It's Movie Time

Oak Cliff Film Festival reels out 15 Texas premieres for 2021 edition

The 10th annual Oak Cliff Film Festival is returning live, June 24-27, at various venues around Oak Cliff, including the historic Texas Theatre, Bishop Arts Theatre Center, Kessler Theater, and more.

This year’s movie lineup, announced May 24, will include 23 feature-length films, with 15 of them having their Texas premiere. The festival also includes 34 short films, opening and closing night parties, live streamed filmmaking workshops, and live music events with Austin’s Montopolis and Mexican Summer recording artist Hayden Pedigo.

Headlining the festival will be opening night film Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised), a documentary directed by Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson of The Roots. Part music film, part historical record, Summer of Soul was created around an epic event that celebrated Black history, culture, and fashion in the summer of 1969 in Harlem. The screening will include a Q&A with the film's producers hosted by Grammy winning artist Shaun Martin and followed by an in-theater soul DJ set by DJ Jay Clipp.

Other notable films will include Mogul Mowgli, starring recent Oscar nominee Riz Ahmed; a silent film / live score drive-in of the 1916 western The Return of Draw Egan, with live score accompaniment by Austin’s Montopolis featuring the music of Ennio Morricone; the 4K restoration of the lost Dennis Hopper punk classic Out of the Blue; the Texas local election documentary, Kid Candidate; a free 35th anniversary screening of David Byrne's Texas-set True Stories; and more.

The festival will also once again partner with the Austin Film Society, filmmaker David Lowery, and Tim Headington’s Ley Line Entertainment to provide emerging North Texas filmmakers grant funds specifically to make feature films. That will include the North Texas Pioneer Film Grant of $30,000 that has the specific intention of promoting Dallas-Fort Worth area filmmakers with underrepresented perspectives.

Tickets for individual indoor screenings are $11.50 each; the festival also includes one free outdoor screening and one drive-in screening for $20 per carload. A VIP badge is $175, which allows entry to all screenings, music shows, and events, plus special access to the Filmmakers’ Lounge.

The full lineup for the festival can be found at 2021.oakclifffilmfestival.com.

David Byrne's True Stories will have a free 35th anniversary screening at the Oak Cliff Film Festival.

Photo courtesy of The Criterion Collection

David Byrne's True Stories will have a free 35th anniversary screening at the Oak Cliff Film Festival.

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REEL TALK

Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell brings surprising new film to Dallas

Photo courtesy of Ernie & Emma.

Bruce Campbell mourns his wife in 'Ernie & Emma.'

Cult cinema icon Bruce Campbell is making a cross-country trek, but he won’t be screening The Evil Dead. Instead, he is skipping traditional distribution to bring his newest film, Ernie & Emma, directly to the people.

The actor will be in the Dallas area on October 2 for a showing at Alamo Drafthouse Las Colinas (320 W. Las Colinas Blvd., Irving). The tour features a behind-the-scenes conversation with Campbell and a live Q&A.

Ernie & Emma may be a surprise for viewers who are used to his oddball horror comedies like Bubba Ho-Tep. The film — entirely scripted, directed, produced, and funded by Campbell and his wife, Ida Gearon — is billed as a romantic comedy, albeit one with a little edge.

The story follows Ernie Tyler, a rural pear salesman mourning the loss of his beloved wife. Guided by a detailed list of instructions Emma Tyler left before her death, Ernie sets off on a life-changing road trip. You can watch the trailer below.

The story hits close to home for the comic-con legend. It was filmed in Pear Valley near his Oregon home, and he reportedly based Ernie’s character on his dad. Campbell has also had to contemplate his own mortality after a March cancer diagnosis. On X, he described the cancer as “treatable” but not “curable.”

“It’s incredibly special to share this film with audiences across the nation. Getting to bring it directly to communities and experience those conversations in real time is the reason you make something like this in the first place,” said Campbell in a release. “Loss is universal, and so is the challenge of finding your way forward.”

Ticketing information and times for the screening will be announced at a later date. Still, audiences will have several chances to see the star, who canceled his usual convention schedule to focus on the tour and his health. Besides Dallas, Ernie & Emma will screen at the following Texas Alamo Drafthouse locations:

October 3 — Alamo Drafthouse Stone Oak, 22806 US-281 N, San Antonio
October 9 — Alamo Drafthouse Lakeline, 4028 US-183 Bldg F, Austin
October 10 — Alamo Drafthouse Slaughter Lane, 5701 W. Slaughter Lane, Bldg. F, Austin

tours celebrities bruce campbell alamo drafthouse movies

It's Movie Time

Oak Cliff Film Festival reels out 15 Texas premieres for 2021 edition

David Byrne's True Stories will have a free 35th anniversary screening at the Oak Cliff Film Festival.

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REEL TALK

Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell brings surprising new film to Dallas