Film Fest Madness
Oak Cliff Film Festival 2014 blends new and old with a wheels-off twist
The Oak Cliff Film Festival has released the schedule of films for its upcoming third edition in June, and it's a list that will honor both the future and past of filmmaking.
Taking place June 19-22 at multiple locations in Oak Cliff, the festival includes 22 feature-length films, six short film showcases and a concert by experimental multimedia group Negativland.
Among the headlining films is an opening-night screening that's vaguely referred to as "the Texas Premiere of a new film produced by Sailor Bear Productions/Toby Halbrooks, James Johnston and David Lowery."
A screening of Wild Canaries atop Jefferson Tower is preceded by a bike ride sponsored by Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and New Belgium Brewery.
Anyone who knows his way around IMDb can surmise that this will almost certainly be Listen Up Philip, a film directed by Alex Ross Perry and starring Krysten Ritter, Elisabeth Moss and Jason Schwartzman. The film premiered earlier this year at the Sundance Film Festival.
Also on the docket is the Sidney Lumet/Al Pacino classic Dog Day Afternoon, directly followed by the new documentary The Dog, which delves into the life of John Wojtowicz, the inspiration for Pacino's character.
Other noteworthy films include To Be Takei, a documentary about the eventful life of Star Trek's George Takei; a 30th anniversary screening of Jonathan Demme’s Talking Heads documentary Stop Making Sense; and the Texas premiere of Michel Gondry's new film, Mood Indigo.
Most of the screenings take place at Texas Theatre. Additional screening locations include Bishop Arts Theatre Center, The Kessler, Oil and Cotton and one special screening on top of Jefferson Tower.
That screening is preceded by a bike ride sponsored by Bike Friendly Oak Cliff and New Belgium Brewery. Riders take a two-wheeled adventure across North Oak Cliff, culminating in a free rooftop screening of Wild Canaries.
Tickets for most films are $10 per person and can be purchased online on the Oak Cliff Film Festival website.