More Film News That’s Not AFI-Related: USA Film Festival Announces Schedule

 The USA Film Festival has a ton of stuff planned for the upcoming 38th installment; you can read all about it after the jump. But the scheduled salute to Meat Loaf allows me to mention my favorite terrible trailer of all time, which ends like this: Patrick Swayze … Randy Travis … and Meat Loaf … Black Dog. I don’t think that will be involved in the salute, though.

THE USA FILM FESTIVAL/DALLAS ANNOUNCES
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS FOR THE
38TH ANNUAL USA FILM FESTIVAL, APRIL 21-27, 2008

DALLAS - The USA Film Festival announces the schedule of events for the 38th Annual USA Film Festival, April 21-27, 2008, at the Angelika Film Center in Dallas.

This year, the Festival honors two stage, screen and television veterans; one of the most respected cinematographers of our time; a rock and roll living legend; stages an anniversary reunion of popular comedy cult phenomenons of all time; brings eminent French director Claude Lelouch to Dallas; presents its 30th annual installment of the Academy-qualified Short Film & Video Competition; and remembers an old friend.

Program highlights and Tributes include:

–Great Director Tribute to Claude Lelouch (With Roman de gare)
–Tribute to cinematographer William A. Fraker (With film clip compilation tribute and 40th Anniversary screening of Rosemary’s Baby)
–Salute to Dallas-born rock star-actor Meat Loaf (With Meat Loaf: In Search of Paradise)
–20th Anniversary Salute to the creators of the cult comedy legend Mystery Science Theater 3000  (Creators/performers will present panel discussion with clips highlights) and a live riffing show featuring Cinematic Titanic
–Tribute to actor Austin Pendleton (With Lovely by Surprise)
–Tribute to Texas-born actor Rip Torn (With film clip compilation tribute and screening of August)
–Remembering Texas writer-director Eagle Pennell (With screening of a restored print of The Whole Shootin’ Match and the new documentary The King of Texas)
–30th Annual National Short Film & Video Competition (Academy-qualified)
–World premieres of documentaries including Ted Schillinger’s Robert Blecker Wants Me Dead, Rusty Fleming’s Drug Wars: The Colombianization of Mexico, Donny Moss’ Blinders, David Markey’s The Reinactors, and features Journal of a Contract Killer from UK filmmaker Tony Maylam, Angelica Torn and Tony Torn’s Lucky Days, along with new shorts from Bill Plympton (Hot Dog), Glen Luchford (Dark Yellow), and more.

Please see attached for full schedule listing.

Ticket Information — A complete schedule of all Festival events may be obtained by calling the Festival office at 214-821-FILM.  Advance tickets will be available through Ticketmaster beginning April 10.  Tickets for all programs are $8, and $25 for the Cinematic Titanic Live Riffing program.

Official Sponsors of the 38th Annual USA Film Festival include American Airlines, Blockbuster Inc., QUICK, The Independent Film Channel, Time Warner Cable, the Canadian Consulate, Dallas National Bank and Career Link Companies.  The USA Film Festival is supported, in part, by the City of Dallas Office of Cultural Affairs.

About the USA Film Festival — One of the oldest, most prestigious film arts organizations in the U.S., the Festival is a Dallas-based 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to the encouragement and recognition of excellence in the film and video arts.  The Festival’s year-round schedule includes fifty days of programs and events including KidFilm®, the oldest and largest children’s film festival in the U.S.; Oscar Night® America Dallas; monthly screenings; special tributes, programs and premieres; and the USA Film Festival Week, held each spring.