SUBMIT
The 14th annual Dallas International Film Festival hosted by Dallas Film will screen the best narrative features, documentaries and short films from all over the world, April 16th-April 23rd 2020.
A 501(c) 3 non-profit organization, the Dallas Film Society provides leadership in screen education and the recognition and celebration of excellence in the art of film, television and digital media.
Dynamic and Diverse
The 14th annual Dallas International Film Festival powered by Capital One, hosted by Dallas Film, doesn’t just show films; it showcases and celebrates all types of content. The interaction between story tellers audiences and the Dallas community is what we strive to develop from opening to closing and everything in between.
DIFF2020 is a global adventure that boasts premiere screenings, nightly red carpets, daring documentaries, eye-opening short films, exciting television content, anew focus on environmental film-making, music documentaries, nightly parties, live music performances, filmmaker panels, award presentations, and an enhanced filmmaker hospitality program that includes city tours and more.
The festival completed a successful 2019 run with over 130 filmmakers attending our Texas-sized film party that 124 films screened from 24 countries and an attendance of over 15,000.
We invite you to add your voice to the conversation. At DIFF, filmmakers are invited to the festival to participate in a variety of programs, Q&A sessions and a series of panel discussions. Dallas area high schools and universities host master classes where filmmakers have the opportunity to discuss their work and careers with a new generation of content creators.
DIFF honorees and attendees over the years include:
Hannah Pearl Utt, David Gordon Green, Faye Dunaway, Robert Benton, Max Landis, John Landis, Blythe Danner, Kathryn Bigelow, Wally Pfister, Steve James, Laura Linney, Bernie Pollack, William Friedkin, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Cheryl Boone Isaacs, Sherry Lansing, Gabourey Sidibe, Ann-Margret, Scott Z. Burns, Amber Heard, Guillermo Arriaga, Frank Darabont, John Lee Hancock, Pete Docter, Amanda Seyfried, Peter Bogdanovich, Adrien Brody, Henry Selik, America Ferrera, Barry Bostwick, Mariette Hartley, John Hawkes, David Lynch, Lauren Bacall, Charlize Theron, Robert DeNiro, Helen Hunt, Lou Taylor Pucci, Robert Towne, Rian Johnson, Rinko Kikuchi, Jeremy Renner, David Gordon Green, Lou Gossett Jr., Robin Wright, Carlos Cuaron, James Tobak, Justin Kirk, Patton Oswalt, Luke Wilson, Owen Wilson, Glen Keane, Elvis Mitchell, Phil Lord, Chris Miller, Tim McCanlies, Monte Hellman, Ed Lachman, Lea Thompson, Zoey Deutch, Katharine Houghton, Ry Russo Young,
CURRENT 2020 DIFF PROGRAMMING STRANDS:
Narrative Feature Competition
Documentary Feature Competition
Short Film Competition
Texas Competition
Animated Short Competition
Premiere Screenings
World Cinema
LatinX Cinema Showcase
Deep Ellum Sounds (Music Films)
Family Films
Faith Based Films
Midnight Specials
Environmental Films
Special Presentations
At DIFF, the interaction between filmmakers, audience, and community is a highlight of our programming. Filmmakers of selected films are invited to the Festival to participate in a variety of programs. Question and answer sessions after screenings are well attended and lively. A series of panel discussions are held throughout the eleven days of the Festival. Area high schools and universities serve as the venues for master classes where filmmakers have the opportunity to discuss their films and careers with a new generation of professionals.
Awards & Prizes
Grand Jury Prizes are awarded to competition films in the following categories: Narrative Feature, Documentary Feature, Shorts, and Animated Shorts. A Grand Jury Prize will also be awarded to the best Student Film within the Shorts Competition.
The Grand Jury Prize winner of the Texas Competition category will enjoy a camera rental package worth $30,000 for their next production, courtesy of Panavision.
Audience awards for Best Narrative Feature, Best Documentary Feature and Best Short will also be presented.
Rules & Terms
Premiere status is taken into consideration for every submission in each category strand with priority given to Dallas/Ft Worth Premieres, Southwest Premieres, US Premieres, North American Premieres, and World Premieres.
In order for feature films to be considered for competition, a Dallas/Fort Worth Premiere is required.
Films must not have had major theatrical release or US broadcast airing prior to the festival.
