Beto and Ted Bundy Shake Up the Dallas Film Festival

The 13th annual Dallas International Film Festival is coming up on April 11 to 18. The full schedule has been released and includes an opening night screening of the highly anticipated Netflix movie Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile, a biography of Ted Bundy played by Zac Efron.

There are premieres galore for Dallas film buffs to look forward to, including Her Smell starring Elisabeth Moss as a fading 1990s punk rockstar. The documentary Running with Beto is a behind-the-scenes look at Beto O’Rourke‘s rise from virtual unknown to national political sensation.

One Child Nation is an international expose that uncovers the untold history of China’s One-Child policy.

Other premieres include Non-Fiction with Juliette Binoche and Gulliaume Canet, Ode to Joy starring Morena Baccarin, Melissa Rauch, and Martin Freeman, and The Tomorrow Man with John Lithgow and Blythe Danner, as well as many more.

James Faust has been artistic director of the Dallas International Film Festival for 13 years. This year, Faust tells PaperCity, that he’s most excited to support as many local and international films as possible over the eight day festival.

Thirty six different countries will be represented in films during the festival.

“This year we have a section called Czech That Film, the LatinX section, Canadian films, more French films, and a Syrian film” Faust says. “We also have a lot of woman directed films.”

Five out of six of the directors in the Narrative Feature Competition are female directors. Sister Aimee has two female directors and local post-production company Charlie Uniform Tango was involved with the film.

Personally, Faust says he’s really looking forward to Ode To Joy, one of his favorites from the festival circuit, and The Last Color, an Indian film directed by internationally acclaimed chef Vikas Khanna.

Khanna is a James Beard nominee and was one of the first Indian chefs to receive a Michelin Star in the United States. An author and creator of documentary series Holy Kitchens and Kitchens of Gratitude, Khanna can now add film writer and director to his repertoire.

When it comes to highlighting Dallas as a production city, Faust thinks that the festival helps out a lot.

“I think DIFF bringing filmmakers from around the world and those filmmakers being exposed to Dallas can benefit production in the city,” he says. “Dallas has a lot to offer in that regard.”

Starting this year, there will be a new ticketing system called Atom Tickets, which will make it easier for pass holders to reserve seats beforehand. The festival has also been expanded to five screens, making room for so many more films.

Actors and actresses set to make appearances at the festival include Kaley Wheless (Frances Ferguson), Hannah Pearl Utt (Before You Know It), Zora Howard (Premature), Kasey Givens (Adonis Complex), and Greg Schroeder (The World Won’t Break).

It’s doubtful that Zac Efron will attend, since he’s currently recovering from surgery after a ski accident, but who knows who else could show up on the red carpet? There’s only one way to find out.

Passes are on sale ranging from $100 for a Film Pass to $250 for a Festival Pass. You can also be your own star for the week with the $500 Star Pass, which includes Reserve Premium Seating, access to opening & closing night galas, and centerpiece screenings.