Insider's Guide: Dallas IFF for Austinites
By Peter Martin
As a resident of Dallas for the past six years, and a longtime movie lover who's made semi-annual pilgrimages to attend SXSW and Fantastic Fest, I readily acknowledge the superiority of Austin as a specialty film town. Dallas is, however, more representative of mainstream film culture, a major metropolis that worships at the multiplex every weekend, the multitudes faithfully flocking to wide-release studio pictures, with smaller numbers seeking out independent and foreign-language movies.
Within that context, the Dallas International Film Festival (Dallas IFF) has established itself as a large yet refreshing event, one that invites the public to try something new -- and has largely succeeded. With far fewer badgeholders than SXSW, as well as a much smaller contingent of press, Dallas IFF attendees tend to be a wider variety of ordinary moviegoers than the usual festival crowd. They're happy to sample the program and/or turn out for films that appeal to their specific interests. For visitors, it tends to be easier to get into films, and, unlike downtown Austin, parking is almost always free!
That being said, there are a few caveats that first-time visitors will want to have in mind. The tips below are based on the likelihood that, as a visitor from Austin, you will have a vehicle at your disposal. It is possible to travel between venues without a car or truck, but it's tricky; Dallas is a much less pedestrian-friendly town than Austin.
Rush Hour: The venues are concentrated within a small geographic area, though the distances can be deceiving. Venue-hopping is complicated by traffic conditions on I-75, which provides a helpful yet crowded link. Though it's only a couple of miles between The Magnolia and Angelika Film Center -- the two main venues -- it can take up to 45 minutes (?!) to go from one theater to the other, if you try the trip weekday during rush hour (anytime between 4-7 pm). That's because traffic can come to an absolute standstill. Access roads are only slightly better, but expect to stop for traffic lights on nearly every block between the Magnolia and Angelika.
Rapid Transit: If you're staying at a hotel in downtown Dallas, or perhaps north of town in Plano with friends, it may be more convenient to leave your car in the parking lot and make use of DART (Dallas Area Rapid Transit). Single trips are $1.75, while a day pass will set you back $4.00. From downtown to the Angelika Film Center takes less than 15 minutes. The train is not for midnight movie buffs, though, since it stops running before any midnight screenings finish.
Venues: The Prekindle Box Office (open during the festival from 11 am until the last screening time of the day) is conveniently located near the southeastern entrance to Mockingbird Station, which is a huge plus over past years because it's easy walking distance from the Angelika Film Center, not to mention a DART station. Mockingbird Station is an upscale-ish shopping center filled with chain stores, which makes it an ideal place to stretch your legs between screenings. Rather than try and park near the box office or the outdoor shops, head to the multi-level parking structure -- most easily accessible from the I-75 northbound access road -- which descends several floors below ground. Parking is free, though typically you'll have to wind down at least one level to find a space.
You can take the elevator to the top level in order to go directly to the Angelika Film Center; step off the elevator, walk basically straight ahead, and you can't miss it. Alternatively, you can get off the elevator on the ground floor and head to the box office, which is located a short walk away near The Gap and Victoria's Secret. Then you can walk back toward the parking area and take a flight of stairs up to the Angelika; that way you can stop and enjoy the small water fountain outside.
In addition to the parking available at Mockingbird Station itself, the DART station has its own free parking lots outdoors, most easily accessible from East Mockingbird Lane, which is on the south side of Mockingbird Station. On weekdays, the DART lots are filled up early in the morning by commuters, but parking is always available for evening screenings.
The first floor of the Angelika features a small cafe with some seating and a couple of couches. You can buy beverages, sandwiches, and other snack items, and are free to take them with you into the auditoriums upstairs. The festival will be using three of the eight theaters: Angelika 6 and Angelika 7 are the largest, both seating around 300, while Angelika 8 is smaller, with probably 100-120 seats. In past years, lines have been well organized, and I expect that to continue.
Dining options in Mockingbird Station include Starbucks and Cafe Express (I like their breakfast tacos), but everything else falls outside of my "under $10" range. If you have the money, then you probably know what to expect from Urban Taco, Rockfish Seafood Grill, and the like.
If you can spare the time, drive up the I-75 northbound access road and you'll find lower-price options. Among other fast-food chains, you can satisfy your curiosity about In-N-Out Burger. If you're looking to get away for a little wireless action, your best bet is probably Cafe Brazil, which is nearby, open 24 hours, and accustomed to students from SMU (located on the west side of I-75) gazing into their laptops. Also, you can watch the construction going on at the George W. Bush Presidential Center; Mr. Bush has a home a few miles west, though I've never actually seen him at Mockingbird Station.
