BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 BEGIN:VEVENT UID:AA8A92EB-E383-485F-9296-66F009B89E62 DTSTART:20250430T150000Z DTEND:20250430T163000Z SUMMARY:DIFF 2025 - Take Note: A Panel on Music for Film DESCRIPTION:Join us for  Take Note \, an exclusive conversation discussing the powerful intersection of music & film. Presented by Virgin Hotels Dal las and DIFF | Dallas International Film Festival\, this panel discussion with  Abraham Alexander\, Anna Lascurain & Clint Bentley  will dive into the creative process of writing and integrating original songs for the sc reen. From translating emotion into melody to collaborating with filmmaker s\, this conversation offers a behind-the-scenes look at how music helps s hape unforgettable cinematic moments. \nWhether you're seasoned filmmaker or aspiring songwriter\, this is your chance to hear the stories behind t he songs - and the films they help bring to life. \n  THE DETAILS: Wednesd ay\, April 30 from 3-4:30 PM | Check in begins at 2:30 PM Event located on the 4th floor of Virgin Hotels Dallas | 1445 Turtle Creek Blvd Space is l imited\, RSVP is required for entry Limited valet parking available onsite \n  PANELISTS: \nWhen  Abraham Alexande r  unspools his extraordinary lif e story\, it becomes clear that he should always trust his instincts. Each time he has\, something unknowable but amazing has happened for him. \nBo rn in Greece\, where he spent the early part of his life with the Acropoli s as his playground\, Abraham was transplanted to Texas in the early 2000s at 11 years old to escape the ever present racial tension of his birthpla ce. Adopted in Texas after losing his mother in a car accident with a drun k driver\, Abraham became a sports nut who excelled on the pitch and had f irst set his sights on a career in soccer. A torn ACL sidelined those ambi tions but opened the door to a new path. A friend handed him a guitar duri ng this downtime\, and\, without warning\, his soul was unlocked. \nSongs he did not know that he had in him poured out. A series of increasingly i ncredible chance meetings — including a life-changing encounter with Leon Bridges — led him to nurture this newfound musical voraciousness. Those r oads have converged on his debut album Sea/Sons\, out now on Dualtone Reco rds. \nCo-produced by Alexander with the help of several folks including M att Pence and Brad Cook\, the album is a lush\, seductive affair that show cases the singer-songwriter’s beguiling voice— one which offers both honey and grit— and supple acoustic guitar work. The 11 tracks on Sea/Sons disp lay a cool assuredness even as the songs themselves play with themes of lo ss\, redemption\, longing\, anguish\, and joy informed by a complex life o f love and pain. There is a refreshing genre fluidity at play as elements of folk\, pop\, rock\, R&B\, gospel\, and even electronic music meld and tangle. Ineffable backing vocals\, sparse but rich arrangements\, and a s ense of emotional purpose draw the musical threads together into a cohesiv e whole that is simultaneously warm and cool. \nMost recently\, Alexander’ s collaboration with Adrian Quesada\, the song “Like A Bird” from the A24 film Sing Sing\, was nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song. \n  \ n Anna Garcia Lascurain  currently holds the position of Senior Producer a nd Music Supervisor at Squeak E. Clean Studios\, where she blends her deep musical expertise with a keen eye for creative collaboration. With a musi c career spanning over 15 years\, Garcia Lascurain has become a trusted fi gure in the world of music production\, audio post\, and licensing for fil m\, television\, advertising\, and beyond. \nDuring her time at Squeak E. Clean\, Garcia Lascurain has produced and music supervised a wide array o f high-profile campaigns\, including Apple’s “Someday\,” starring Pedro Pa scal and directed by Spike Jonze\, Slack’s “The Big Meeting\,” Verizon’s 2 024 Super Bowl spot featuring J. Balvin\, and Instacart’s “Kazoo Show\,” a mong many others. Prior to joining Squeak E. Clean\, Garcia Lascurain held roles as Producer and Music Supervisor at Search Party New York and Direc tor of Licensing at Sub Pop Records. Her film credits include  The Vow \,   Friends with Kids \,  Grey Gardens \, and  The University of Sing Sing . \nIn addition to her production work\, Garcia Lascurain remains committed to mentoring the next generation of music professionals\, fostering an en vironment where creativity and innovation can thrive. \n  \n Clint  Bentle y  is an Academy Award- nominated filmmaker. \nHis feature directorial deb ut\, JOCKEY\, premiered In Competition at the 2021 Sundance Film Festival where it won a Special Jury Prize for Best Actor for Clifton Collins Jr a nd was acquired by Sony Pictures Classics. Co-written and produced with hi s longtime creative partner\, Greg Kwedar\, it went on to play TIFF\, AFI and over 30 festivals around the world. In addition to winning the Audien ce Award at AFI Film Festival\, it was nominated for two Independent Spiri t Awards and was chosen as a Top 10 Independent Film of 2021 by The Nation al Board of Review. 