Film / USA Film Festival

The USA Film Festival Announces Schedule of Events | In Theater April 21-25

GaylerSmith Company Posted On April 7, 2021

The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 51st Annual USA Film Festival, April 21 – 25, 2021. The in-theater program will be held at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas.

One of the oldest festivals in the U.S., the USA Film Festival celebrates its 51st anniversary this year. The first festival to devote itself to the American filmmaker back in 1970, today presents over 50 days of diverse programs every year.

“We are so glad to be able to celebrate Dallas Arts Month and bring our program to the community.” USAFF Managing Director Ann Alexander says. “With support from our Sponsors, this year’s program will be presented as all-free-admission.”

“We know that a lot of people are experiencing financial challenges and that people have missed being able to get out to a theater and see a movie. We wanted to present a diverse and accessible program.”

This year’s feature film programs include Johan von Sydow’s Tiny Tim: King For a Day; Mariem Pérez Riera’s Rita Moreno: Just a Girl Who Decided to Go For It; Sonia Kennebeck’s Enemies of the State; Euros Lyn’s Dream Horse; Anders Thomas Jensen’s Riders of Justice; Nicole Riegel’s Holler; Ben Sharrock’s Limbo; Luke Holland’s Final Account; Ümran Safter’s Leave the Door Open; Tracey Deer’s Beans; Joe Duca’s Her Name Was Jo; and Arnold Lim’s All-in Madonna.

“The full line-up includes new feature films, documentaries and true stories, and dozens of short films” Alexander continued. “And, of course, safety measures will be in place. Masks will be required and social distancing seating protocols will be observed for this year’s contact-free event.”

Tickets are free but must be reserved in advance by calling The Festival office at 214-821-6300 beginning April 16th. No walk-up tickets will be available.

Additional programs featuring Master Artists will be scheduled later in the year.

For more details and to view the full schedule, visit www.usafilmfestival.com

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

USA Film Festival 51 is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Presenting Sponsors include TACA – The Arts Community Alliance, Sidley LLP, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Foundation, Moody Fund for the Arts, Headington Company, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Mary Fox and Laura Fox, Norma’s Café, Dallas Creative Industries, The Downtown Business News, and the Angelika Film Center.

ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL

A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs. The USA Film Festival is a 51-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; 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 promote equity and equality, and to bring together audiences and artists for a “live cinema” experience

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Film / USA Film Festival

The USA Film Festival Announces Schedule of Events for USAFF50 In-Theater Program June 24 – 28, 2020

GaylerSmith Company Posted On June 16, 2020

The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 50th Annual USA Film Festival, June 24 – 28, 2020. The in-theater program will be held at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas.

One of the oldest festivals in the U.S., the USA Film Festival celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. The first festival to devote itself to the American filmmaker back in 1970, today presents over 50 days of diverse programs every year.

The recent shutdowns caused the USAFF to re-schedule its annual April festival, which will now take place on June 24-28, 2020 at the Angelika Film Center Dallas.

“As Dallas theaters begin to reopen, we are so glad to be able to bring our program to the community.” USAFF Managing Director Ann Alexander says. “With support from our Sponsors, this year’s program will be presented as all-free-admission.”

“We know that a lot of people are experiencing financial challenges and that people have missed being able to get out to a theater and see a movie. We wanted to present an accessible program that offered something for people of all ages.”

This year’s opening night, “Free Dinner and a Movie,” will feature two classic films – Hal Ashby’s beloved, offbeat dark comedy Harold and Maude (1971) and a 40th anniversary screening of the ever-popular disaster movie parody Airplane! (1980). A new animated family film for younger kids, 100% Wolf, rounds out the opening night line up which also includes a free box dinner courtesy of USAFF sponsor Norma’s Café.

“The full line-up includes new feature films, documentaries and true stories, and short films” Alexander continued. “And of course, safety measures will be in place. Masks will be required and social distancing seating protocols will be observed for this year’s contact-free event.”

