46th USA Film Festival Schedule of Events full
Transcription
46th USA Film Festival Schedule of Events full
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE April 5, 2016 USA Film Festival 214-821-6300 [email protected] The USA Film Festival announces SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 46th Annual USA Film Festival April 20 - 24, 2016 6116 N. CENTRAL EXPWY. SUITE 105 DALLAS, TEXAS 75206 2 1 4 ‐ 8 2 1 ‐ 6 3 0 0 F A X ‐ 8 2 1 ‐ 6 3 6 4 WWW.USAFILMFESTIVAL.COM USAFILMFESTIVAL @ AOL.COM DALLAS – The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 46th Annual USA Film Festival, April 20 - 24, 2016. All programs will be held at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas. Advance tickets are available exclusively through Ticketmaster beginning April 8, 2016. This year’s program highlights (in-person guests) include: - Salute to actor Alfred Molina with screening of Ira Sachs’ new film Little Men (The feature film will be preceded by a film clip compilation saluting Alfred Molina) - Salute to writer/director Ira Sachs with screening of his new film Little Men - Salute to the legendary photojournalist Harry Benson with screening of the new documentary film Harry Benson: Shoot First; The program will be hosted by actor (and USAFF Advisory Board member) Peri Gilpin; Harry Benson and filmmakers Matthew Miele and Justin Bare in attendance - Salute to writer/director Whit Stillman with screening of his new film Love & Friendship - Salute to country music superstar Charley Pride with screening of the new documentary film Country: Portraits of an American Sound; Charley Pride and writer/director Steven Kochones in attendance - Salute to actor Bruce Davison with screenings of the new short film Extra School and new feature film Displacement (The feature film will be preceded by a film clip compilation saluting Bruce Davison) - Dallas-born actor Courtney Hope (the Divergent series) returns to her hometown with a screening of the new feature thriller in which she stars, Displacement, (also with Bruce Davison); writer/director Kenneth Mader also in attendance - Special repertory screening of The Diary of Anne Frank with star Millie Perkins in attendance - Screening of the fascinating new documentary The Witness (a re-examination of the murder of Kitty Genovese) with writer/director James Solomon and writer Bill Genovese in attendance - Screening debut of the Dallas-based documentary film Taking Back Oak Lawn with director Steven Pomerantz and other guests in attendance - Actor Linda Gray (starring in the short film Wally’s Will) will host a program of new short films with filmmakers in attendance including Bruce Davison (Extra School) and Kelly Lynch (Madame Psychosis Holds a Séance, written, directed and art-designed by Dallas-born artist/painter Rosson Crow, also in attendance) - Awards program for the 38th Annual International Short Film Competition; The 2016 National Jury includes writer/director John Putch, actor/writer/director Christina Beck, actor/writer/producer Paul Marcarelli, actor/writer/director/producer Karen Young, and writer/director/producer/animator Jorge Gutierrez - Several programs of short films and filmmakers will be presented during the program (Narrative, Nonfiction, Student, Animation) as Free-admission events - Opening Night dinner at Salum Restaurant hosted by Abraham Salum with visiting Chef Vivian Howard from PBS’s A Chef’s Life and Master Sommelier Michael Flynn; Broadcasting legend (NBC5) and long-time USAFF friend Bobbie Wygant will serve as Honorary Chairman for the fundraiser and will be in attendance. [A full schedule of films is listed in the attached program flyer. Another 60+ filmmaker guests will be in attendance.) The USA Film Festival announces SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 46th Annual USA Film Festival, April 20–24, 2016 April 5, 2016 Page 2 of 3 Guest moderators for this year’s program include: - Actor (and USAFF Advisory Board Member) Linda Gray will host the SHOWCASE SHORTS program on Saturday, April 23rd - Actor Peri Gilpin will host the Salute to Harry Benson on Saturday April 23rd - Professor of cinema/film writer Foster Hirsch will host the screening of The Diary of Anne Frank with special guest actor Millie Perkins This year’s program is dedicated to long-time friends and filmmakers Tom Bywaters, Philip Wuntch, Richard Glatzer and Bud Yorkin. TICKET & SCHEDULE INFORMATION Tickets for most programs are $10. There are also several FREE-admission programs noted in the schedule. Advance tickets will be available via TICKETMASTER beginning April 8th Tickets by telephone – 214-631-2787 Tickets online – www.ticketmaster.com A complete schedule of all Festival events may be obtained by calling the Festival office at 214-821-FILM or may be viewed online at ww.usafilmfestival.com Printed schedules are also available for pick up at the Angelika Film Center Dallas. OFFICIAL SPONSORS Sponsors of the 46th Annual USA Film Festival include Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, Whole Foods Market, Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Trust, Headington Company, Suddenlink Communications, Dallas Film Commission, B2B Wireless, Sidley Austin LLP, Jackson Walker LLP, Texas Film Commission, Texas Association of Motion Media Professionals, B2B Wireless, DISH Network, SAG-AFTRA, Alford Media Services, MPS Studios, Angelika Film Center and Ticketmaster. The USA Film Festival is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts. ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs The USA Film Festival is a 46-year-old Dallas-based 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the recognition and promotion of excellence in the film and video arts. Year-round events include the annual KidFilm®Festival, a 38-year-old International Short Film Competition; monthly screenings; special programs and premieres; and the USA Film Festival, held each Spring. Throughout the year, the Festival presents a variety of membership, exhibition, educational, and cultural programs designed to bring together audiences and filmmakers for a “live cinema” experience. The USA Film Festival announces SCHEDULE OF EVENTS 46th Annual USA Film Festival, April 20–24, 2016 April 5, 2016 Page 3 of 3 EDITORS’ CONTACT INFO / ARTWORK REQUESTS LOVE & FRIENDSHIP Carole Smith GaylerSmith Company [email protected] 972-978-4892 LITTLE MEN (Film & Ira Sachs only; Interview requests for Mr. Molina should be sent to Carole Smith) SUNSET SONG HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST (Film & filmmakers only; Interview requests for Mr. Benson should be sent to Carole Smith) Christine Finnegan Finnegan Public Relations [email protected] 972-678-0592 THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY Josh Reeder [email protected] 972-957-3153 Interviews, artwork, etc. for all other films, please request through: Carole Smith GaylerSmith Company [email protected] 972-978-4892 USA Film Festival 214-821-6300 [email protected] -end- Photo credits: Bruce Davison – Michael Hiller; Ira Sachs – Jeong Park; Harry Benson – Gigi Benson; Harry Benson: Shoot First – Harry Benson; The Man Who Knew Infinity – IFC Films; Peri Gilpin – Theo & Juliet Photography; Whit Stillman – Roadside Attractions; Sunset Song – Magnolia Pictures; Kelly Lynch – Jeff Vespa/Contour by GettyImages; Courtney Hope – Bjoern Kommerell; Love & Friendship – Roadside Attractions; Picturing War – Benjamin Hiller; Vivian Howard -- Rex Miller; Steven Kochones -- Emma Cohan. The 46th annual www.usafilmfestival.com USA FILM FESTIVAL April 20 - 24, 2016 - Angelika Film Center Dallas Bruce Davison Charley Pride Ira Sachs Alfred Molina Harry Benson Chef Vivian Howard Amanda Aday HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST John Putch Terence Davies’ SUNSET SONG THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY Kelly Lynch Peri Gilpin Rosson Crow Whit Stillman Terence Davies’ SUNSET SONG Linda Gray Millie Perkins in THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK Courtney Hope THE WITNESS PICTURING WAR Whit Stillman’s LOVE & FRIENDSHIP Christina Beck Paul Marcarelli Karen Young