Five Texas A&M grads who became famous for their trick-shot comedy YouTube videos will walk the red carpet today at the opening of the 18^th Dallas International Film Festival. 

Tonight’s 7:30 p.m. screening of “Dude Perfect: A Very Long Shot”—an ESPN “30 by 30” documentary—is being held at the historic Majestic Theatre in downtown Dallas. The rest of the festival’s 100-plus films will be screened Friday through May 2 at the Violet Crown Cinema in the Dallas’ West Village shopping center, with some additional opening weekend screenings at the Texas Theatre in Oak Cliff.

The festival will offer plenty of after-screening Q&A’s with filmmakers and actors, plus nightly DIFF Red Carpets and other special events.

Frisco-based Dude Perfect has been in the news lately after snagging a $100 million-plus investment from Highmount Capital, which could help the dudes realize their dream of creating a $100 million HQ and theme park featuring a 330-foot tall “Impossible Shot” tower. Fittingly, Texas A&M University is the festival’s opening night sponsor.

The festival will close on May 2 with A24’s “Sing Sing.” Based on the real-life program Rehabilitation Through the Arts, its cast includes formerly incarcerated actors and alumni of the program.

“We always try to ensure the Festival features important and interesting stories, and this year’s schedule abounds with the kind of films that remind us why we love watching movies,” DIFF Artistic Director James Faust said in a statement. “We’ve had the pleasure in creating this program of screening all of the films, ‘meeting’ the filmmakers through both their submissions and our invitations to screen, and feel we are bringing North Texas and our festival fans our best. I could say this every year, but this program might be my favorite ever.”

Many DIFF 2024 films have local connections

Racing Mister Fahrenheit is one of the DIFF 2024 films with Dallas-area connections.

That closing night movie is just one of the films on the DIFF 2024 schedule with Dallas-Fort Worth connections. Greg Kwedar, the director and co-writer of “Sing Sing,” is from Dallas, and the movie’s co-writer and producer, Clint Bentley, lives in Oak Cliff. The movie’s financiers are Dallas-based, as well.

Per DIFF, other festival flicks with North Texas connections include:

“Racing Mister Fahrenheit,” from Dallas-based filmmaker Michael Rowley, is about 74-year-old Dallas investor, photographer and motorcycle enthusiast Bobby Haas and his attempt to set a world speed record with a hand-built motorcycle.

“Ride,” a bull-riding crime drama, was directed and co-written by Jake Allyn and produced by Jake, Rob, and Connor Allyn. Jake and Connor went to Jesuit Prep in Dallas.

“Ghostlight”: Its producer is Dallas-based.

“Texas Music Revolution”: The film’s producer (and subject) is the station manager at Dallas alternative country radio station KHYI.

“Bastards of Soul”: Dallas band, Dallas director, Dallas money, according to DIFF.

“Deer Camp ’86”: Its distributor is Dallas-based.

“Losing Grace, Finding Hope”: Attorney Brian Loncar’s tragic story is backed by Loncar family money, DIFF said.

“City of Hate”: A look back at Dallas at the time of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. The documentary’s filmmakers are based in Dallas.

“Dark Sanctuary”: Its filmmakers are Dallas-based.

“Lane: Life, Legend, Legacy,” a look at the life of bull rider Lane Frost, was directed by Fort Worth filmmaker Brad Hughes.

“Harsh Treatment,” a drug-trafficking thriller from Denton filmmakers Johnathan Paul and Josh Gilbert, was shot in North Texas and features actor Barry Corbin.

To see the full DIFF 2024 schedule and order tickets, go here.

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