By Daniel R. Durrett
The Oak Cliff Film Festival has grown into one of Dallas’s best festivals, the anchor of the festival being The Texas Theatre, and this may be the greatest strength that was on show last year by being the first film fest to feel normal after the pandemic.
The festival opening night brought the crowd back to our early years with “Butterfly In The Sky” the Reading Rainbow documentary. Chronicling, the LeVar Burton hosted the show that brought more kids to read books and develop a love for reading.
This year’s festival boasts films from 15 countries, with standouts “After Blue (Dirty Paradise)” from France, “Gods Of Mexico” well, from Mexico, and “A Vanishing Fog” from the Netherlands.
“After Blue (Dirty Paradise)” is a distant future story of a teenager and her mother on a female-inhabited planet called After Blue.
“A Vanishing Fog” is an ecological story about a solitary explorer who strives to protect the mystical and fragile ecosystem, while facing the return of the imminent return of violence.
Within the Narrative Feature category is “Linoleum” the dysfunctional family story of a man who chases a childhood dream of becoming an astronaut. Starring Jim Gaffigan (American Dreamer, Super Troopers) and Rhea Seehorn (Better Call Saul, Veep)
One great thing about the OCFF is that every day is filled with not just film but live musical performances and great after-parties, and a great VIP bar, all housed in the local Oak Cliff community of Dallas.
Compared to other Dallas film festivals OCFF has a style all its own, it is a festival that feels like it belongs in Austin, this may be due to the nature of the Texas heat and the fact that it takes place in the summer, so most attendees give the high brow fashion of Dallas a rest for relaxing summer wear.
Tickets and Badges may be purchased at 2022.oakclifffilmfestival.com check out more scheduled screenings and information at the website do this before Sunday’s closing night film, “I Love My Dad”
Starring Patton Oswalt (Ratatouille, Young Adult) an estranged father wanting to reconnect with his son. “I Love You Dad” is based on real-life events from Director/ Writer/ Star James Morosini (The Sex Lives of College Girls, Blush)
