'Land of Dreams' to open Las Cruces International Film Festival

The opening film for this year’s Las Cruces International Film Festival explores the dreams of citizens. “Land of Dreams” will kick off the festival at 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 12 at the Allen Theatres Cineport. The film stars Isabell Rossellini, Matt Dillon, William Mosely, Sheila Vand, Christopher McDonald and Anna Gunn.

“We are looking forward to the filmmakers and stars of the film who will attend and greet the audience and host a question-and-answer session after the screening,” said Ross Marks, executive director of the festival and professor in NMSU's Creative Media Institute.

The film follows Simin, played by Rossellini, who works for the United States Census Bureau which is not just for data collection anymore but also explores the dreams of citizens. Directed by Shoja Azari and Shirin Neshat and produced by Sol Tryon, Amir Hamz and Christian Springer the film acknowledges the greatness of the American experience while offering a warning beacon for what could come.

Tickets to attend the screening are on sale now for $25. Other tickets for the April 12 through 16 festival are available including VIP Passes for $150, All-Access Passes for $75, Day Passes for $25 and tickets for the Giancarlo Esposito Screening for $25. All tickets can be found and purchased at lascrucesfilmfest.com.

The film was released in 2021. Publications like “The Hollywood Reporter” called it a “witty and thrilling take on American culture that benefits its creators’ immigrant experiences and inventive styles.”

The 8 ^th annual film festival includes five days of feature-length films, short films and animation from filmmakers across the U.S. and around the world. The event also includes workshops and VIP parties. A number of celebrity guests will be on hand along with special guest Giancarlo Esposito, who will receive the festival’s “Outstanding Achievement in Entertainment” award on April 12.

Get tickets and learn more at lascrucesfilmfest.com.