• Movie Maker magazine named the Dallas International Film Festival one of the ?25 Festivals Worth the Entry Fee.? It?s also one of the fastest growing film festivals in the world, with tens of thousands attending each year.
• Last year, Texas high schools received more than $30,000 in grants for their film programs, and during the past five years, the festival has given more than $400,000 in awards.
• Each year, the Dallas Film Society invites more than 300 international filmmakers, celebrities and film-industry titans to Dallas for year-round cinematic presentations, including the annual DIFF.

Gilt City members are invited to purchase a Star Pass, which is an all-access pass to the opening night screening and gala on April 12. It includes access for one to the festival lounge and all regular film screenings and panel discussions. It also includes an invitation to all Centerpiece screenings and parties during the festival held between April 12 ? 22 and a DIFF gift bag.

The Dallas Film Society helps educate the next generation of filmmakers by presenting short films during the festival, holding Q & A sessions and panels and presenting an annual series of master classes with internationally known filmmakers, composers, producers and actors.

Scott Burns, screenwriter of ?The Bourne Ultimatum? and ?The Informant!? and recipient of the society?s 2011 Dallas Shining Star Award, summed up the DIFF perfectly, ?To come to a place where people really love movies, where the movies are more important than the industry... it makes me really happy to be in a place like that.?

— Rebecca Sherman, Gilt City Editor