamentalist preacher (John Lithgow). Ren revolts with best friend Willard (Chris Penn) and the minister’s
daughter (Lori Singer). With a screenplay and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, Footloose features a treasury of Top 10 songs performed by -- Kenny
Loggins “Footloose,” Shalamar “Dancing in the Sheets,” Deniece Williams “Let’s Hear It For The Boy,” Bonnie Tyler “Holding Out for A Hero,” and
the Footloose love theme, “Almost Paradise.” Directed by Herbert Ross, the film garnered two Academy Award nominations for its songs and also
stars Sarah Jessica Parker and Dianne Wiest. 107mins

7:30pm - Avenue Of The Giants
Avenue of the Giants tells the true story of Herbert Heller who kept his miraculous escape from the Auschwitz Birkenau death march a secret
for 60 years, even from his family. That is, until he meets Abbey, a young teenager whose own brush with pain and death inspires him to
open up as well, leading the two of them to exchange their stories as a meaningful and healing friendship is born. Finn Taylor’s powerful film
features a heart-piercing screenplay and unforgettable performances from a cast that includes Stephen Lang, Elsie Fisher, Luke David Blumm,
Leah Pipes, Ben Geurens, Ursula Parker, Slavko Sobin, Stella Stocker, Oskar Hes, and Robin Weigert. Distributor: Greenwich Entertainment.
102mins.

7:30pm - The Trouble With Jessica
Sarah and Tom are a married couple in terrible financial trouble. On the brink of losing everything, they’ve managed to
find a buyer for their stylish London home. When their best friends Richard and Beth come around for a final dinner, an
uninvited old friend, Jessica, tags along. After a seemingly trivial argument, Jessica hangs herself in the garden. Tom
goes to call the police when Sarah realizes if the buyer finds out, the sale will collapse -- meaning definite financial ruin for
their family. The only solution... to convince Richard and Beth to take Jessica’s body to her flat and make it look like she
killed herself there. If they’re clever enough about it, what could possibly go wrong? Matt Winn’s satirical black comedy
stars Shirley Henderson, Rufus Sewell, Olivia Williams, with Indira Varma and Alan Tudyk. 90mins.

April 19, 2024

7:00pm - Girls Will Be Gir
In a strict boarding school nestled in the Himalayas, Mira is a successful student shouldering high expectations from her parents and her teachers. But as she wrestles with new desires and ample curiosity inspired by the handsome Sri, she finds herself at odds with the school’s strict rules and her mother’s incessant involvement in her new romance. As Mira strives to escape the watchful eyes of her teachers, mother, and fellow students to find time alone with Sri, Mira approaches learning about love with the same dedication that she applies to her studies -- resulting in sometimes comic and shocking conclusions. Shuchi Talati’s captivating debut feature is not only a beautiful coming-of-age story but a sensitive exploration of female desire and observation of how conservative cultures can entrap women under strict expectations and norms. The film will be released by Juno Films this Fall. Special thanks to our guests from Asian Film Festival Dallas. 118mins.

7:00pm - Laroy, Texas
Broke and depressed, Ray (John Magaro) is mistaken for a dangerous hitman and given an envelope of cash. Along with his P.I. friend Skip (Steve Zahn), he must escape the actual hitman tomake it out of LaRoy alive. Writer/director Shane Atkinson’s feature directorial debut is an entertaining, dark comedy crime thriller that also stars Dylan Baker, Megan Stevenson, Matthew Del Negro and Brad Leland. The film will be released by Brainstorm Media.
112mins.

7:00pm - Last Night On Earth
Faced with the imminent destruction of Earth by a planet-killing asteroid, Holly (Leven Rambin) and Ryan (Jake McLaughlin) flee to the serene mountains of Tennessee to spend their last few days together. But the breakdown of society brings out the worst in some -- who disrupt the young couple’s peaceful plans -- turning the last hours of Earth to be a race against time for the couple to be together for the inevitable end. Marcos Efron’s thrilling film also stars Shane West, Dee Wallace, and Sohvi Rodriguez. 86mins

9:30pm - Narrative I Short Films
Join us for a collection of dark, wildly creative films with unexpected outcomes. In Foster Wilson’s 5 STAGES OF GRIEF a woman is stuck in a grief cycle after her cat is euthanized; in Michael Spiccia’s I’M ON FIRE (featuring Jamie-Lynn Sigler) an abusive father is pulled up short by his 12-year-old son; in Gunnur Martinsdóttir Schlüter’s FÁR a woman faces a decision whether to ignore nature or react; in Michael Matsui’s YOU’RE ON YOUR OWN, KID a 9-year-old is pursued by an entity in her home; in Patricio Martínez & Francisco Cantón’s NADA DE TODO ESTO a woman’s visceral fixation with wealthy neighbors leads her and her daughter into a sticky situation; in Hugo Becker’s MUKBANGER a young man must decide between a healthy life or social media fame; and in BRICK’s SPAG BOL two crime scene cleaners find themselves entangled in an unlikely romance. 96mins.|

