oak cliff film festival

What oak cliff film festival does

Oak Cliff Film Festival is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt non-profit film festival established in 2011 and headquartered at the Texas Theatre in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, Texas. The organization operates as the Oak Cliff Film Festival Society (EIN # 83-3104354) and runs a single annual four-day city-wide event comprising independent and archival film screenings, Q&As, panels, and related programming across multiple local theaters, art venues, bars, and small businesses. The festival is governed by a five-member board led by Co-Founder and Board President Barak Epstein, and relies on volunteer labor (open to applicants ages 16 and older) alongside a small professional core.

The core product is the festival itself, supplemented by a VIP Badge access pass, a volunteer program, and a multi-tier corporate sponsorship program spanning Official, Marquee, Supporting, Contributing, Location, Transportation, Community, Filmmaker Prize, Industry, and Promotional tiers with more than 50 partner organizations in the 2026 edition, including Marriott Hotels, Moody Arts Fund, Half Price Books, Dallas Arts District, Austin Film Society, Canon USA, and Blackmagic Design. The festival has no proprietary technology stack; commerce (ticket sales, VIP badge purchases, donations) is processed through the Eventive third-party platform, and audience-facing information is delivered via the official website and email newsletter.

Revenue is generated through three streams: one-time ticket and VIP badge sales on Eventive, tax-deductible individual donations to the Oak Cliff Film Society, and recurring corporate sponsorship commitments across multiple tiers. Pricing is not publicly disclosed. The festival's stated mission is to discover independent and archival films, share them with new audiences, and cultivate the local film community by utilizing historic theaters and venues.

Name

oak cliff film festival

Legal name

Oak Cliff Film Society

Website

https://oakclifffilmfestival.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Oak Cliff Film Festival is a Dallas-based non-profit that runs an annual four-day independent and archival film festival across venues in the Oak Cliff neighborhood, serving film audiences, independent filmmakers, and the local community through screenings, panels, and partnerships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Film Festival Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events without Facilities (711320)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYMPADAKAD

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

SECONDARYBPAGAHAG

Cultural Festivals & Events Organizations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Arts, Culture & Heritage Nonprofits

SECONDARYMPADAKAH

Community & Cultural Screenings (Museums, Cultural Centers)

Media, Entertainment & Sports/Film & Video Production/Distribution/Exhibition (Cinemas, Film Festivals, Screenings)

Keywords

• Independent film festival
• Film screening events
• Film community programming
• Independent cinema showcase
• Archival film exhibition

Headquarters

HQ city

Dallas

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: The festival generates revenue through ticket sales for screenings, Q&As, panels, and special events. Tickets are sold via the Eventive platform with options for general admission and VIP badge passes.
2. Donations and Sponsorships: As a non-profit 501(c)3 organization (EIN # 83-3104354), the Oak Cliff Film Society accepts tax-deductible donations and relies on corporate sponsorships at multiple tiers to fund festival operations.
3. Corporate Sponsorships: The festival receives financial support from official sponsors, marquee sponsors, supporting sponsors, contributing sponsors, location sponsors, transportation sponsors, community sponsors, filmmaker prize sponsors, industry sponsors, and promotional sponsors across various tiers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

The Oak Cliff Film Festival is an annual four-day independent film festival held across multiple venues in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas, TX, featuring screenings, Q&As, panels, and community events. It is the flagship program of the Oak Cliff Film Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to discovering independent and archival films and sharing them with new audiences. The festival also offers VIP Badge passes, volunteer opportunities, and corporate sponsorship tiers.