Jorge Gutierrez USA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 W E D N E S D A Y, A P R I L 2 0 DINNER EVENT AT SALUM -- GUESS WHO’S COMING TO DINNER? Photo: Rex Miller Guest Chef Vivian Howard will present a multi-course feast for ticketholders at Salum Restaurant. Chef Abraham Salum hosts the event and will close his eponymous restaurant for the private dinner which will also feature wine pairings selected and introduced by Master Sommelier Michael Flynn. Actress and USAFF Advisory Board member Linda Gray is our honored guest for the evening and NBC 5 broadcasting legend and long time USAFF friend Bobbie Wygant is our Honorary Chairman for the fundraising event. Our Co-Chairs for the event are Board President and Board Members Kristin Schor, Laura Fox Williamson and Susan Haddad. Proceeds benefit the year-round outreach programs of the USA Film Festival. Abraham Salum, Vivian Howard, Michael Flynn, Linda Gray, Bobbie Wygant, Kristin Schor, Laura Fox Williamson, Susan Haddad TICKETS for this event only -- Seating is limited to 100 guests. Tickets to the film/wine/dinner are $150 per person and may be purchased from the USA Film Festival. (100% of your ticket contribution to the 501c3 nonprofit organization may be considered tax-deductible.) To attend the dinner event: Contact the Festival office at 214-821-6300 to purchase your tickets. (Note: These tickets are NOT available via Ticketmaster.) Your ticket includes the five-course chef’s dinner with wine pairings at Salum restaurant with our guests. About Chef Vivian – Born in Deep Run, NC, to tobacco and hog farming parents, Vivian Howard learned early on to appreciate the ebb and flow of eating with the seasons. Still, it took 23 years and a start in the advertising business to convince her a career in food was feasible. After college, Vivian moved to New York for work, but found the City’s food and restaurant scene far more intriguing. A server position at Greenwich Village’s, Voyage, made it possible for her to begin trailing under the restaurant’s Chef, Scott Barton. She went on to learn from creative, cutting edge Chef’s Wylie Dufresne and Sam Mason at WD50 and later, was a member of the opening team at Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Spice Market. In 2005, Vivian, and her now husband, Ben Knight, decided to return to Vivian’s roots to open a farm to fork restaurant in the small town of Kinston, NC. They opened Chef & the Farmer in the summer of 2006 serving local, seasonal, creative cuisine. Nine years in, Vivian and her restaurant have won numerous accolades, including her selection as a 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2015 James Beard semifinalist. She has also opened a second restaurant right across the street from Chef & the Farmer, called The Boiler Room. In 2012, Vivian approached her childhood neighbor turned filmmaker, Cynthia Hill, about directing a documentary film series about Eastern North Carolina’s food traditions. Three years later, the two women have produced 3 seasons of “A Chef’s Life,” a PBS series that celebrates family, work and food. In its first two seasons, “A Chef’s Life” won a Peabody Award, a Daytime Emmy and was nominated for 4 James Beard Awards (more than any other television series). Season 3 began in September 2015. Vivian is currently at work on the first of two cookbooks to be published by Little, Brown in October of 2016 as well as the 4th Season of “A Chef’s Life.” Vivian’s book “Deep Run Roots” will be published by Little Brown in Fall 2016. Special Thanks to our wonderful Sponsors for this event: Photo: Theo & Juliet Photography OUR FRIENDS & MODERATORS HOSTING PROGRAMS THIS YEAR Peri Gilpin is best-known to television audiences as radio producer ‘Roz Doyle’ in NBC’s Emmy-winning comedy series FRASIER. She can currently be seen on CBS’s second season of SCORPION. Prior to her role on SCORPION, Peri starred alongside Craig Robinson and Amandla Stenberg in MR. ROBINSON. Peri recently starred in the heart-warming short ELECTION NIGHT and Lifetime’s television movie THE CHOKING GAME. Among many of Peri’s television credits are roles in MEN AT WORK, MAKE IT OR BREAK IT, MODERN FAMILY, LAW AND ORDER, HOT IN CLEVELAND, and DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES. Peri has appeared in the films “How to Kill Your Neighbor’s Dog,” with Kenneth Branagh and Robin Wright Penn, and “Spring Forward,” with Liev Schreiber. Peri’s theatre credits include three summers with the Williamstown Theatre in Massachusetts. She starred as ‘Alexa Vere de Vere’ in “As Bees in Honey Drown” in the off-Broadway Lucille Lortell Theatre and at the Pasadena Playhouse. She also enjoyed a successful run in “Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas” at the Geffen Theatre in Los Angeles. As a child, Peri enrolled in the Dallas Theater Center, and went on to study drama at the University of Texas in Austin and the British-American Academy in London. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and twin daughters. Linda Gray is an award winning actress, an accomplished director, a former United Nations Goodwill Ambassador and one of the world’s most recognized and admired stars. Her award winning portrayal of ‘Sue Ellen’, in the original TV series “Dallas”, brought her international fame and critical acclaim earning her an Emmy nomination for Best Actress and numerous international awards. (She also directed numerous episodes.) Linda’s memoir “The Road to Happiness is Always Under Construction” was published in September. She has appeared on the London stage in the original stage production of “Terms of Endearment,” and also starred in the West End production of “The Graduate” and replaced Kathleen Turner on Broadway for a limited engagement. Her other stage work includes “The Vagina Monologues”, “Agnes of God” and “Love Letters.” Linda recently guest starred in the new CW Network TV sit-com “Significant Mother” and Hallmark’s TV movie “Perfect Match”, and is in discussion about a tour of “Love Letters” with Patrick Duffy. She stars in the hilarious short film “Wally’s Will” which will screen at this year’s USAFF. Foster Hirsch is Professor of Film at Brooklyn College of the City University of New York and the author of sixteen books on film and theatre, including The Dark Side of the Screen: Film Noir, Otto Preminger: The Man Who Would Be King, and A Method to their Madness: The History of the Actors Studio. He is a frequent host/moderator at many venues including the Players Club, the Harvard Club, the Film Forum, the American Cinematheque, and the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. He has lectured on film in India, China, Dubai, Israel, France, Germany, England and New Zealand. Alonso Duralde is Film Reviews Editor for TheWrap and Senior Programmer at Outfest. He has previously written about film for Movieline, Salon and MSNBC.com, among many other outlets. He also co-hosts the Linoleum Knife podcast and regularly appears on What the Flick?! (The Young Turks Network). Duralde is a pre-screener for the Sundance Film Festival, as well as a consultant for the USA Film Festival/Dallas, where he spent five years as artistic director. A former arts and entertainment editor at The Advocate, he was a regular contributor to “The Rotten Tomatoes Show” on Current. He is the author of two books — “Have Yourself a Movie Little Christmas” (Limelight Editions) and “101 Must-See Movies for Gay Men” (Advocate Books) — and an adjunct faculty member at Chapman University. PREMIERES AND PROGRAMS T H U R S D A Y, A P R I L 2 1 Little Men Sunset Song Taking Back Oak Lawn Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures Photo Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures LITTLE MEN Salute to ALFRED MOLINA TAKING BACK OAK LAWN SUNSET SONG During the Autumn of 2015, Dallas’ vibrant Oak Lawn neighborhood was rocked by a series of 17 attacks (to date) against gay men. Filmmaker Steven Pomerantz set out to create a short film documenting the crimes and the formation of the Survivors Offering Support group. The story continued to develop as he recorded it, and his project soon morphed into