One of the night’s biggest winners, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, stars in the television program, “Smashed.” (Courtesy of Sony Pictures Classic)
Roll up the red carpets and shut down the screening rooms, the Dallas International Film Festival is officially over.
Once again, the festival showcased a strong group of films that helmed from Texas and beyond.
It seems as though each year the festival is getting stronger and stronger submissions and 2013 was no exception.
Per tradition, the Dallas Film Society hosted its “Dallas Film Society Honors” event, a closing ceremony of sorts, where the festival’s biggest prizes and honors were doled out.
DFS’ CEO Lynn McBee started the night off by offering a sincere thanks to the filmmakers and programmers alike.
The late Larry Hagman was honored with the DFS Dallas Stars Award and Ken Topolsky, a producer for “Dallas,” was there to present the award.
Hagman was honored for his work in the iconic 80’s drama “Dallas” (as well as its recent TNT reboot) and his work on various film and television projects including “I Dreamed of Genie.”
To further honor the actor, a special statement from the Texas House of Representatives was read, which proclaimed the tribute “be paid to the life and world of Larry Hagman and that this memory of his talent as an artist and generosity as a human being continue to inspire his fellow Texans.”
DFS’ Shining Star Award was presented to actress Mary Elizabeth Winstead.
Winstead has been featured on such projects as “Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter,” “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World” and “Smashed.”
“I’m a little embarrassed by the riches that you’ve bestowed upon me since I’ve been here-such great hospitality. Thank you very much,” Winstead said while accepting the award.
Of course, plenty of films were honored as well.
“Head Over Heels” picked up the Audience Award for Best Short while “The Crash Reel” won the Audience Award for Best Documentary.
“Kings of Summer” was the night’s biggest winner as it nabbed the Audience Award for Narrative Feature.
The Silver Heart Award was handed out to “Tomlinson Hill,” a project directed by SMU’s own Lisa Kaselak.
“Our Silver Heart jury looks to select a film that has fearless story telling to help us all ‘walk better in the world,” Lauren Embrey of the Embrey Family Foundation, the $10,000 annual prize founder, said of the project.
“The film ‘Tomlinson Hill’ helps us to realize that the history of Texas can be one-sided.
“The idea of ‘us and them’ needs to end in order for all communities to come together.
“Truths need to be sought out and discussed to begin the process of reconciliation,” Embrey said.
Keeping the local steam going was “Pit Stop” which won the Texas Grand Jury Prize. “Pit Stop” comes from former Dallasite Yen Tan.
Even though the DIFF is complete, Dallas’ film festival scene continues on as the USA Film Festival offers its own slate of projects at the Angelika Film Center starting next week on April 24.
