AFI: In Dallas, It's Official; in Los Angeles, It's Bobby

An official web site has been created, dates have been set (March 22-April 1, 2007), and a press release has evidently been issued for the first AFI Dallas International Film Festival (I found the URL by nudging around a bit, but Screen Daily has a headline on it as well). Not much at the site yet, except a promise for citywide venues and 150 movies to be screened.

And for AFI FEST in Los Angeles, Emilio Estevez' Bobby will serve as the opening night selection. The film premiered at Venice and also played Toronto; as compiled by GreenCine Daily's David Hudson, while some reviewers have been complimentary, others have been vitriolic in their dislike. More details on the line-up will undoubtedly surface this month at the official web site; the fest runs November 1-12.

UPDATED: Of course, as soon as I post, I see that IndieWire posted a list of World Premieres at the fest. Immediately notable is Yokihiko Tsutsumi's drama Memories of Tomorrow; he previously directed the blackly comic and brutal 2LDK. I've found a couple of other trailers as well: After... is said to be a thriller about extreme sports competitors in the Moscow Underground, and Big Dreams, Little Tokyo is the comic tale of an American who wants to be Japanese and his Japanese sumo wrestler roommate -- who doesn't quite fit in, either.

After... (Quicktime, Windows Media Player, iPOD, downloadable)
Big Dreams, Little Tokyo (Quicktime, downloadable)