his first featurelength documentary -- one that records the efforts of survivors, activists, and advocates as they take their community back by putting pressure on local businesses, police, and politicians. Though the film was born from terrible crimes, “Taking Back Oak Lawn” stands as an inspiring look at perseverance, the pursuit of justice and the power of the media arts. 95mins. Director/producer Steven Pomerantz and other guests of the film will be in attendance. Based on the 1932 novel by Lewis Grassic Gibbon, this epic by director Terence Davies (“The House of Mirth,” “The Deep Blue Sea”) examines hope, tragedy, and love during the terrible dawn of World War I. A young Scottish woman named Chris (Agyness Deyn), the daughter of a hard-hearted farmer (Peter Mullan), falls for Ewan (Kevin Guthrie) in their village in the unforgiving Highlands. The First World War reaches out from afar, bringing the modern world to bear on the community in the harshest possible way. Yet in a final moment of grace, Chris endures, now a woman of remarkable strength who is able to draw from the ancient land in looking to the future. “Sunset Song” is at once epic in emotional scale and deeply romantic at its core, given power by Davies’ unflinching poetic realism. The film will be released by Magnolia Pictures on May 13th. 135mins. Thursday, April 21 6:30pm Thursday, April 21 7:00pm SHORT FILM JURORS 2016 Thursday, April 21 7:00pm A film clip compilation Tribute saluting Alfred Molina will precede the feature film presentation. Jake (Theo Taplitz) is a quiet, sensitive middle schooler with dreams of being an artist. He meets the affably brash Tony (Michael Barbieri) at his grandfather’s funeral, and the unlikely pair soon hit it off. The budding friendship is jeopardized, however, when a rent dispute between Jake’s father, struggling actor Brian (Greg Kinnear), and Tony’s mother, struggling seamstress Leonor (Paulina Garcia), threatens to become contentious. “Little Men” is a critical yet empathetic look at the hard realities and human costs of gentrification. Ira Sachs’ (“Love Is Strange” and “Forty Shades of Blue”) new work draws a vibrant portrait of real people as well as conveys the charm and changing face of Brooklyn neighborhoods through characters that are so compelling that one can’t help thinking about them long after leaving the theater. Young actors Taplitz and Barbieri have a natural connection and rapport, while Kinnear and Garcia brilliantly convey the disappointment and impossible choices of adulthood in their roles as the at-odds parents in this profoundly human film. Jennifer Ehle, Talia Balsam, and Alfred Molina round out the distinguished cast. 85mins. In attendance: Alfred Molina and writer/producer/director Ira Sachs. Award winning director, writer, actress, Christina Beck began her career as a teenager acting in such cult films as “Suburbia,” “Boys Next Door” and “Dudes” all directed by Penelope Spheeris. She studied at Playwright’s Horizons in NYC forming her own theatre co. POW productions and wrote, produced and starred in “From the Heart” premiering at the Samuel Beckett Theatre along with several other off Broadway plays, as well as writing, directing and acting in numerous Los Angeles theatre productions. Christina wrote and starred in her first short film, “Disco Man” followed by the noir comedy, “Blow Me,” which screened in the New York, Chicago and Seattle underground film festivals. One of the few women accepted into Fox Searchlight’s new director’s program, she directed, wrote and starred in the short film version of her feature film script, “Slice,” which screened in Cannes. Her other short film works include “So Hot For You” which played in the Focus on Females directors in Los Angeles, “The Ophelia Project” which can be seen on Youtube and “Lone.” “Slice” the feature screenplay later titled, “Perfection” was one of five contenders for the IFP Best Screenplay Award. The project was a part of the IFP market, selected for the IFP rough cut labs in New York, winner of The Adrienne Shelly female directing grant and chosen to be IFP’s “Spotlight Screening” of the year sponsored by Time Warner and SAG indie. “Perfection” ran the festival circuit where Christina won Best Actor and Best Narrative feature at The Oxford Film Festival and screened in the San Francisco International Women’s Film Festival, the USA Film Festival, as well as play dates in London, New York and Santa Monica, CA. Christina’s upcoming project, “Expecting Grace” -- a dark romantic comedy set in Marseilles, France -- was short listed for the Sundance labs. She is also in development for her macabre half-hour sex comedy pilot, “Swing Your Partner.” Christina teaches feature screenwriting and directing along with ongoing filmmaking seminars at The New York Film Academy. Christina has sat on the juries for The Feminist Film Festival, London, The USA Film Festival, Dallas and The South Eastern European Film Festival. She is co-founder of The Female Filmmaking Collective, a member of Film Fatales and Women in Moving Pictures in Los Angeles. Jorge Gutierrez was born in Mexico City and raised in Tijuana, Mexico. In 1997, Jorge received his Bachelor’s of Fine Arts from CalArts and later went on to receive his Master’s of Fine Arts in Experimental Animation, graduating in 2000. His CalArts thesis, “Carmelo”, won the Student Emmy and was shown at the student showcase at the Cannes Film Festival in 2001. That same year, Jorge created his first web series, “El Macho”, for Sony Pictures In 2005, Jorge co-created (with wife Sandra Equihua) “El Tigre, The Adventures of Manny Rivera” for Nickelodeon, which won seven Emmys and an Annie for best show with just 24 episodes made. In 2014, he released “The Book of Life” for ReelFX and 20th Century Fox -- which he directed, co-wrote and character designed. This film, produced by Guillermo del Toro, was nominated for 5 Annie awards, the Critic’s Choice Award, Producers Guild Awards and the Golden Globes for best animated feature. Jorge has been nominated for seven Annie Individual Achievement Awards (winning two) in character design for TV and film, writing (TV) and directing (Film). He is currently at ReelFX in Dallas developing a new animated feature exploring the US and Mexican border. Paul Marcarelli is most recognizable from his nearly twenty years as an actor in commercials. From 2001-2014, he appeared in hundreds of commercials for Verizon Wireless, portraying the ubiquitous “Can You Hear Me Now Guy.” He is Executive Producer of Jenni Olson’s 2015 Sundance hit “The Royal Road,” which Variety called “…a beguiling meditation, serenely accomplished,” and is Co-Producer of 2014’s “I Am Divine.” The feature film “Clutter,” which Marcarelli wrote and produced, starring Carol Kane and Natasha Lyonne, premiered in competition at 2013’s Seattle International Film Festival, and theatrically in May 2014. The film was nominated for the New American Cinema Award, The Women Film Critics Circle Award, won best feature at Harlem International Film Festival, and was honored with a special screening at USA Film Festival as part of its tribute to Carol Kane. The 2011 film “The Green,” which he wrote and produced, had its first screening at USAFF premiered at Outfest, and went on to win several best feature awards and dozens of honors for the screenplay and cast. His theater work won Excellence Awards in 2001, 2005, and 2007 from The New York International Fringe Festival. Marcarelli has been a guest lecturer at Atlantic Theater Company’s Acting School, Fairfield University, Choate Rosemary Hall, Cheshire Academy, and Yale University. He has served as a National Juror at the USA Film Festival some five times, Fairhope International Film Festival, and the 48 Hour Film Festival New Haven. He lives in Brooklyn and northwestern Connecticut with his husband and two rescue dogs. The son of the late actress Jean Stapleton and the late producer/director William H. Putch, John Putch is often referred to as an independent film maverick. One of his first indie efforts, “Valerie Flake,” landed him at the ‘99 Sundance Film Festival and was nominated for an Independent Spirit Award. He followed that hit up with a string of indie movies, including “Pursuit Of Happiness,” “Bachelorman,” the award-winning “Mojave Phone Booth” and the “Route 30” trilogy of films which were shot in South Central Pennsylvania, and his latest drama “The Father and the Bear.” On the studio front, John has directed big-budget comedies for Universal, including “American Pie Presents: The Book Of Love” and “Beethoven’s Christmas Adventure.” “Atlas Shrugged, Part 2.” For TV, he has directed episodes of “Blackish”, “Rush Hour”, “Cougar Town”, “Body of Proof,” “Ugly Betty,” “Scrubs,” “My Name is Earl” and “The Middle”; multiple TV movies for Hallmark Entertainment; and NBC’s epic mini-series, “The Poseidon Adventure.” When John isn’t working for the studios, he enjoys making micro budget movies with a select group of cast and crew that he has collected on his travels. Prior to becoming a filmmaker, John was an accomplished actor who started in the theater, then enjoyed a successful TV and film career before making the switch to directing. Bud Yorkin Photo: Chasen PR Philip Wuntch Photo: The Dallas Morning News Richard Glatzer Photo courtesy of BK PR Tom Bywaters Photo courtesy of Randy Stewart Karen Young has appeared in dozens of films, most notably DAYLIGHT, TORCH SONG TRILOGY, JOE THE KING, CRIMINAL LAW, THE WIFE, HOFFA, THE GREEN, CONVICTION, HEAT, opposite Burt Reynolds, and HEADING SOUTH, opposite Charlotte Rampling. On stage she was in the original production of “A Lie of the Mind,” written and directed by Sam Shepard, and appeared in the most recent revival directed by Ethan Hawke. Television audiences are most familiar with her role as FBI Agent Robyn Sanseverino on THE SOPRANOS. A lover of the short film form, she has written, directed and produced two shorts, A BLINK OF PARADISE starring Martha Plimpton, and THE PESKY SUITOR, starring Claire Danes. She is delighted to be returning to USAFF, having juried last in 2012. DEDICATION -- We dedicate this year’s program to the friends and filmmakers we lost this past year. Great friend and USAFF Board member, teacher, Emmy- and Peabody-winning producer Tom Bywaters. Writer/director Richard Glatzer visited USAFF in 2006 with Quinceanera, which he co-wrote and co-directed with his collaborator and husband Wash Westmoreland. His untimely passing after a four year battle with ALS was a great loss for the film community. Dallas Morning News critic and film writer Philip Wuntch was a part of the USAFF from the beginning. Modest, knowledgeable, funny and kind, he loved films and filmmakers, and readers loved him. The great television writer and producer Bud Yorkin (“Sanford and Son,” “All in the Family,” “Maude,” “The Jeffersons” with partner Norman Lear) honored us with a visit (and a seat on our National Advisory Committee) following our presentation of the feature film he directed, Love Hurts. What a brilliant, talented, funny guy he was. USA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 F R I D A Y, Where We Begin A P R I L 2 2 Walden Pink Squeeze Porcupine The Witness THE WITNESS Friday, April 22 7:00pm Right Person for the Job The Schoolboy SHORTS NARRATIVE I Friday, April 22 6:45pm This delicious collection of dark-hearted, dramatic and comedic narrative shorts includes a former teacher haunted by her past in Paloma Lommel’s THE SCHOOLBOY, a series of events set in motion by the mishandling of a gun in Jamie Kirkpatrick’s frightening SQUEEZE, a jealous father in Chieh Yang’s CRONOS, a middle-aged man passing through confrontations in Peter Bolte’s WALDEN PINK, a country star’s encounter with a mysterious woman in Sabrina Doyle’s PORCUPINE, a woman who reflects on her youth in Mitsuyo Miyazaki’s WHERE WE BEGIN, and a 55year old man waiting to be interviewed in Wilfried Méance’s RIGHT PERSON FOR THE JOB. 99mins. Filmmakers in attendance. FREE admission program. Fifty years ago, the name “Kitty Genovese” became synonymous with urban apathy after news that she was stabbed to death on a New York City street while 38 witnesses did nothing. “For more than half an hour,” The New York Times report began, “38 respectable, law-abiding citizens... watched a killer stalk and stab a woman in three separate attacks... Not one person called the police.” Forty years later, her brother Bill decides to find the truth buried beneath the story. In the process, he uncovers a lie that transformed his life, condemned a city, and defined an era. More than a decade in the making, “The Witness” brings healing to the family who lost so much that cold March day and asks us all: what do we owe each other? 89mins. In attendance: writer/producer/ director James Solomon and writer Bill Genovese. COUNTRY: PORTRAITS OF AN AMERICAN SOUND Salute to Charley Pride Friday, April 22 7:15pm People PEOPLE Friday, April 22 9:15pm Loosely based on the works of Jean-Paul Sartre and Ambrose Bierce, this pitch-black comedy from writer-director Shane McGoey features six wicked vignettes and an ensemble of characters grappling with each other in a vain attempt to gain control of their lives: an unhappily married psychiatrist and his destructive patient; a lovelorn gay man and his indifferent one-night stand; a quartet of embittered friends; an unhappy couple; and a struggling, idealistic screenwriter and his pompous agent. Their frustrated and impassioned lives intersect in surprising ways, ultimately colliding in an unexpected climax. 84mins. Filmmakers in attendance. ELEMENT Friday, April 22 9:30pm Written by Brett Bentman and filmed in Oklahoma by Dallasbased filmmaker Jon Keeyes, this edgy psychological thriller stars Paul Stuart as North Maxfield, a financial advisor whose life spirals downward after he is shot and his wife Ginny (AngelineRose Troy) is murdered. Unable to remember the details of the crime, North turns to Dr. Sarah Carlson (Mollie Milligan, who also serves as executive producer), hoping her deep-trance hypnosis technique will provide a means to gain some answers. He reconnects with his wife in an alternate reality and finds clues through a mysterious woman named Anna (Susanna Gibb) and a figure called The Messenger (Velinda Godfrey) while being pressured by his boss (Steven Michael Quezada) and his shady new associate (Michael Ironside). With his physical being fading the longer he stays in the trance world and with time running out, the secrets he uncovers deep inside his mind seem more likely to destroy him rather than save him. 90mins. Filmmakers in attendance. Photo credits: Merle Haggard - Les Leverett; Dolly Parton - Henry Horenstein; Lyle Lovett - Michael Wilson; Kacey Musgraves -David McClister; Charley Pride - Walden S. Fabry Madtown MADTOWN Friday, April 22 9:00pm Socially withdrawn Denny Briggs (Milo Ventimiglia), an aspiring stand-up comedian, confesses to a murder before a stunned audience during an open-mic night, the result of a deadly triangle involving himself, his older sister Sarah (Amanda Aday in a chilling performance) -- recently released from prison after serving 20 years for the murder of their parents -- and the supportive work family (John Billingsley and Bonita Friedericy) who have befriended him. Denny faces a difficult choice: the dysfunctional blood ties with his sister, or his new friends and family. Caught in the middle is Sarah (Rachel Melvin), a young single mother with whom he shares a budding romance. Dark, long-buried secrets soon rise to the surface in this unforgettable drama from writerdirector Charles Moore. 120mins. In attendance Amanda Aday and producers Stephen Campanella and Corey Frost. Director Steven Kochones explores 80 years of country music -- its iconic sound, history, pioneers, and imagery -- from the unique perspectives of its performers as well as those of the photographers, videographers, and documentarians who recorded it all. Commissioned by the Annenberg Space for Photography Films, Kochones’ in-depth documentary features interviews with Charley Pride, Rosanne Cash, Lyle Lovett, Merle Haggard, Kenny Rogers, LeAnn Rimes, Keith Urban, and others, combined with imagery and commentary from Grand Ole Opry photographer Les Leverett, the late celebrity portraitist Leigh Wiener, documentarian Henry Horenstein, and music photographers David McClister, Michael Wilson, Henry Diltz, and Raenne Rubenstein. Rare historical footage and more than 25 country hits round out a dynamic and in-depth look at a distinctly American musical style. 