2017’s TRANSPECOS\, which Bentley co-wrote and produce d\, won the Audience Award at the 2016 SXSW Film Festival and he was chose n as one of 25 Screenwriters to Watch in 2017 (with co-writer Greg Kwedar) by MovieMaker Magazine. \nBentley wrote and produced SING SING\, which pr emiered at the 2023 Toronto Film Festival and won the 2024 SXSW Festival A udience Award. Acquired and theatrically released by A24\, the critical da rling garnered three Academy Award nominations (including Best Adapted Scr eenplay)\, three BAFTA nominations\, and five Critics Choice Award nominat ions\, including Best Picture. It was also nominated for three Independent Spirit Awards\, including Best Feature and was named one of the AFI and N ational Board of Review Top 10 Films of the Year. The film won the Nationa l Board of Review Award for Best Adapted Screenplay and the Gotham Awards for Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance. \nMost recentl y\, he directed his second feature\, TRAIN DREAMS\, based on the book by D enis Johnson. Starring Joel Edgerton\, Felicity Jones\, William H Macy and Kerry Condon\, it debuted to rave reviews at the 2025 Sundance Film Festi val and was picked up by NETFLIX for an expected fall 2025 release. \nBent ley and his producing partner Greg Kwedar recently launched a production c ompany called ETHOS to develop their original work and to champion artists under the innovative and equitable financing model they pioneered. \n  \n About  Virgin Hotels Dallas : \nVirgin Hotels Dallas is the second propert y from Virgin Hotels - the lifestyle hospitality brand that combines heart felt service\, straightforward value and a seamless\, personalized hotel e xperience with the track record of innovation and smart disruption that Si r Richard Branson's global Virgin Group has pioneered for 50 years. The pr operty intermixes a passion for food and beverage with music and culture t hat fuses with the local landscape\, providing an inclusive environment fo r travelers and locals alike. Located in the Dallas Design District on 144 5 Turtle Creek Blvd\, the hotel features 268 Chambers (rooms) and two Pent house Suites. Dining and drinking outlets include Commons Club\, the brand ’s flagship restaurant and bar\, Funny Library Coffee Shop and The Pool Cl ub. Reservations accepted and can be made directly on the hotel’s website\ ,  www.virginhotels.com/dallas  or by calling 469.359.7003. \n  \nAbout  D IFF | Dallas International Film Festival : \nDIFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit arts and culture organization established as Dallas Film Society\, Inc. i n 2006. Through year-round screenings\, film series\, educational programs \, community partnerships\, and film festivals\, DIFF builds community and raises awareness of the world’s most approachable and inclusive art form. \nNamed by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as an Oscar ®  Qualifying Festival\, The Dallas International Film Festival is the sign ature presentation of the organization. Through curation of the broadest r ange of expression through film\, DIFF serves as the region’s most powerfu lly inclusive and equitable platform for diverse\, emerging and underrepre sented voices. Since its founding\, DIFF has screened more than 2\,500 wid ely diverse new films from 60 countries\, provided more than $1.1 million in awards and hosted more than 100\,000 filmgoers and filmmakers. \nDIFF is committed to celebrating films and their impact on society\, honoring filmmakers and recognizing their contribution enhancing both the creative community and the city of Dallas\, providing leadership in film education \, and celebrating excellence in the art of film. More information is avai lable at  www.diffdallas.org .\nVirgin Hotels Dallas\n1445 Turtle Creek Bo ulevard\nDallas\, TX 75207 United States\n LOCATION:1445 Turtle Creek Boulevard\, Dallas\, TX 75207 URL:http://parkcities.bubblelife.com/community/parkcities_calendar/library/ 3560452/key/3511328933/DIFF_2025_-_Take_Note_A_Panel_on_Music_for_Film CREATED:20250428T212738Z LAST-MODIFIED:20250428T212738Z DTSTAMP:20260404T125408Z CLASS:PUBLIC STATUS:CONFIRMED TRANSP:TRANSPARENT SEQUENCE:1 END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR