In collaboration with the Dallas International Film Festival (DIFF), the DMA presents a special curated selection of short films by Dallas directors and filmmakers, including Chyna Robinson, Jerod Couch, and Don Tortellini.
Join James Faust, DIFF Artistic Director, for a lively discussion with emerging voices in Dallas filmmaking.
This event is planned in conjunction with the DMA's Second Annual Black History & Culture Celebration. See the schedule for a full list of events.
Goodnight, My Love (2024)
A 90-year-old woman reflects on the ups and downs of her marriage, not at all the happily ever after she imagined as a young woman. Starring legendary actors Marla Gibbs and Hal Williams (The Jeffersons, Sanford and Son, and 227 together), this film is a 14-and-a-half-minute story about their 65-year marriage and their “real” happily ever after . . . the story that Disney never showed.
Run time: 14:45 minutes
Chyna Robinson is an award-winning director and screenwriter known for crafting emotionally layered, visually poetic films that center marginalized voices. With multiple Best Screenplay awards and honors from national and international festivals, Robinson’s work reflects her deep commitment to authentic storytelling and inclusion—on screen and behind the camera.
Her romantic thriller No Ordinary Love was named one of USA Today’s “Biggest Summer Movies of 2021” and earned acclaim across the globe for its unflinching portrayal of love, control, and resilience. Her directorial catalog includes historical short Greenwood: 13 Hours; the intense thriller Lola Lisa; and the love story Goodnight, My Love, which screened at and won the Audience Choice Award at Cordillera Film Festival and several other Oscar-qualifying film festivals.
Robinson’s voice as a director is rooted in empathy, visual lyricism, and bold emotional honesty. She gravitates toward stories that explore the gritty beauty of relationships, the complexities of identity, and the emotional truths that transcend background and circumstance. Her films are designed to resonate deeply and spark conversation across diverse audiences. A SXSW-honored “Female Filmmaker to Watch,” she has served on juries for several film festivals since 2019. Equally committed to systemic change in the industry, she intentionally hires women, people of color, and LGBTQIA+ creatives across her teams to disrupt industry inequality through mentorship and opportunity.
META CARE (2023)
In a near-future where the "criminal injustice system" mandates rehabilitation through technology, Meta Care is a retro-futuristic facility designed to rewire the minds of the violent. The story follows Fredrika "Fred" Jones, a restless 40-something who believes she is attending a routine therapy session at the behest of her husband. While waiting for the doctor, Fred’s anxiety manifests as a frantic, fidgety chattiness. She attempts to engage the only other person in the room, but when the stranger remains stoically silent, her frustration rapidly escalates into a display of unprovoked aggression. The tension breaks when the stranger is revealed to be Dr. Jacovy, the leader of the Meta Care experiment. The waiting room was a social test, one Fred has failed multiple times before. The horrifying truth emerges: Fred is not a visitor, but an inmate serving a sentence for the gruesome murder of her husband. Because she cannot overcome her volatility, Jacovy deems her "incurable." Fred is reluctantly returned to a ward of failed participants, where she is plugged into an immersive virtual experience, a digital purgatory where she can only "reunite" with her husband through a loop of fractured, haunting memories.
Run time 17:46 minutes
Jerod Couch is a five-time Emmy® Award–winning filmmaker from Dallas, the creator of the Daytime Emmynominated #WASHED, co-director of Black Butterflies, and the force behind award-winning content for brands like Disney, AT&T, 7-Eleven, and the Texas Rangers.
Chaos on ommerce (2024)
Chaos on Commerce examines the collision of celebration and unrest during Dallas’s Super Bowl victory parade on February 9, 1993. Drawing on rare archival footage and research conducted in collaboration with the University of North Texas Special Collections Library, the film situates the parade within a broader historical continuum of racial segregation, trauma, and resistance in Dallas.
By tracing key flashpoints—including the 1973 murder of Santos Rodriguez and the 1992 Rodney King verdict—the film contextualizes the social conditions that intensified longstanding tensions between Black and Mexican communities, particularly among youth within Dallas ISD. These unresolved fractures surfaced publicly on a day intended to symbolize civic pride and unity.
What began as a jubilant procession celebrating the Dallas Cowboys’ championship season quickly unraveled on Commerce Street. Scenes of joy gave way to confusion, confrontation, and violence—transforming a moment of collective triumph into one of collective reckoning. Through the parade’s buildup, its sudden descent into chaos, and the emotional aftermath, the film reflects on how public space, memory, and power intersect during moments of crisis.
In its resolution, Chaos on Commerce turns toward reflection and repair—highlighting the enduring efforts toward reconciliation and the fragile hope for unity within a city still grappling with the legacies of its past. The film positions the parade not as an isolated incident, but as a historical marker revealing the layered complexities of Dallas’s social fabric.
Run time: 27 minutes
Don Thomas II, professionally known as Don Tortellini, is a Dallas-based photographer and filmmaker whose work centers overlooked communities and untold stories, particularly within Oak Cliff and the greater Dallas area. Known for his empathetic eye and documentary sensibility, his images explore identity, community, and the quiet dignity of everyday life.
A graduate of the University of North Texas, Tortellini is currently continuing his studies at the USC School of Cinematic Arts, where he is expanding his practice into cinematic and long-form visual storytelling. His work has been exhibited at institutions including the Dallas Arboretum, The Black Academy of Arts and Letters, Oak Cliff Cultural Center, and the Latino Cultural Center, among others, and has been recognized by numerous Dallas-based outlets for its depth and technical photographic merit.
His photography spans acclaimed series on homelessness, sports, community storytelling, and nail art, reflecting a practice rooted in cultural documentation, versatility, and respect for lived experience. His work has been featured on WFAA, NBC DFW, ESPN, SLAM, and NFL Network, and his photographs are held in private and public collections.
Through photography and film, Don Tortellini creates work that bridges communities, challenges perception, and elevates voices often left unseen, using visual storytelling as both documentation and advocacy.
James Faust likes to rock and watch movies. Not in that order. He began as the festival’s Senior Programmer at DIFF's inception back in 2006, when it was still called AFI DALLAS. That position followed programming roles with the Asian Film Festival of Dallas, the Austin Film Festival, and Texas Black Film Festival. A die-hard Red Raiders fan, Faust received Telecommunication and Theatre degrees at Texas Tech University, which he followed up with a degree in Cinema Studies at Southern Methodist University. He has served on juries and panels all over the world, speaking about film festival management, programming, and marketing.
DIFF is dedicated to building community through film. DIFF provides accessible, inclusive, immersive, educational, and entertaining film experiences for all through hosting year-round programs including an educational screening and talk series with industry professionals; free advance screenings of new films for subscribers, volunteers, sponsors, supporters, and the public; film series in collaboration with community partners; and other unique events ranging from film premieres to classic film anniversary celebrations. The signature festivals of DIFF are the Dallas International Film Festival, held annually in the spring, and the DIFF SHORTS Film Festival held annually in the fall. DIFF (also referred to as Dallas Film) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established in 2006 as Dallas Film Society, Inc.