Product overview

Oak Cliff Film Festival is a single, annual film festival event operated by the Oak Cliff Film Society, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The core product is the festival itself, which showcases independent and archival films through screenings, Q&As, panels, and events across multiple venues in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of Dallas. Additional offerings include VIP Badge access passes, a volunteer program, sponsorship opportunities, and donation acceptance. The festival is supported by various sponsorship tiers and uses Eventive as its ticketing platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Oak Cliff Film Festival (Annual Event)
• VIP Badge

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Marriott HotelscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor providing hospitality support for festival guests and filmmakers traveling to Dallas for the festival.
• Half Price BookscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor and community partner supporting independent film culture in Dallas.
• Dallas Arts DistrictcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor supporting arts and cultural programming in the Dallas metropolitan area.
• Film DallascoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial sponsor supporting film industry development and promotion in the Dallas region.
• Texas TheatreflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary venue host and headquarters location for the festival. Historic theater serving as the main hub for festival screenings and events.
• Moody Arts FundcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMarquee sponsor supporting arts and film programming in the Dallas community.
• Austin Film SocietycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmmaker prize sponsor providing recognition and support for filmmakers participating in the festival.
• Blackmagic DesigncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFilmmaker prize sponsor providing DaVinci Resolve software and hardware prizes for filmmakers.
• Canon USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupporting sponsor providing cinema camera equipment as prizes for filmmakers.
• Bishop Arts TheatrecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation sponsor venue hosting festival screenings and events in the Bishop Arts neighborhood.
• Kessler TheatercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocation sponsor venue for festival screenings and events.
• SAG-AFTRA Dallas-Fort WorthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing sponsor representing film industry labor support for the festival.
• Dallas College Media ArtsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerContributing sponsor supporting film education and media arts programs.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Telluride Film Festival: Highly regarded small US film festival focused on independent and archival cinema with screenings, Q&As, and panel discussions in a town-wide format. Direct comparable to OCFF given prestige positioning, small scale, and similar programming philosophy.
• Rooftop Films: New York-based nonprofit that organizes year-round independent film screenings, panels, and filmmaker Q&As at partner venues. Comparable to OCFF in nonprofit structure, focus on indie film exhibition, and venue-partnership operating model.
• Northwest Film Forum: Seattle-based nonprofit art-house cinema and film center presenting independent, archival, and experimental films year-round alongside an annual film festival. Comparable to OCFF in nonprofit structure, indie film curation, and community-focused programming philosophy.
• Jacob Burns Film Center: Nonprofit cultural arts organization operating a film center with year-round independent and archival screenings plus an annual film festival in Westchester, NY. Comparable to OCFF in nonprofit mission, repertory film focus, and educational programming.
• Newport Beach Film Festival: Annual independent film festival in Newport Beach, CA featuring screenings, Q&As, and panels across multiple venues. Comparable mid-sized nonprofit film festival with similar community-anchored programming model to OCFF.
• Austin Film Festival: Texas-based annual independent film festival in operation since 1994 with similar mission of showcasing indie filmmaking and supporting filmmakers through prizes. Most directly comparable peer given overlapping geography (Texas), nonprofit orientation, and focus on independent film exhibition and education.
• AFI (American Film Institute) Festivals: Nonprofit organization operating AFI FEST and other programs dedicated to preserving and presenting classic and contemporary film. Comparable to OCFF as a 501(c)(3) with educational mission, archival focus, and curated film programming.

Broad incumbents

• South by Southwest (SXSW) Film & TV: Major Austin, TX-based annual festival whose film program screens independent films, hosts Q&As, and panels alongside its music and interactive components. Comparable to OCFF as a Texas-based multi-venue film event, though vastly larger and commercially oriented.
• Sundance Film Festival: The largest US independent film festival, operated by a nonprofit, showcasing independent films across multiple venues with Q&As, panels, and industry programming. Far larger in scale and budget than OCFF, but operates on the same festival model and serves overlapping filmmaker and audience segments.
• Tribeca Festival: New York City-based annual festival founded by Robert De Niro showcasing independent film, panels, and community programming. Comparable to OCFF in nonprofit structure, multi-venue city-wide format, and mission to support indie filmmakers and audiences.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about oak cliff film festival