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DIFF Adds Five Documentaries


by Stephen Becker 30 Mar 2010 1:03 PM

The Dallas International Film Festival sends word that it’s added five additional documentaries to the slate. They are: Cane Toads in 3D: A film that showed at the Sundance Film Festival that will mark DIFF’s first 3D film. Bear Nation: A South by Southwest debut that inspects the gay subculture of bears. Lemmy: Another SXSW […]

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The Dallas International Film Festival sends word that it’s added five additional documentaries to the slate. They are:

  • Cane Toads in 3D: A film that showed at the Sundance Film Festival that will mark DIFF’s first 3D film.
  • Bear Nation: A South by Southwest debut that inspects the gay subculture of bears.
  • Lemmy: Another SXSW film that lovingly looks at he Motorhead frontman. (You can read my earlier post on the film from SXSW here.)
  • When I Rise: The story of University of Texas music student Barbara Smith Conrad, who fought an uphill battle to become an opera star
  • Learning from the Light: The Vision of I.M. Pei: About the famed architect who designed, among many projects, the Meyerson Symphony Center.

The festival also announced additional details about some of the awards it will hand out; keep reading for the full release:

DALLAS, TX, March 30, 2010 – DALLAS International Film Festival (April 8 – 18) announced it has added five documentary titles to its schedule of films for 2010. The titles include a crowd pleaser at this year’s Sundance Film Festival, CANE TOADS in 3-D, two popular documentaries from the just concluded South by Southwest Film Festival; BEAR NATION and LEMMY: THE MOVIE, the documentary profile LEARNING FROM LIGHT: THE VISION OF I.M. PEI, and a portrait of opera figure Barbara Smith Conrad, WHEN I RISE.

DALLAS IFF also announced an impressive lineup of awards and awards packages that will be presented at “The Dallas Film Society Honors” presented by the Gail L. & Arthur E. Benjamin Foundation event on Friday, April 16 at Hotel Palomar.

As announced previously, Target will once again present a $25,000 unrestricted cash prize to the winners of the Target Narrative and Target Documentary Feature Competition. The event will also feature the (previously announced) presentations of the DALLAS Star Awards to John Lee Hancock and Wally Pfister.

MPS Studios has also continued their partnership with DALLAS IFF sponsoring the Texas Competition. While the total prize worth remains at $20,000 for that category, the cash prize has been upped to $10,000, equaling the goods and services grant of $10,000.

DALLAS IFF Senior Programmer Sarah Harris said, “While it is an honor and a great moment for a filmmaker to just be singled out by a jury for their work, the prizes that go along with these awards often go a long way toward recouping some of their investment in that film or lend great assistance toward making their next one. Target and MPS Studios have been stalwarts in support of those filmmakers from the very beginning of this film festival.”

For the first time, REEL FX ENTERTAINMENT will give the winner of the Grand Jury Prize for Animation an NFR copy of 2010 Autodesk MAYA animation software.

DALLAS International Film Festival’s commitment to advancing awareness of environmental concerns, as well as the promotion of education through film takes another step forward as DALLAS IFF has teamed with TXU Energy on its TXU Energy Fast Forward Video Contest. The statewide contest enlisted Texas students to create films focused on the future of energy efficiency and energy conservation. The student filmmakers are competing for technology grants of up to $7,500 (and totaling $11,500) to be used to purchase and upgrade the film equipment for their schools. The winners will also be invited to DALLAS IFF for a special event and screening of their films.

“The TXU Energy Fast Forward Contest is providing a unique way for the next generation of influential Texans to make a difference by promoting energy efficiency and conservation in a way that is important to them,” said Michael Grasso, chief marketing officer for TXU Energy. “This event has an excellent reputation for promoting both education and the environment and we are excited to be a part of it.”

The winners of all the competitions in the 2010 DALLAS International Film Festival will receive MOVIE MAGIC software from Entertainment Partners.

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