88mins. In attendance: Charley Pride and Steven Kochones. Charley Pride long ago secured himself a seat in the pantheon of all-time great Country musicians. One of eleven children born to sharecroppers in Sledge, Mississippi, he has an everyman appeal that is revered by his peers and millions of fans alike. It could be said that his musical career began by accident, as Charley originally pursued a career as a baseball player with the Negro League’s Memphis Red Sox team in the 1950s, often singing and playing guitar (self-taught at age 14) on the team’s bus between road games. (The team manager also paid him extra to sing before each game, which boosted attendance.) After an unsuccessful tryout with the New York Mets, Pride made a side trip to Nashville that resulted in fateful encounters with Chet Atkins and Jack D. Johnson and the launch of an iconic career. In 1967, he became the first African-American performer to perform at the Grand Ole Opry in 26 years. Between 1969 and 1971, Charley had eight single records reach #1 on the US Country Hit Parade, and also charted on the Billboard Hot 100. In 1969, his compilation album The Best of Charley Pride sold over one million copies, and the only artist who sold more records for RCA was Elvis Presley. In total, he has landed thirty-nine #1 hits on the Billboard country music charts. Charley still maintains his love of baseball. He has an annual tradition of joining the Texas Rangers for workouts during Spring Training, and is often seen at their games. USA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 S A T U R D A Y, A P R I L 2 3 Students from Garland High School HIGH SCHOOL SHORT FILMS Drone The Bench SHORT FILMS STUDENT Saturday, April 23 4:30pm Join us for a non-thematic showcase of local and international student works including: Richard Rogers’ relatable COTTONMOUTH; Tong Zhou’s riveting FISH EYE; Yunsi Ouyang’s charming A PAIR OF SHOES; Justin S. Lee’s gut-wrenching DRONE; Kelsey Pope’s cautionary CATACLYSMIC IRIDESCENCE; Cameron Burnett’s beguiling THE BENCH; Alex Yonks’ moving A TAYLOR STORY; Siyang Zhang’s wise TRUTH IN LIFE; and Xiaotang Shao’s inventive HAN FAMILY. 111mins. FREE admission program. Saturday, April 23 3:30pm Once again we present a collection of class projects short films from Garland High School International Baccalaureate (IB) film students in the Reel Owl Cinema program, which teaches students the art of filmmaking with an emphasis on narrative storytelling. FREE admission program. Cary Anderson Bruce Davison Extra School Linda Gray Wally’s Will Displacement DISPLACEMENT TRIBUTE TO BRUCE DAVISON Rosson Crow Madame Psychosis Holds a Seance Knob Borrowed Time SHORT FILMS ANIMATION Saturday, April 23 4:30pm A fuzzy bachelor endures his wacky morning routine in Meghann Artes’ SLEEPY STEVE, a young Italian man dreams of adventure in JC Little’s PAPA PASQUALE, a germaphobe attempts to quickly escape a filthy bathroom in Hans Tsai’s KNOB, a young man endures a series of bizarre events in Micah Gallagher’s INTO THE SAND, meet the last man alive (Doug Jones) and his undernourished Olive tree in Aaron Martinez’s OLIVE, a weathered sheriff comes to terms with a past accident in Andrew Coats and Lou Hamou-Lhadj’s BORROWED TIME, a scared bat forms an unlikely friendship with a tired frog in Greg Perkins’ SCAREDY BAT, a wellmannered mouse visits a house in Marc Porter and Ru Kuwahata’s PERFECT HOUSEGUEST, a boy realizes the importance of living to the fullest in Yoomi Kim’s END & ETERNITY, and long forgotten objects try to move on in Robert Kondo and Daisuke Tsutsumi’s MOOM. 73mins. FREE admission program. Kelly Lynch Saturday, April 23 7:00pm A film clip compilation Tribute saluting Bruce Davison will precede the feature film presentation. The consequences of turning back the clock and attempting to alter history are explored in depth in this mind-bending thriller by writer/director Kenneth Mader. Grieving over the loss of her mother, Carol (Susan Blakely), young physics student Cassie Sinclair (Courtney Hope, the “Divergent” series) attempts to solve the murder of her boyfriend, Brian (“Christopher Backus”), while battling the effects of memory loss and time shifts caused by a quantum entanglement event -- the result of an experiment that Cassie may have had an indirect hand in creating. The clues she obtains from her estranged father, Charles (Lou Richards), former mentor, Prof. Deckard (Bruce Davison), and the mysterious Dr. Miles (Sarah Douglas) may hinder her as much as help. Needless to say, little is as it seems -- and when it is, it doesn’t stay that way for long as time twists and turns along with the plot in this entertaining time- and mind-bender. 122mins. In attendance: Bruce Davison, Courtney Hope, and writer/producer/director Kenneth Mader. Justin Malone Jonathan Dee The Bus Stop Harry Benson: Shoot First How You Look at It Wendy Seyb A Mighty Nice Man SHOWCASE SHORT FILMS Hosted by Linda Gray Saturday, April 23 7:30pm Actress Linda Gray hosts this showcase of short films featuring a trio of wildly over-the-top performances including Matteo Mosterts’ loopy WALLY’S WILL starring Linda Gray, Rosson Crow’s crazy mad MADAME PSYCHOSIS HOLDS A SÉANCE starring Kelly Lynch, and Cary Anderson’s EXTRA SCHOOL skews actors and coaches starring Bruce Davison. Rounding out the program are Jonathan Dee’s atmospheric A MIGHTY NICE MAN (who isn’t), Justin Malone’s funny and touching THE BUS STOP, and Wendy Seyb’s dance valentine HOW YOU LOOK AT IT featuring a stand-out performance by Peter Scolari. 80mins. All filmmakers in attendance including honorees Bruce Davison and Kelly Lynch. Willard HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST Saturday, April 23 7:15pm Hosted by Peri Gilpin Meet the man you already know -- from his iconic images. “Harry Benson: Shoot First” charts the illustrious career of the renowned photographer and photo journalist who initially rose to fame alongside The Beatles, having been assigned to cover their inaugural trip to the United States in 1964. With unprecedented “behind the scenes” access, Benson captured some of the most vibrant and intimate portraits ever taken of the most popular band in history and went on to photograph some of the most influential and famous people of our time, as well as document conflict and historic moments around the world. The film features some of Benson’s extensive portfolio including iconic images of eleven presidents, Winston Churchill, Bobby Fischer, Muhammad Ali, Greta Garbo, Michael Jackson, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and the assassination of Robert F. Kennedy. His work has appeared in publications including Life, Vanity Fair and The New Yorker. And happily, at 86 years old, Benson has no intention of stopping. 