9:30pm - Student Short Films
Join us for a program of new U.S. and international student works including Szu-Wei Chen’s A NEW YEAR’S DANCE which follows a Chinese woman who considers going on a date with a client; in Theo Holt’s A RISK OF LOBSTERS, OR HOW TO KEEP HUMAN a recently fired wearied salary-man’s life is changed after buying a lobster; in Adam Hazelton & Emily Hazelton’s AMERICAN OXYGEN a young woman who requires supplemental oxygen
risks everything to reach a miracle-working televangelist; in Raphaël Hernandez’s RICKSHAW a sudden encounter disrupts a young boy and his family on their ride home; in Weiqi Cai’s END OF SUMMER a young boy copes with his grieving mother over the death of his grandmother; in Eric Wang Schwager’s LUCKY MARKET an elderly Asian grocer must prepare to leave the community she has built; in Shengwei Zhou’s PERFECT CITY: THE
BRAVEST KID a paper boy dreams of a knife-hand chasing him; and in Leo Behrens’ poetic SKIN a man sheds their old skin and embraces their true identity. 99mins.

April 20, 2024

4:00pm - The Michoacan File
For over 300 years, Mexico was the place where European and Asian trade routes collided leaving behind a vast and strong gastronomic culture with an enormous recipe repertoire. In 2010, UNESCO designated Mexican food as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, and, for the first time ever, a gastronomic culture was to be protected and elevated to the same level as art or science. Exploring through past and present -- and told from the viewpoint of culinary experts, anthropologists, and traditional cooks -- Bernardo Arsuaga’s fascinating, timely and culturally significant documentary details the origin, history, and impact of Mexican food on modern society. 91mins.

7:00pm - Badlands
Includes film clip tribute honoring Martin Sheen Terrence Malick’s chilling debut feature (USAFF4) was inspired by the real-life Midwestern killing spree by Charles Starkweather and his teenage girlfriend Caril Ann Fugate in 1958. The project marked the first significant film roles for the two young leads -
- Martin Sheen electrifies the screen as the magnetic sociopath Kit Carruthers, while Sissy Spacek is mesmerizing as the innocent Holly who is indifferent to the stunning violence that becomes part of their fairy tale world. When Kit casually kills Holly’s father (Warren Oates) because he disapproves of their relationship, the young lovers leg it toward the badlands of Montana, leaving a trail of random murders in their wake. And yet, despite the carnage,
we still root for the two starry-eyed criminals on their dead-end journey. Though critics praised the film when it was released, it achieved little box office success. Fifty years later, we celebrate Malick’s memorable, atmospheric neo-noir for what it truly is -- a classic. 95mins.

4:00pm - Exposure
Against all odds and polar advice, a Muslim chaplain, a French biologist, a Qatari princess and eight other women from the Arab World and the West attempt to ski across the melting Arctic sea ice to the North Pole. Director Holly Morris and her crew capture the struggle of these boundary-breaking adventurers who, led by veteran polar explorer Felicity Aston, navigate everything from frostbite and polar bear threats to sexism and self-doubt in a visually stunning, intimate story of resilience, survival and global citizenry. Exposure is the story of the audacious women who are, to date, the last to ski over the ice to the North Pole. 88mins

8:00pm - Slide
What if Clint Eastwood and Mel Brooks became cartoonists and united to create the wackiest, most surreal musical western ever? Bill Plympton’s Slide is the story of a corrupt logging village ruled by two evil twin brothers who enjoy nothing more than killing and greed. One day, a mysterious cowboy arrives in town carrying nothing but his slide guitar. Further complicating matters is the arrival of a Hollywood studio coming to shoot their new feature film in the village -- with the final Armageddon battle interrupted by the failure of the village’s dam. 78mins.

April 21, 2024

4:00pm - Film Is Dead. Long Live Film!
Film is Dead. Long Live Film! explores the vanishing world of private film collecting -- an obsessive, secretive, often illicit world of basement film vaults piled-high with forgotten reels and inhabited by passionate cinephiles devoted to the rescue and preservation of photochemical film. Condemned as pirates and hounded by the FBI, film collectors have long lurked in the shadows. Yet their efforts have resulted in the survival of countless films that would otherwise have been lost to history. Archives and studios now look to private hands for missing titles, and many collectors have begun
restoring and releasing films themselves. As analog film fades from memory, the basement-dwellers and bootleggers of old are
finally getting the recognition they deserve. Shot over a period of six years, filmmaker Peter Flynn’s insightful documentary is a lively
and loving tribute to the private film collector, a celebration of the fetishistic subculture of pre-video movie-love, and a reminder of the glories of analog film. 103mins.

3:00pm - High School Short Films
Join us for a collection of short films from Garland High School’s International Baccalaureate (IB) film program’s students. The Reel Owl Cinema four-year program teaches students the art of filmmaking with an emphasis on narrative storytelling. 60mins.

