5 Must-See Films at the 11th Annual Oak Cliff Film Festival

The Oak Cliff Film Festival is returning for its 11th annual event on June 23 through 26. The four-day fest is taking place in person, at full capacity (last year was only 50%) at Texas Theatre, The Kessler Theatre, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, and more local venues. There will be 26 feature-length films, including 12 Texas premieres. The festival also includes 32 short films, opening and closing night parties, and live music events. In anticipation of the summer event, we’ve rounded up our five must-see films at the festival this year.

I Love My Dad

Sunday, June 26 at 8:30 pm at Texas Theatre

Starring Patton Oswalt as a desperate father who impersonates a waitress online to reconnect with his son, this cringe-comedy won the Jury and Audience awards at SXSW this past March. Directed and written by James Morosini (who recently starred in HBO Max’s The Sex Life of College Girls), the film is a semi-autobiographical story of Morosini’s uncomfortable past. Rachel Dratch, Claudia Sulewski, and Amy Landecker also star in the movie.

Linoleum

Friday, June 24 at 7 pm at Texas Theatre

This drama follows Cameron Edwin (played by Jim Gaffigan), the host of a failing children’s science show who always wanted to be an astronaut. After a rocket ship crashes into his backyard, Edwin decides that he is going to rebuild it. Reality becomes skewed as surreal and bizarre events begin to take place. Rhea Seehorn plays Edwin’s wife and former co-host on their TV show. This one is a trip that you just must see to understand.

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

Sunday, June 26 at 1 pm at Texas Theatre

Voiced by Jenny Slate, “Marcel the Shell With Shoes On” began as a short film and was a YouTube highlight of my high school years. Directed by Dean Fleischer-Camp, this adaptation (and fan-favorite during last fall’s Telluride Film Festival) gives the classic animated shorts the feature film-length treatment, following the one-inch-tall shell, his grandmother Connie (voiced beautifully by Isabella Rosellini), and pet lint after a mysterious tragedy left them the sole survivors in the shell community. A documentary filmmaker discovers the mollusk family and brings Marcel millions of fans as he hopes to find his long-lost family.

Butterfly In The Sky

Thursday, June 23 at 8 pm at Texas Theatre (Opening Night Film)

This Opening Night Film is a Texas premiere documentary about Reading Rainbow host LeVar Burton and others who believed television could inspire a love of reading. Hosted by Burton for more than 20 years, the magazine-style format of the show took kids on real-life journeys with celebrity guest readers. Directed by Bradford Tomason and Brett Whitcomb, the film chronicles the history and lasting impact of the iconic show that began in 1981.

32 Sounds

Friday, June 24 at 9:30 pm at Texas Theatre

An immersive documentary by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Sam Green, the film explores the idea of sound. With music by JD Samson, the sensory experience is meant to be watched with live music (or headphones) and invites viewers to think about their relationship with sound as a sense.