90mins. In attendance Harry Benson and co-writers/directors Justin Bare and Matthew Miele. Peri Gilpin will moderate. WILLARD (1971) Saturday, April 23 9:15pm Daniel Mann’s influential “rats and revenge” thriller viewed today is a lot of fun and may be a bit more touching than you remember. Willard (Bruce Davison in a star-making turn) is a plucky social misfit who lives in a large Victorian home with his bedridden, sharp-tongued, widowed mother (Elsa Lancaster). Willard works as a lowly stock boy for the evil Mr. Martin (Ernest Borgnine) who cheated Willard’s father out of the family business that Willard had counted on inheriting. When Willard’s mother dies and leaves the family home mortgaged to the hilt, Mr. Martin plans to force foreclosure, tear the home down and make a killing in real estate. As Willard’s world begins to unravel, he turns to the rats which reside in the old home -- whom he has befriended -- at first to unleash a little harmless mayhem, and later with more deadly results for his worst tormentor. But as Willard loses his grip on reality, he loses control over his rat army which has multiplied at an alarming rate… 95mins. Bruce Davison in attendance to introduce the program. FREE admission program. A Sunday Kind of Love A SUNDAY KIND OF LOVE Video Mother Saturday, April 23 9:30pm In perhaps the most off-center romantic comedy you will see this year, a man falls in love with death - literally - in writer-director Geordie Sabbagh’s “A Sunday Kind of Love.” Adam (Dylan Taylor) is a struggling writer on the verge of collapse. His books have all tanked, he is broke, and his girlfriend Tracy (Meghan Heffern) has decided to move on. As he struggles to finish what could be his last novel, he falls for a smart, beautiful woman named Emma (Melanie Scrofano) -- who also goes by the name of Death. Emma offers him everlasting fame, but it comes with a catch: he has one night to decide if his life’s dream is worth dying for and if the woman he truly loves is in this world or the next. 70mins. Cavern The Name You Carry SHORT FILMS NARRATIVE II Saturday, April 23 9:30pm Things don’t go as planned in the films featured in this showcase of fiction works including: Hervé Demers’ THE NAME YOU CARRY; Marc Hardman’s MOTHER; Dave Sims’ CAVERN; Anna Akana’s LOOSE ENDS; Banchi Hanuse’s UULX: THE SCRATCHER; Randy Yang’s VIDEO; and Joseph Alexandre’s THE EARLY INAUGURATION. 105mins. FREE admission program. USA FILM FESTIVAL 2016 S U N D A Y, A P R I L Pech River Boys 2 4 Picturing War Photo by Benjamin Hiller DOUBLE FEATURE Sunday, April 24 4:30pm The Diary of Anne Frank THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (1959) Sunday, April 24 4:00pm “Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl” is one of the most compelling and tragic stories to come out of World War II. George Stevens’ engrossing cinematic realization follows the journey of a young German Jewish girl (a luminous Millie Perkins in her screen debut) in the early 1940s during the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. Viewed from her perspective, the film depicts the events in Anne Frank’s life after she escapes the Nazi roundup of the Jews and goes into hiding with her family in the secret annex behind her father’s business from 1942-1944. The film masterfully illustrates the unbearable pressures -- food shortages, monotony, lack of privacy, break-ins, and the constant fear of being discovered -- as well as the joys Anne encounters during this two year timespan. The film garnered three Academy Awards from eight nominations, but more importantly, it became an important media document of a diary that is not only a personal story, but also a historical tribute to the unbreakable human spirit. The film also stars Joseph Schildkraut, Shelley Winters, Richard Beymer, and Diane Baker (also in her first screen role). 175mins. Millie Perkins in attendance schedule permitting. The film will be introduced by film historian Foster Hirsch. FREE admission program. Alzheimer’s: A Love Story PECH RIVER BOYS: TALES FROM AFGHANISTAN In May of 2010, three platoons from the legendary 101st Airborne Division were deployed to COP Michigan in the Pech River Valley. Located at the mouth of the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan, it was often referred to as the most dangerous place on earth. “Pech River Boys: Tales from Afghanistan” provides a raw and real look into Operation Enduring Freedom through interviews and archival footage. These are the accounts from the men of Bravo Company/ 3rd Platoon/1-327IN. 69mins. FREE admission program. PICTURING WAR Which pictures do we get to see? In a world of modern mass communication and a never-ending stream of pictures, this question is more important than ever. Which conflict is worth reporting? Which war might interest the consumers of media outlets? And how do pictures travel from around the globe, from zones of conflict to the worldwide public? These questions are the central message of “Picturing War.“ From Syria and Iraq to Rwanda, the film follows a young man who has chosen to become a war photographer, and answers the question of how he finds the pictures we might see one day -- or not -- on the cover of a big newspaper. 60 mins. FREE admission program. Cotton Country A Passion of Gold and Fire SHORT FILMS NONFICTION Sunday, April 24 5:00pm This year’s program of fascinating portraits includes Gabe Schimmel’s and Monica Petruzzelli’s ALZHEIMER’S: A LOVE STORY, which follows one couple’s journey as one partner endures the later stages of Alzheimer’s; Sébastien Pins’ A PASSION OF GOLD AND FIRE, which examines one beekeeper’s worries of his apiary school’s jeopardized future; Kirsi Jansa’s SUSTAINABILITY PIONEERS: FROM PARIS TO NEW YORK which examines the steps different cities are taking to address the climate crisis; Emily Harrold’s COTTON COUNTRY, where a cotton farmer discusses the beauty and legacy of cotton farming; and Sean McGing’s and Mary Anne Rothberg’s TRASHING HISTORY, which follows the efforts of one summer intern as they attempt to preserve history. 60mins. FREE admission program. 2016 National Jurors Christina Beck, Paul Marcarelli, John Putch, Jorge Gutierrez, Karen Young Love & Friendship The Man Who Knew Infinity SHORT FILM AWARDS PROGRAM 38th Annual International Short Film Competition Sunday, April 24 7:00pm Join our National Jurors for announcements and screening presentations of this year’s winning films. Awards are given to the top picks in Fiction, Animation and Non-Fiction categories as well as awards for student achievement and more. USAFF prize winners who were recognized early in their careers include Alexander Payne, Todd Haynes, Wes Anderson, Bill Plympton, Michael Almereyda, John Lasseter, and many more. FREE admission program. Love & Friendship LOVE & FRIENDSHIP Salute to Whit Stillman Sunday, April 24 7:00pm A film clip compilation Tribute saluting Whit Stillman will precede the feature film presentation. Beautiful young widow Lady Susan Vernon (Kate Beckinsale) visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out the colorful rumors about her dalliances circulating through polite society in Whit Stillman’s wicked adaptation of Jane Austen’s novella “Lady Susan.” Whilst ensconced there, she decides to secure a husband for herself and a future for her eligible but reluctant daughter, Frederica (Morfydd Clark). In doing so she attracts the simultaneous attentions of the young, handsome Reginald DeCourcy (Xavier Samuel), the rich and silly Sir James Martin (Tom Bennett) and the divinely handsome, but married, Lord Manwaring (Jenn Murray), complicating matters severely. The film also stars Chloë Sevigny, Emma Greenwell, Justin Edwards, Jemma Redgrave, James Fleet, and Stephen Fry. 92mins. Whit Stillman will be in attendance. The Man Who Knew Infinity THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY Sunday, April 24 7:45pm Written and directed by Matthew Brown, “The Man Who Knew Infinity” is the true story of friendship that forever changed mathematics. In 1913, Ramanujan (Dev Patel), a self-taught Indian mathematics genius traveled to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he forged a bond with his mentor, the eccentric professor GH Hardy (Jeremy Irons), and fought against prejudice to reveal his mathematic genius to the world. The film also stars Devika Bhise, Stephen Fry and Toby Jones. 