The Dallas-based USA Film Festival has announced the films and schedule of events for the festival’s 55th edition April 23-27.

All screenings and events will be at the Angelika Film Center, 5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, with the vast majority of the programming offered free to the public.

The festival, known for its celebration of new and classic films from the United States and abroad, said that master artists and emerging talents will be in Dallas to present their works.

“We’re pleased to once again celebrate Dallas Arts Month with our annual Spring Festival,” USAFF Managing Director Ann Alexander said in a statement. “We’re honored to bring a number of distinguished Master Artists to our stage in Dallas—including Nancy Kwan, Jon Avnet, Martin Kove, Neal McDonough, Mykelti Williamson, Stephen Tobolowsky and William Shockley—and to celebrate so many talented filmmakers with new works as well as revisiting a few classic favorites.”

Opening night highlights

A scene from “The Last Rodeo.”

Opening Night on Wednesday, April 23, will kick off the festival with a Salute to Nancy Kwan. The program will include a film clip compilation followed by an on-stage conversation with Kwan about her life and career, hosted by author and film historian Foster Hirsch. Kwan’s film and television career includes film classics and favorites such as “The World of Suzie Wong,” “Flower Drum Song,” “The Wrecking Crew,” “Fate Is the Hunter,” “Arrivederci, Baby!” and many more.

Kwan will sign copies of her new memoir, “The World of Nancy Kwan.”

Also on opening night, a screening of Jon Avnet’s “The Last Rodeo”—about a retired rodeo legend who risks it all in a high-stakes bull-riding competition to save his grandson—will highlight a salute to Avnet’s career. Co-written by Avnet, McDonough and Derek Presley, the film stars McDonough, Sarah Jones, Mykelti Williamson, Christopher McDonald, Ruvé McDonough, and Daylon Swearingen.

The film will be released by Angel Studios on May 23 and Avnet, Neal McDonough, Ruvé McDonough, and Williamson will be in attendance at the festival.

Rounding out USAFF Opening Night will be a 25th Anniversary screening of Christopher Nolan’s mind-bending thriller “Memento” (2000). Dallas-born actor and SMU alum Stephen Tobolowsky will attend the festival and discuss his role in the film. The program will be presented with the Hamon Arts Library and G. William Jones Film & Video Collection, SMU Libraries.

50th anniversary of ‘Death Race 2000’

A scene from the 1975 film “Death Race 2000,” starring David Carradine and Sylvester Stallone

Another fun highlight of this year’s USA Film Festival will happen Saturday, April 26, with a salute to veteran actor Martin Kove in conjunction with a 50th Anniversary screening of “Death Race 2000” (1975). Directed by Paul Bartel and produced by Roger Corman, the B-movie cult classic is a no-holds-barred cross-country thrill-and-kill race where drivers garner points by trying to knock out their opponents along with as many pedestrians as possible, the festival said.

The film stars David Carradine, Sylvester Stallone, Roberta Collins, and Mary Woronov, alongside Kove as the drivers. Kove will attend to talk about the film as well as his best-known roles in The Karate Kid, Rambo: First Blood Part II and “Cobra Kai,” among others.

For the USA Film Festival’s full five-day schedule and ticket info, you can go here.

More Looks at This Year’s Screenings

“The Stones Are Speaking” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Long Shadows” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Hancock Park” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Unbroken” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Watching Walter” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“I Got This” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Artie Shaw: Time Is All You’ve Got” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Tonic” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

“Village Keeper” [Photo via USA Film Festival]

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