While alcoholic beverages are available at the Angelika, you'll have more beer choices at Trinity Hall, which is next door on the same level. (Take a hard right from the parking lot elevator.) If you cross Mockingbird Lane, you'll find Jason's Deli, Burger King, Keith's Comics, and Premiere Video (the best video store in Dallas) all in the same little outdoor shopping center. Walk half a block eastward, and you'll find Campisi's Pizzeria, a historic mob gathering place whose culinary reputation has been debated for years.
The other main Dallas IFF venue is The Magnolia, a Landmark theater located a few miles south from Mockingbird Station in the business/residential complex known as West Village. The Magnolia is accessible via I-75 and is an excellent multiplex, though it's challenging to navigate during the festival.
The first challenge is parking. There are two multi-level parking structures; the larger one is in the heart of the complex. (It's located between northbound McKinney Avenue on the east and southbound Cole Avenue on the west; beware all the one-way streets in the area.) The thing to remember is that it's very popular for shopping and dining. If you arrive early enough in the day, you can always find parking, but it can take a while -- up to 15 minutes -- to find a space, chiefly because there is so much in and out traffic and the lanes are narrow. And some spaces are reserved behind locked gates for residents.
On the first weekend of the festival, it can be a real bear to find parking, especially if you arrive after 6 pm. I've gone all the way to the rooftop, found no parking, and then been forced to wend my way slowly back down. So allow plenty of time. Or try the parking lot on the east side of McKinney Avenue, near a former book store. Sometimes a guard is posted, so just let him know that you'll be shopping at one of the fine establishments on that side of the street.
Once you get parked, it's only steps away to the Magnolia. It's in a stand-alone building across from the parking structure, located near the southwestern corner of Lemmon Avenue and Cole Avenue. The theater box office is located on the ground floor; you can take the stairs, escalator or elevator to the second floor, where five auditoriums are located; the festival is using two this year.
The Magnolia has a small lobby, but it tends to be very loud, with a lot of people crushed into a space that includes the refreshment stand and a bar. Because only two auditoriums are being used this year, it should (potentially) be a less-crushing atmosphere, but make sure to double-check where exactly you should line up, and keep an ear out for announcements by volunteeers, which can be hard to hear.
There are a number of dining options in West Village, but, like Mockingbird Station, prices tend to start in the double digits. I visit there less often, so I'm less familiar with what's available, though I know there's a Starbucks for your coffee and wireless needs. For those on a budget, you can walk to the south side of Lemmon Avenue, across from the Magnolia, and find a Subway.
You can use DART to get from the Angelika to The Magnolia: Take DART from Mockingbird Station southbound to the next station (Cityplace), take the escalators to the ground level, and then take the M-Trolley (yes, a trolley!) over to the West Village. Riding the trolley is free. Evidently, it also goes to the Nasher Sculpture Center, although I've never done it myself.
Other Venues: On Saturday and Sunday, panels will be held at the Nasher Sculpture Center, which is in downtown Dallas. I've never attended one, though I've heard they are intimate affairs in a lovely setting.
One auditorium at an AMC multiplex at Northpark, an upscale indoor shopping mall, will be utilized on Saturday as part of the festival's Family Day. Since I don't have children, I skip that scene. If you want to check it out, parking is free; the theater entrance is on the second level, across from the food court.
Next weekend, the historic Texas Theatre -- where Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested on the day JFK was killed -- will get into the action. It's on the south side of the Trinity River in the Oak Cliff community, which offers many dining options, including a Lockhart Smokehouse. Seating capacity at the theatre is 650; it features a cool lobby and bar.
Dallas International Film Festival begins tonight (April 12) and runs through April 22.
Peter Martin serves as Managing Editor for Twitch and is a freelance writer for Movies.com, FrightFest, Famous Monsters and other publications. He is also the founder and editor of Dallas Film Now.
[Photo credits: "Magnolia at AFI Dallas 2007" and "Angelika at AFI Dallas 2007" by J. Kernion. "The Magnolia at West Village, Dallas" by Joy Kennelly and "2011 Red Carpet Texas Theater" by Dallas Film Society Images; found via Flickr, used under Creative Commons license.]