114mins. The IFC Films release opens in area theaters on April 29th. TRIBUTES U S A ALFRED MOLINA HARRY BENSON BRUCE DAVISON F I L M F E S T I V A L A film clip compilation Tribute to Alfred Molina will precede the feature film screening of LITTLE MEN on Thursday, April 21st, 7:00pm “Being an actor is the result of some kind of genetic flaw,” Alfred Molina once told an interviewer. “It’s not that we have an extra talent gene; it’s that we’re lacking a logic gene.” In Molina’s case, that “flaw” is more akin to a mutant superpower. As one of this generation’s most formidable actors, he’s demonstrated an impressive ability to disappear into characters -- heroic, villainous, and all the shades in between -- across a vast array of both genres and ethnicities. This British actor of Spanish-Italian descent rivals the legendary Anthony Quinn in his ability to step into the shoes of characters from just about anywhere on the planet; the New York Times once called him “a multinational consortium, all in one actor.” Trained at the prestigious Royal Shakespeare Company, where he drew acclaim and awards for his interpretations of classical and contemporary works alike, Molina immediately caught the eye of filmgoers around the world in the iconic opening sequence of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” in which he convinced Indiana Jones to give him the idol before reneging on throwing back the whip. A few years after that auspicious debut, he memorably shared the screen with Gary Oldman (USAFF honoree 2001) in Stephen Frears’ “Prick Up Your Ears,” in which Molina brought a tragic depth to Kenneth Halliwell, the lover -- and, eventually, the murderer -- of famed playwright Joe Orton. Over the last 30 years, Molina has continued to entrance audiences on stage, in film and on television. Whether you’ve seen him as the conflicted Mark Rothko in the Tony-nominated “Red,” the charming and self-interested politicians of “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” and “Show Me a Hero,” the paterfamilias of “Nothing Like the Holidays” or “An Education” or even the tragically wicked Doctor Octopus of “Spider-Man 2” -- “Playing villains,” he observed, “managed to pay for two kids’ very expensive college educations.” -- you know that Molina consumes a role but never chews the scenery. In the tradition of the great character actors before him, he disappears into a part while still making it uniquely his own. With a dizzying roster of roles to his credit, and in a career that shows absolutely no signs of slowing down, we look forward to seeing even more Molina -- on stage, television and the big screen. Harry Benson will be honored with a screening of HARRY BENSON: SHOOT FIRST on Saturday, April 23rd, 7:15pm Award winning Scottish photojournalist Harry Benson CBE began his career on a weekly newspaper in Glasgow before working for the London Daily Express on London’s Fleet Street. He came to America with the Beatles in 1964 and never looked back. Under contract to LIFE Magazine for over 30 years, Harry has photographed for countless magazines including Time, Vanity Fair, W, Newsweek, French Vogue, Quest, Paris Match, Forbes, Town & Country, Architectural Digest, Paris Match, People, and The London Sunday Times Magazine. In 2009, Harry was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for service to photography. Harry was awarded an Honorary Doctor of Letters by both St. Andrews University and by Glasgow University and the Glasgow School of Art, Scotland, and is an Honorary Fellow of London’s Royal Photographic Society. He has twice been named NPPA Magazine Photographer of the Year and has received a World Press Photo award for his coverage of Tiananmen Square. Harry has photographed every US president from Eisenhower to Obama and Royals including Princess Grace, Prince Rainier, Princess Caroline, Prince Albert, the Royal Family of Spain, The British Royal Family including a private sitting with Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace in 2014. He photographed Senator Robert F. Kennedy on the campaign trail and was next to the senator when he was assassinated. Harry marched with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., during the Civil Rights Movement, was embedded in the Gulf War, and has photographed countless luminaries, from Sir Winston Churchill and President Charles de Gaulle to Michael Jackson, The Rolling Stones, The Who, Willie Nelson, Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra, Jack Nicholson, Greta Garbo, Brad Pitt and Kate Moss. There have been over 40 gallery/museum solo exhibitions of Harry’s photographs, and sixteen books of his photographs have been published. His photographs are in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery in Washington, DC, the Tucson Museum of Art, The Scottish National Portrait Gallery, Kelvingrove Museum of Art in Glasgow, and The Hood Museum of Art at Dartmouth College, among others. Harry’s wife, Gigi, works with him on his books and exhibitions. Their two daughters, Wendy and Tessa, live in Los Angeles with their families. A film clip compilation Tribute to Bruce Davison will precede the feature film screening of DISPLACEMENT on Saturday, April 23rd, 7:00pm The consummate everyman - and sometimes every-villain - describes Bruce Davison’s five decades as a professional actor with a unique body of work. Talented, versatile, and ubiquitous, Bruce’s prolific filmography includes countless unforgettable performances in both lead and supporting roles. His career began with a moment of inspiration when he accompanied a friend to an audition while an art student at Penn State. Within a couple of years, he made his Broadway debut in “Tiger at the Gates”, starred as John Merrick in “The Elephant Man”, and appeared opposite Jessica Tandy in “The Glass Menagerie”. A successful leap to movies occurred not long after, when he appeared with Barbara Hershey and Richard Thomas in the poignant and unsettling coming of age drama “Last Summer,” which earned him starring roles opposite Kim Darby in “The Strawberry Statement” and a herd of rats in the cult horror classic “Willard”. His performance in the groundbreaking 1989 AIDS drama “Longtime Companion” boosted his profile further, earning him an Academy Award nomination along with Golden Globe, Independent Spirit, New York Film Critics and National Society of Film Critics awards. His screen credits since then have been as broad as they are memorable and include the indie classic “Six Degrees of Separation,” a performance as serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer’s father in the controversial “Dahmer,” Robert Altman’s ensemble drama “Short Cuts,” the first two “X-Men” movies, and “Hate Crime,” filmed in Dallas. His TV credits are as wide-ranging as “Harry and the Hendersons” (for which he also directed three episodes) and recurring roles on “Seinfeld,” “The L Word,” and “The Practice.” In “Displacement,” he re-unites with his fellow Golden Globe winner and “Hate Crime” co-star, Susan Blakely. Kelly Lynch will be honored with a screening of SHOWCASE SHORTS (“Madame Psychosis Holds a Seance”) on Saturday, April 23rd, 7:30pm Born to a modern dancer and a restaurateur in suburban Minnesota, Kelly Lynch originally worked as model for the Elite modeling agency before studying under instructor Sanford Meisner and pursuing acting in the 1980s. Hers was the rare achievement of gaining notoriety both as a bombshell in mainstream movies and as an indie film mainstay. After a few small roles she made her breakthrough opposite Tom Cruise in the ‘80s cult classic “Cocktail”; soon after that she received critical acclaim opposite Patrick Swayze in “Road House” and an Independent Spirit Award for her performance as Matt Dillon’s strung-out girlfriend in Gus Van Sant’s “Drugstore Cowboy”. Since then she has had lead and co-starring roles in indie and Hollywood films such as the crime drama “Desperate Hours” with Anthony Hopkins and Mickey Rourke, the coming-of-age period “Imaginary Crimes” with Harvey Keitel, the science-fiction thriller “Virtuousity” (opposite Russell Crowe and Denzel Washington), the New Orleans crime noir “Heaven’s Prisoners” with Alec Baldwin, a villainess in the action comedy “Charlie’s Angels”, and a role in Gregg Araki’s “Kaboom”. Her television roles include memorable appearances on “Miami Vice”, “Ally McBeal”, “The Cleaner”, and an unforgettable turn as a courtly drag king in “The L Word”. Kelly continues to split her time between film and television, often collaborating with her husband, writer and director Mitch Glazer. KELLY LYNCH A film clip compilation Tribute to Whit Stillman will precede the feature film screening of LOVE & FRIENDSHIP on Sunday, April 24th, 7:00pm Even an era without etiquette needs its comedies of manners, and no contemporary filmmaker has an eye and ear so attuned to the foibles of the human heart as Whit Stillman. “Love & Friendship” sees the writer-director tackling his first screen adaptation, bringing