By Alex Gonzalez
After a successful eight-day run in Dallas’s West Village, The 12th annual Dallas International Film Festival has come to a close.
This year’s DIFF showcased hotly anticipated films, including Fred Rogers documentary “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” the Rob Reiner-directed “Shock and Awe,” and the Chloë Grace Moretz-led “Miseducation of Cameron Post.”
Following his first year as the Executive Director of the film festival, Johnathan Brownlee is highly content with the turnout.
“The key is what your attendees and festival-goers are saying,” Brownlee says. ” You look at the smiles on their faces, the parties where they’re having fun, and seeing the same faces come back to enjoy more films. To me, I think that really says that these folks have had a great time.”
Although some slight changes were made to this year’s festival format, Brownlee believes they were for the better.
“I think the shorter format really worked out for us,” Brownlee says. “Plus, operating in West Village proved very well, logistically, and the family films at Studio Movie Grill made for a great addition.”
DIFF is set to return next year with a new set of films. Many of the films showcased at this year’s festival are set for wide release in the third and fourth quarters of 2018. Release dates will be shared via Best of Guide as they are announced.
In the meantime, check out the list of this year’s winners below!
Short Films:
- Special Mention Short (Comedy) – Allen Anders – Live at the Comedy Castle (circa 1987) directed by Laura Moss
- Special Mention Short (Late Night) – Mobius directed by Sam Kuhn
- Special Mention Short (Texas) – Uncertain Future directed by Chelsea Hernandez and Iliana Sosa
- Animated Short – Aqua Vita directed by Alex Lim Haas
- Documentary Short – Adversary directed by Scott Cummings
- Narrative Short – Krista directed by Danny Madden
Feature Films:
- Special Mention Feature (Narrative) – Madeline’s Madeline directed by Josephine Decker/starring Helena Howard and Miranda July
- Special Mention Feature (Texas) – The Iron Orchard directed by Ty Roberts
- Grand Jury Prize (Texas) – 1985 directed by Yen Tan
- Grand Jury Prize (Documentary) – The Blessing directed by Jordan Fein and Hunter Robert Baker
- Grand Jury Prize (Narrative) – Dead Pigs directed by Cathy Yan
Audience Awards:
- Documentary Short – tomnoddy directed by Charles Poekel
- Narrative Short – Caroline directed by Celine Held and Logan George
- Narrative Feature – Tejano directed by David Garcia
- Documentary Feature – Loud Krazy Love directed by Scott Mayo and Trey Hill