Additional programs featuring Master Artists will be scheduled later in the year.

USAFF Award-winning Short Films were selected by USAFF National Jury Members — director and teacher Karen Allen; actor, producer, director and teacher Diane Baker; actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and film historian Jim Beaver; cinematographer Bill Butler; actor Dale Dickey; visual artist and filmmaker Rosson Crow; actor Peri Gilpin; animator and animation supervisor Bill Haller; motion picture sound mixer, writer and director Ron Judkins; filmmaker and teacher Sandra Luckow; actor, producer, writer and director Ralph Macchio; manager, writer, producer and director Chris Roe; actor, author and storyteller Stephen Tobolowsky; and actor Brian Van Holt.

For more details and to view the full schedule, visit www.usafilmfestival.com

OFFICIAL SPONSORS

USA Film Festival 50 is supported in part by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture, the Texas Commission on the Arts and the National Endowment for the Arts. Presenting Sponsors include TACA – The Arts Community Alliance, Sidley LLP, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Foundation, Moody Fund for the Arts, Headington Company, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Mary Fox and Laura Fox, Norma’s Café, Texas Film Commission, SAG-AFTRA, Dallas Producers Association, The Downtown Business News, and the Angelika Film Center.

ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL

A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs

The USA Film Festival is a 50-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; 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 promote equity and equality, and to bring together audiences and artists

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Film

USA Film Festival Announces Winners of the USAFF50 International Short Film Competition

GaylerSmith Company Posted On May 14, 2020

Chosen from more than 500 international entries from 36 countries, the winning films included:

FIRST PLACE / NARRATIVE
Traces, Sébastien Pins, director

FIRST PLACE / ANIMATION
Gon, the Little Fox, Takeshi Yashiro, director

FIRST PLACE / NON-FICTION
Ashes to Ashes, Taylor Rees & Renan Ozturk, directors

FIRST PLACE / EXPERIMENTAL
Blue Pig, Yaxiong Shao, director

STUDENT AWARD
Tree #3, Omer Ben-Shachar, director

TEXAS AWARD
My Dinner with Werner, Maverick Moore, director

The 2020 National Jury included actor, director and teacher Karen Allen; actor, producer, director and teacher Diane Baker; actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and film historian Jim Beaver; cinematographer Bill Butler; actor Dale Dickey; visual artist and filmmaker Rosson Crow; actor Peri Gilpin; animator and animation supervisor Bill Haller; motion picture sound mixer, writer and director Ron Judkins; filmmaker and teacher Sandra Luckow; actor, producer, writer and director Ralph Macchio; manager, writer, producer and director Chris Roe; actor, author and storyteller Stephen Tobolowsky; and actor Brian Van Holt.

Award-winning films will be screened during the 50th Annual USA Film Festival to be re-scheduled ASAP in 2020 at the Angelika Film Center Dallas.

This year marks the 50th Anniversary of the long-running USA Film Festival, which has awarded prizes to dozens of now established filmmakers early in their careers including Mark Osborne (More), Don Hertzfeldt (Lilly and Jim), Chel White (Choreography for Copy Machine), Bill Plympton (Your Face), Michael Almereyda (Another Girl, Another Planet), Jessica Yu (Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien), Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket), Marlon Riggs (Tongues Untied), Todd Haynes (Superstar), Alexander Payne (The Passion of Martin), George Hickenlooper (Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade), Alan Taylor (That Burning Question) and John Lasseter (Tin Toy).