to the screen a short story by Jane Austen, but Austen’s influence can be found throughout Stillman’s body of work, and not just in the discussions of “Mansfield Park” in Stillman’s Oscar-nominated debut “Metropolitan.” The hopeful romantics of “Metropolitan” and his subsequent triumphs “Barcelona,” “The Last Days of Disco” and “Damsels in Distress” all suffer a disconnect between the head and the heart, and between their desires and their perceptions of social mores, with which the heroines of “Pride and Prejudice” and “Sense and Sensibility” could completely empathize. A journalist, agent and publisher as well as an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, Whit Stillman brings a cosmopolitan sensibility and a love of language and human frailty to his singularly brilliant work. Note to Stillman fans -- Our friends at the Criterion Collection will release “A Whit Stillman Trilogy: Metropolitan, Barcelona, The Last Days of Disco” blu-ray box set on April 19th. WHIT STILLMAN Ira Sachs will be honored with a screening of LITTLE MEN on Thursday, April 21st, 7:00pm One of independent cinema’s most acclaimed -- and least predictable -- filmmakers, Ira Sachs explores the human experience at its best and its worst with clear-eyed empathy and unsentimental frankness. Winner of the Sundance Grand Jury Prize in 2005 for “Forty Shades of Blue,” Sachs’ impressive filmography includes the Independent Spirit Award nominees “Love Is Strange” and “Keep the Lights On” as well as critical favorites “The Delta” and “Married Life.” A native of Memphis, Tenn., Sachs is a recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, and his work has been included in the permanent collections of the Whitney Museum of American Art and New York’s Museum of Modern Art. He is the founder of the non-profit arts organization Queer/Art and lives in New York City with his husband, painter Boris Torres, and their two children, Viva and Felix. IRA SACHS ANGELIKA FILM CENTER WEDNESDAY APRIL 20 THURSDAY APRIL 21 FRIDAY APRIL 22 FREE SHORTS! Thanks to underwriting from friends of the USAFF, individual members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences and past Winning Filmmakers, several of our Short Film Programs are made available at NO ADMISSION COST! Some film titles are slightly abbreviated in the grid in order to exactly match the Ticketmaster space limitations. Use the titles as represented here when searching for your film selection. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Event (See ticket info below) 6:30pm Taking Back Oak Lawn 7:00pm 6:45pm Shorts Narrative I FREE SHORTS! 7:00pm Sunset Song The Witness 7:00pm 7:15pm SATURDAY APRIL 23 SUNDAY APRIL 24 3:30pm 4:00pm High School Shorts FREE SHORTS! 4:30pm Short Films Student FREE SHORTS! 4:30pm Short Films Animation FREE SHORTS! 7:00pm Displacement Salute to Bruce Davison 7:15pm Harry Benson: Shoot First Salute to Harry Benson Country: Portraits of Little Men Salute to Alfred Molina an American Sound 7:30pm Salute to Salute to Ira Sachs Showcase Short Films Charley Pride Meet the Filmmakers NOTE: Tickets for the FREE admission programs are available on day of show only, at the theater, beginning one hour before showtime. (Free tickets are not available via Ticketmaster) 9:00pm Madtown 9:15pm FREE ADMISSION 4:30pm Pech River Boys & Picturing War FREE ADMISSION 5:00pm Short Films Nonfiction FREE SHORTS! 7:00pm Love & Friendship Salute to Whit Sillman 7:00pm Short Film Awards FREE SHORTS! 7:45pm Man Who Knew Infinity 9:15pm Willard FREE ADMISSION 9:30pm People Sunday Kind of Love 9:30pm 9:30pm Element Diary of Anne Frank Short Films Narrative 2 FREE SHORTS! U SA F I L M F E ST I VA L SCHEDULE & TICKET INFO. Wednesday, April 20th 6:30pm at Salum Restaurant To inquire regarding ticket availability, please contact the Festival at [email protected] or 214-821-6300. This event will sell-out before April 20th. (When tickets are sold out, a message will be posted on our website homepage at www.usafilmfestival.com) Tickets are $150 per person. Thanks to our generous Sponsors, 100% of your ticket donation may be considered tax-deductible. OFFICIAL SPONSORS Help us out – Order your tickets in advance -- It makes everything easier on show day, for you and for us. • TICKETS AT THE BOX OFFICE (Day of show only; Cash sales only) Tickets will be available at the Angelika Film Center upstairs sales desk, for day of show only, beginning at 3:00pm on Saturday and Sunday, and 6:00pm all other days. • ADVANCE TICKETS (only until April 18th!) Available exclusively through Ticketmaster – On sale April 8th! TICKETS ONLINE (additional service fees apply) Log on to www.ticketmaster.com and search USA Film Festival event name. Tickets sold by individual program or show title (as listed at left in grid). TICKETS BY TELEPHONE (Hours M-Sat 9am-6pm; Sun Noon-6pm) Call the TM Fine Arts Line at 214-631-ARTS (2787) or 800-982-2787. Say “buy tickets” and respond “USA Film Festival” to the prompt; then say "operator." You will be transferred to a live operator who will take your order. NOTE: You need to speak with a LIVE Operator to order multiple event tickets. (Telephone order fees = $4.00 flat fee per call; no individual ticket fees) SELL-OUTS -- Tickets do sell-out but not via Ticketmaster. If the Ticketmaster Operator uses this language, it is a mistake (It just means that tickets are “off sale” for that day’s shows. Tickets may still be available at the Festival box office day of show. Advance tickets for all shows are available exclusively through Ticketmaster. Advance tickets are available until April 18th. After April 18th, all tickets will be available at the theater box office, day of show only. ADVANCE TICKETS will be picked up at the upstairs theater lobby "Will Call" daily. (Tickets will NOT be sent out via mail.) Note: Please be patient when ordering tickets by telephone from our friends at Ticketmaster. The 5-day, multi-ticket festival is an unusual event for them to handle and the messages the operators see on their screen look radically different from the information in your flyer. Trouble-shooting – The information in the flyer is correct. If your operator is not able to locate a show, etc. listed in the flyer, simply obtain the operator’s name and kindly request that you speak with a Ticketmaster Supervisor who will cheerfully assist. Guess Who’s Coming to Dinner? Ticket Info. Chef Vivian Howard Ticket Info - On Sale April 8th! Chef Abraham Salum Please check with the Festival's UPSTAIRS SALES DESK, day of show, after the appropriate time, to inquire about ticket availability. PLEASE INQUIRE IN PERSON. DO NOT CALL THE THEATER to request this information -- The person answering the theater telephone is located in a different area and cannot tell you how many Festival tickets may be available for any particular program. TICKET PRICES ALL PROGRAMS $10.00 per ticket (Cash only; ATM in lobby) Some programs are FREE admission; See film listings. Tickets for the DINNER on Wednesday, April 20th are only available through the Festival office by calling 214-821-6300 (limited seating). Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Trust T H E AT E R L O C AT I O N Angelika Film Center / Dallas 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane at Central Expressway (NE Corner) Parking is available in the garage located in the North end of the complex, adjacent to the theater F E S T I VA L I N F O R M AT I O N • Schedule is subject to change. (It’s a Festival!) Guests and titles listed are confirmed at press time. Additional guests and changes anticipated. • Program times listed are for actual film running times and do not include discussions with Festival guests in attendance. • Seating for all screenings is general admission to the public. Membership has its privileges: • Sponsor level Members of the Festival may reserve seats (AFTER purchasing tickets via Ticketmaster) for most shows by calling the Festival office. • Patron Members can call and reserve their FREE show tickets and reserved seats through the Festival office at 214-821-6300. U S A F I L M F E S T I VA L 214-821-FILM www.usafilmfestival.com