What to do this Weekend : The Oak Cliff Film Festival

The 2018 Oak Cliff Film Festival is here and kicks off this week from Thursday, June 14 until Sunday June 17th. This is an exciting event that will showcase the very best of independent and brave filmmaking through screenings, live music, private and public events and parties.

The festival is celebrating its 7th year as a significant city wide event that highlights the best of Oak Cliff’s area theatres, art venues, restaurants and small businesses. The OCFF has also received national acclaim from The New York Times, Filmmaker Magazine and Moviemaker Magazine as well.

This year’s lineup is comprised of twenty-five feature-length films and 40 short films, with ten of the films having their Texas premiere this year.

Director Kevin Kerslake and writer Joel Marcus get the party started with their film BAD REPUTATION, which is their gritty and hard rocking documentary on the life and fast times of rock-n-roll icon Joan Jett. Be sure to stick around after the screening for the karaoke party right after!

 

There are plenty of cool films to check out such as Tigers Are Not Afraid (directed by Issa Lopez), a story about a young girl growing up and living in Mexico who suddenly finds herself with three magical wishes after her mother disappears.

Another great must see is Black Mother, (directed by Khalik Allah) a visually innovative film that switches from Super 8mm to HD right before your eyes to tell the stories of prostitution and the churches of Jamaica.

The Passion of Joan of Arc will be of great interest to filmgoers (myself included) this weekend. This film is a deeply spiritual voyage into the final hours of Joan of Arc leading up to her execution. The film is newly restored and depicts her torment with startling immediacy while telling her story through expressionist lighting and emotionally intimate close ups. The film will also be paired with a live score accompaniment by indie electronic artist George Sarah, performed by Curtis Heath and his orchestra.

 

The closing night film is Never Going Back, an intriguing story set right here in Dallas about 2 high school dropouts working as waitresses at a local diner whose lives are suddenly turned upside down after a drug deal goes bad. Producers Toby Halbrooks, James Johnston and Liz Cardenas will be in attendance along with the director of the film, Augustine Frizzell.

Tickets are available all weekend for individual screenings at the Oak Cliff Film Festival website, and at each venue at a later date. Come out and enjoy great films and fun this weekend at the Festival!