In addition to the National Jury Awards, FESTIVAL-AWARDED PRIZES also went to the following short works:

Jury Prize/Narrative category – Alina, Rami Kodeih, director
Jury Prize/Animation category – If Anything Happens I Love You, Will McCormack & Michael Govier, directors
Jury Prize/Non-Fiction category – Mr. Somebody, Brian Wertheim, director
Jury Prize/Experimental category – Blue Reverie, Siting Yang, director
Jury Prize/Student category – Furthest From, Kyung Sok Kim, director
Jury Prize/Texas category – Invaders from Above, Dano Johnson & Kevin Maher, directors
Honorable Mention, Narrative – Bye, Circle, Tae Young Kim, director
Honorable Mention, Animation – The Mechanical Dancer, Jenna Jaillet, director
Honorable Mention, Non-Fiction – Tending Clouds, Joel Sandvos, director
Honorable Mention, Experimental – If We Had Tomorrow, Anastasiya Yevchenko, director
Honorable Mention, Experimental – The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating, Elisabeth Tova Bailey, director
Honorable Mention, Student – Irse, Marian Carrasquero & Jean-Philippe Dobrin, directors
Honorable Mention, Student – Unraveled, Isabel Wiegand, Asil Atay, Arden Colley & Kellie Fay, directors
Honorable Mention, Texas – Departure, Stan Wong, director
Performance Award – Gayle Rankin in Kathryn Prescott’s Jane
Performance Award – Rusty Schwimmer in Yaya (Ilya Simakov)’s Keep it Quiet

OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Sponsors of the 50th Annual USA Film Festival include Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Foundation, Sidley LLP, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, TACA – The Arts Community Alliance, Moody Fund for the Arts, Headington Company, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Mary Fox and Laura Fox, Norma’s Café, SAG-AFTRA, The Downtown Business News, KERA-TV, Alford Media Services and the Angelika Film Center Dallas.

The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Arts & Culture.
The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the Texas Commission on the Arts.
The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the National Endowment for the Arts.

ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL
A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs
The USA Film Festival is a 50-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; 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 promote equity and equality.

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USA Film Festival

The USA Film Festival Announces SHORT FILM JURORS for the 50th Annual USA Film Festival 2020 | Peri Gilpin, Diane Baker & Karen Allen to Join In

GaylerSmith Company Posted On April 15, 2020

The USA Film Festival announces JURORS for its annual International Short Film Competition, part of the 50th Annual USA Film Festival program to be presented in 2020.

The USA Film Festival welcomes new and returning Jurors:

Actor, director and teacher Karen Allen
Actor, producer, director and teacher Diane Baker
Actor, playwright, screenwriter, author and film historian Jim Beaver
Cinematographer Bill Butler
Actor Dale Dickey
Visual artist and filmmaker Rosson Crow
Actor Peri Gilpin
Animator and animation supervisor Bill Haller
Motion picture sound mixer, writer and director Ron Judkins
Filmmaker and teacher Sandra Luckow
Actor, producer, writer and director Ralph Macchio
Manager, writer, producer and director Chris Roe
Actor, author and storyteller Stephen Tobolowsky
Actor Brian Van Holt

Chosen from more than 500 international entries, the Jurors will designate awards in the following categories for short film works:

FIRST PLACE / NARRATIVE
FIRST PLACE / ANIMATION
FIRST PLACE / NON-FICTION
FIRST PLACE / EXPERIMENTAL
The STUDENT AWARD
The TEXAS AWARD
In addition, several special JURY AWARDS will also be conferred.

Award-winning films will be announced in late April and screened during the 50th Annual USA Film Festival (to be re-scheduled ASAP in 2020).

Over the past four decades, the USAFF’s long-running program has awarded prizes to dozens of now established filmmakers early in their careers including Mark Osborne (More), Don Hertzfeldt (Lilly and Jim), Chel White (Choreography for Copy Machine), Bill Plympton (Your Face), Michael Almereyda (Another Girl, Another Planet), Jessica Yu (Breathing Lessons: The Life and Work of Mark O’Brien), Wes Anderson (Bottle Rocket), Marlon Riggs (Tongues Untied), Todd Haynes (Superstar), Alexander Payne (The Passion of Martin), George Hickenlooper (Some Folks Call it a Sling Blade), Alan Taylor (That Burning Question) and John Lasseter (Tin Toy).

OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Sponsors of the 50th Annual USA Film Festival include Carol and Alan J. Bernon Family Charitable Foundation, Sidley LLP, Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate, Gaedeke Group, TACA – The Arts Community Alliance, Moody Fund for the Arts, Headington Company, Dallas Tourism Public Improvement District, Mary Fox and Laura Fox, Norma’s Café, SAG-AFTRA, The Downtown Business News, KERA-TV, Alford Media Services and the Angelika Film Center Dallas.

ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL
A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs
The USA Film Festival is a 50-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; 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 promote equity and equality.

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Talent-On Camera & VO / USA Film Festival

Far From the Tree Premieres @ 47th USA Film Festival – Local Talent Allison, Bolling Grace Film

Kelly Kitchens Posted On April 24, 2017

Festival Runs April 26 – 30th

The USA Film Festival will host the Texas Premiere of the short FAR FROM THE TREE starring Cheryl Allison (NO LETTING GO, Broadway star), Angie Bolling (ROBOCOP, TEXASVILLE) and Gabriel Rush (MOONRISE KINGDOM, THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL) to the Texas Shorts Showcase closing night of the 47th annual Festival – April 30, 2017.

Angie Bolling

“I am beyond thrilled that FAR FROM THE TREE is having its Texas Premiere at the 47th USA Film Festival. It’s an honor for our entire creative team, cast and crew to be screening at one of the first major festivals established in the nation. Award winning films, actors, and industry professionals have participated in USAFF over the years and to be included in this group is so exciting,” says Cheryl Allison, producer and actress in FAR FROM THE TREE.

BEHIND THE SCENES:

The film has it’s own unique family tree as lifelong friends of Cheryl’s all played significant parts in making this film. One branch is award-winning producer Carina Rush who Cheryl has known for 25 years. Carina came on-board to co-produce the film with Cheryl. Another branch is Dallas resident David Kear. David is the writer of the film and has been Cheryl’s friend since they met in Dallas during their college years. Another significant branch is our amazing Emmy-winning director Dave Thomas. Dave and Cheryl met over 15 years ago and are creative partners. Last but not least, one of the most sentimental branches of our film’s family tree is Gabriel Rush. Gabriel is the son of Carina and he also happens to be Cheryl’s godson. He plays Evan in the film. As you can imagine, bringing all of these significant people together was quite emotional. We were so lucky to be able to complete the cast with the incredible Angie Bolling, Michael Hunsaker, Stephen Newton and Anna Newton. Lifelong friends came together to create something special and with the help of the exceptionally talented cast and crew, that’s exactly what they did.

https://vimeo.com/211274138

TEXAS CONNECTION:

The film was shot on location in Eustace, TX at a farm owned by Cheryl’s aunt. The farm has been in the Allison family since 1851. Cheryl is a native Texan who was born in Fort Worth and raised in Dallas. The film’s crew was all from the DFW area except for our NYC based Director and Director of Photography. All camera equipment was rented through Panavision Dallas and lighting/grip equipment was rented locally through Bolt Productions.

Our cast combined the best of Dallas and NYC talent. Dallas favorite Angie Bolling was the first choice to play Aunt Dot and the role was written specifically for her. Cheryl and Angie met at the 2016 DIFF Opening Night Red Carpet. Publicist Kelly Kitchens introduced them knowing that they would immediately become friends. That evening at DIFF Opening Night, Cheryl told Angie she was going to find a film project for them, and that’s exactly what she did.

THE IMPACT:

We feel that FAR FROM THE TREE will resonate with a very large audience, whom can identify with the kind of struggle that Abbie and her son have to face. Recovering from sexual assault or abuse is a process and that process looks different for everyone. It may take weeks, months or years – there’s no timetable for healing.

FUTURE IMPACT WITH A FEATURE: depending on the response to the short film, the producers are considering making a full-length version after its festival run.

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