4:00pm - Narrative Ii Short Films
This collection of dramatic short films portrays the impact of life choices while highlighting the indomitable human spirit. In Rachel Walden’s LEMON TREE a young boy is tasked with getting himself, his father and new pet rabbit home safe; in Lewis Rose’s KEEP a former lighthouse keeper and an Afghan refugee develop a friendship while confronting their respective cultures and pasts; in Kelly Pike’s PICTURE DAY an Asian-American tomboy who is coming of age on Army bases must decide what she is willing to sacrifice to fit in; in Mike Clarke’s SQUEEZE a student with autism must overcome his biggest fear when he is recruited to be on the wrestling team (inspired by a true story); and in Nadine Wilson’s WUSS a young boy’s cherished cat goes missing. 90mins.

4:30pm - Lucha: A Wrestling Tale
Taft High School in the South Bronx was the first school in the country to have metal detectors, and crack vials were routinely found in the cafeteria. But on a cold winter day, in that very same cafeteria, a much different scene played out. Tables were pushed to the side, worn wrestling mats were placed on the floor, a whistle blew and twenty girls in mismatched sweats and hand-me-down sneakers began running wind sprints -- thus kicking off the Taft High School Girl’s Wrestling season. This is the story of that team and their journey from the high hopes of inaugural season through the uncertainty of graduation. Marco Ricci’s empowering documentary is not just a film about wrestling -- but a film about breaking barriers as it portrays the stories of four pioneering young women who view wrestling as a way to transform their lives. Shot over the course of over two years, in a gritty verité style, the film
weaves together practices, matches, and “at home” footage to create an intimate portrait of four young women -- and a team -- struggling to overcome the daily challenges around them. 97mins.

7:00pm - Texas Short Films
Join us for an eclectic program of new short films from Texas filmmakers including -- Cullen Blanchfield’s GROW A BETTER DALLAS highlights South Dallas’ Restorative Farms, a nonprofit that offers rehabilitation and therapeutic solutions to individuals with criminal backgrounds; in John Benjamin Terrell’s ALMOST PERFECT: THE 99TH PITCH former MLB pitcher Brian Holman revisits a performance that still stands as one of the rarest events in MLB history; in Tim Yager & Alyssa Udovitsch’s DOUBLES a woman goes about her daily routine after realizing she’s committed a violent act; in Hannah
Abu-eideh’s GEORGIA a young couple who have decided to breakup agree to one last night together; in Vered Rodriguez’s INTROVERT CLUB a shy writer’s path collides with an extroverted actress at a film festival mixer; in Sue Perrotto’s THE MAYFLY (written and voiced by Betty Buckley) a young city Mayfly goes against cultural norms to dedicate her short life to music and dance; in Joe Scott’s STRANGERS a married couple (Scott and Lena Hall) on a dinner date realize that their relationship is over; and in THEY DON’T MAKE ‘EM LIKE WILLIE ANYMORE Blacksmith Rose performs a musical love letter for iconic Texas singer/songwriter Willie Nelson.
88mins.

7:00pm - Possum Trot
Inspired by the incredible true story, Possum Trot follows Donna and Reverend Martin as they ignite a movement of compassion in their East Texas church to adopt some of the most difficult-toplace kids in the foster system. After 22 families adopt 77 children, the Martins lead the charge to prove that faith, community, and perseverance have the power to change the lives of children everywhere. Joshua Weigel’s moving debut feature is co-written by Rebekah Weigel and stars Nika King (in her feature debut), Demetrius Grosse, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Diaana Babnicova. The film will be released by Angel Studios on July 4th. 119mins.

7:30pm - Jamie Wyeth And The Unflinching Eye
As the heir to an unparalleled three-generation dynasty in American art, Jamie Wyeth struggles to find his own voice during the colorful turmoil of pop culture and politics from the 1960s to the present. This first feature-length documentary of the artist from filmmaker Glenn Holsten follows Wyeth’s journey capturing iconic figures like John F. Kennedy, Andy Warhol, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rudolf Nureyev, as well as his unique, sometimes unsettling, views of domestic life, the islands of Maine and his own personal ghosts. The film will be released by Juno Films on April 26th at the Quad
Cinema. 80mins.

April 26, 2024

Closing Night

6:30pm - Lady Sings The Blues

Salute to Billy Dee Williams
The essence of Billie Holiday, one of America’s most beloved and memorable jazz singers, is captured brilliantly in a
tour-de-force debut performance by singer Diana Ross. Filled with the greatest songs of the incomparable “Lady Day,”
director Sidney J. Furie’s stunning autobiographical drama also stars Billy Dee Williams as Louis McKay and Richard
Pryor as Piano Man. The on-screen chemistry between Ross and Williams thrilled audiences and the film received
five Academy Award nominations, including Diana Ross for “Best Actress.” 144 mins.

Date: April 17-26, 2024

Location:
Angelika Film Center, 5321 East Mockingbird Lane
Dallas, TX 75206

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