While accountants burned up the numerical keyboards to meet the demands of the IRS on Friday, April 15, film lovers and supporters like Melina McKinnon, Don Stokes, Mark Denesuk and Janis Burklund could have cared less.
Melina McKinnon
Mark Denesuk
Don Stokes
Well, at least, they acted that way at The Highland for the Dallas Film Society Sponsor and Chairman’s Reception as part of the 10th Annual Dallas International Film Festival.
Michael Cain, Tanya Foster and Lee Papert
Poolside there was just the slightest breeze, allowing past President/CEO Tanya Foster to do a successful hair toss. Present DFS President/CEO Lee Papert unsuccessfully tried a similar toss to the chuckles of DIFF Co-Founder Michael Cain.
Michael Cain socks and Lee Papert socks
For fashion fans, Michael and Lee were showboats with their “talk-to-me-socks.” However, Lee topped the fashion competition with his Hawaiian shirt and matching shoes.
Briefly Lee recalled that when he interviewed for the DFS job, he was on his honeymoon and got word from DFS Artistic Director James Faust that he had never worn a Hawaiian shirt. For Lee’s final job interview, he presented James with a Hawaiian shirt. While it hasn’t been an everyday wear by James, he did sport it at Lee’s 50th birthday party.
Just after Lee took to the mic and thanked past chairs including Don, Michael, Lynn McBee, and Ruth Mutch, he was off to downtown to introduce one of the day’s films.
But before he left, he reported that at least 30,000 were expected to participate in the celebration of films until Saturday, April 23.