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DALLAS – The USA Film Festival announces the Opening Night programs for the 41st Annual USA FilmFestival, April 27 – May 1, 2011. All programs will be held at the Angelika Film Center Dallas,5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, Dallas, Texas. Advance tickets are available exclusively through Ticketmaster beginning Friday, April 15, 2011.
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REMEMBERING CARY GRANT
AN EVENING WITH JENNIFER GRANT
On-stage conversation with Jennifer Grant, book-signing and 55th Anniversary screening of TO CATCH A THIEF (1956)Wednesday, April 27 7:00pm
How the sweeping vistas of the Riviera pale next to the sight of Cary Grant and Grace Kelly falling in love inthis sprightly heist movie. Grant stars as reformed cat-burglar John Robie, who comes out of retirementwhen a new jewel thief goes to work using his signature style of thievery. Kelly plays Frances, a properdebutante who discovers that larceny is an aphrodisiac – a theme Hitchcock would pursue more explicitly inMarnie – and tests Robie’s resolve by throwing herself, and her priceless jewels, at him. With gloriouscostume design by Edith Head, a hilarious supporting turn by Jessie Royce Landis as Kelly’s mother (shewould play Grant’s mother in Hitchcock’s North by Northwest four years later) and unforgettable fireworks(both literal and figurative), To Catch a Thief remains one of the most charming and exciting films from theMaster of Suspense. 106 mins. The program will be hosted by historian and author Foster Hirsch.
Good Stuff: A Reminiscence of My Father, Cary Grant
Good Stuff is an enchanting portrait of the profound and loving relationship between a daughter and herfather, who just happens to be one of America’s most iconic male movie stars. Jennifer Grant was born andraised in Los Angeles, California. She graduated from Stanford University with a degree in history. Her firstacting role was in Aaron Spelling’s Beverly Hills, 90210, and she later appeared in Friends, Super Dave, andCSI, as well as several feature films. She lives with her son, Cary Benjamin, in Beverly Hills.Complimentary copies of Jennifer Grant’s book, Good Stuff, will be distributed (limited supply).
THE PERFECT HOST Wednesday, April 27 7:30pm
Warwick Wilson (David Hyde Pierce) is the consummate host. He carefully prepares for a dinner party, thetable impeccably set and the duck perfectly timed for 8:30pm. John Taylor (Clayne Crawford) is a careercriminal. He’s just robbed a bank and needs to get off the streets. He finds himself on Warwick’s doorstepposing as a friend of a friend, new to Los Angeles, who’s been mugged and lost his luggage. As the wineflows and the evening progresses, we discover just how deceiving appearances can be. Co-writer/directorNick Tomnay’s dark-hearted comedy/drama is full of outrageous moments and suspenseful twists. Audiences may never look at David Hyde Pierce the same way again after seeing this slippery psychologicalthriller that reveals just how far we’re willing to go to satisfy our needs. Also featuring Nathaniel Parker, Helen Reddy, Megahn Perry, Joseph Will and Tyrees Allen. 93 mins. David Hyde Pierce in attendance.
DAVID HYDE PIERCE
Emmy and Tony Award winner David Hyde Pierce made his professional and Broadway debut in 1982 asthe waiter in Christopher Durang’s “Beyond Therapy.” He went on to create roles in the off-Broadwayproductions of Mark O’Donnell’s “That’s it Folks!,” Richard Greenberg’s “The Author’s Voice” and “TheMaderati,” Harry Kondoleon’s “Zero Positive” and Jules Feiffer’s “Elliot Loves” before returning toBroadway in Wendy Wasserstein’s “The Heidi Chronicles.” In 2005 he originated the role of Sir Robin inthe Broadway production of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” for which he was nominated for a Drama DeskAward for Outstanding Actor in a Musical. In 2007 he won the Tony Award and earned another DramaDesk Award nomination for his role as Lieutenant Frank Cioffi in the musical comedy “Curtains,” beforegoing on to appear in the Manhattan Theatre Club revival of the 1930’s comedy “Accent on Youth,” andmost recently, in the acclaimed London and Broadway production of David Hirson’s “La Bete. “ In additionto his work in new plays, Mr. Pierce has also appeared in numerous repertory theater across the country. Mr.Pierce’s film credits include Bright Lights, Big City, Crossing Delancey, Little Man Tate, Sleepless inSeattle, Wolf, Nixon, Isn’t She Great, Wet, Hot, American Summer, Full Frontal, Down With Love, A Bug’sLife, Osmosis Jones, Treasure Planet and The Perfect Host. His television credits include Norman Lear’spolitical satire “The Powers That Be” and “Frasier,” for which he earned four Emmy Awards and theAmerican Comedy, Television Critics, Viewers for Quality Television and Screen Actors Guild Awards.
A complete schedule of all Festival events will be announced on April 13.
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TICKET & SCHEDULE INFORMATION
Tickets for all programs $10.Advance tickets will be available through Ticketmaster beginning April 15 by calling 214-631-2787.Note: Tickets are available by TELEPHONE ONLY at Ticketmaster.
OFFICIAL SPONSORS
Official Sponsors of the 41st Annual USA Film Festival include Dave Perry-Miller & Associates,Community Coffee, Jones Day, Gaedeke Group, AMC, Time Warner Cable, Dallas Film Commission, TexasFilm Commission, Magnolia Pictures on Demand, HD Net, Red Diamond Wines, Taco Bueno, Alford MediaServices, HealthLinkRx and Ticketmaster. The USA Film Festival is supported in part by the City of DallasOffice of Cultural Affairs. This program is supported in part by a grant from the Texas Commission on theArts.
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ABOUT THE USA FILM FESTIVAL
A year-round film festival featuring 50 days of programs
The USA Film Festival is a 41-year-old Dallas-based 501c3 non-profit organization dedicated to therecognition and promotion of excellence in the film and video arts. Year-round events include KidFilm;Dallas’ only official Oscar Night America program; monthly screenings; special programs and premieres;and the USA Film Festival, held each spring. Throughout the year, the Festival presents a variety ofmembership, exhibition, educational, and cultural programs designed to bring together film enthusiasts andfilmmakers for a “live cinema” experience.
Born and raised in Dallas, Mark has been a movie critic since 1994, with reviews featured in print, radio and National TV. In 2001 he started the Entertainment section of the Herorealm website, where he contributed film reviews and celebrity interviews until 2004. After three years of service there, he started Bigfanboy.com, which has become one of the Dallas film community's leading information websites. Bigfanboy hosts several movie screenings in the Texas area, and works closely with film and TV studios and promotional partners to host exciting events and contests. The site also features a variety of rare celebrity and filmmaker interviews, and Bigfanboy.com regularly covers the film festival circuit as well. In addition to Hollywood reporting, Mark has worked for many years as an advertising and sci-fi/comic book artist. Clients have included Lucasfilm Ltd., Topps Trading Cards, The Dallas Mavericks and The Dallas Stars. From 2002 until 2015 he managed the Dallas Comic Con, Sci-Fi Expo and Fan Days events in the DFW area. He currently catalogs rare comic books and movie memorabilia for Heritage Auctions, and runs the Dallas Comic Show conventions, but remains an avid moviegoer and cinema buff. 
