Film Festival News

Reporting on film festivals

Executive Director Melanie Addington of Oxford Film Festival announces 2021 dates and plans, decides to pass on theaters for rest of 2020

By John Wildman 6 years ago

The Oxford Film Festival announced the dates for next year’s edition of the popular and critically-acclaimed film festival, which will take place March 24-28, 2021. The current plans for that upcoming edition of the film festival will feature a hybrid approach including virtual and drive-in presentations, as well as the prospect of returning to theaters. The call for entries on Film Freeway is open with the early bird deadline set for September 30.  

Dawn Porter’s JOHN LEWIS: GOOD TROUBLE leads Oxford Film Festival’s 11th Weekly Fest delivers politics, activism, and big personalities

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Oxford Film Festival Executive Director Melanie Addington said, “John Lewis, Ai Weiwei, and Olympia Dukakis would be the guests at one of those dream dinner parties one might imagine having. Well, we can’t make that happen for obvious reasons, but we can feature films about their amazing and entertaining lives and exploits. They also happen to be important voices, which is something we will also highlight with two new shorts packages which shine a light on Mississippi issues in particular. Finally, it’s a great week for families at OFF to the DRIVE IN with RAIDERS OF THE LOST ARK, PICTURE CHARACTER, and, of course, the launch of our new screen in Water Valley with FROZEN. Load up the mini-van!”

Patricia Velásquez Guzmán’s APEGO Opens Austin’s Cine Las Americas Announces film lineup for CLA2020 Virtual Showcase celebrating Latinx and Indigenous filmmakers

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Executive Director Jean Anne Lauer said, “This presentation of a virtual showcase of films is a testament to the dedication of our staff to find a way forward and continue to foster connections between our Latinx filmmakers as well as those of Indigenous heritage and Texas audiences – even if we can’t do so in person.

Derek Horne curates Film Festival Alliance and Theatrical-At-Home celebrate Pride Month with 3rd Film Festival Day’s RAINBOW RETROSPECTIVE: A DECADE OF QUEER COMEDY

By John Wildman 6 years ago

“Our Film Festival Days have really shown us, our member festivals, and filmmakers alike how we now have the opportunity to shake up what traditional film distribution look like. The last few months have exposed many cracks in the system and now is a time when (if we collaborate and support one another) we can hopefully make changes for the better in support of both independent artists and exhibitors,” said FFA Executive Director Lela Meadow-Conner. “We’re thrilled that Derek curated this line-up of some of the funniest queer short films from the last decade, and look forward to hearing him moderate the Q&A with the filmmakers – just like at a film festival!”

Mindy Bledsoe’s THE IN-BETWEEN Opens Oxford Film Festival’s 10th Weekly Virtual Fest ; OFF to the DRIVE IN delivers the scares with NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Executive Director Melanie Addington said. “ARMY OF LOVERS IN THE HOLY LAND and ELLA FITZGERALD: JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS are inspiring documentaries that are a vivid reminder of why art can change the world. Between that and NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD, which is one of the all-time drive-in classics, to the weekly virtual festival continuing with award winning films such as THE IN-BETWEEN, last year’s winners and top finishers from the Memphis and Louisiana Film Prize competitions, and THE EVENING HOUR, which played at Sundance, this is an action-packed week.”

David Midell’s THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN Opens Oxford Film Festival; music, Juneteenth, and Pride month with their 9th Weekly Virtual Fest and adds some GREASE to the Drive In

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Executive Director Melanie Addington said. “This week’s lineup includes some of the most powerful political commentary from THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN at the virtual fest to WIN, LOSE OR DRAW STRAWS at the drive in, but we also intermixed with some fun and nostalgia because great movies don’t just move you emotionally but sometimes just in song and dance like GREASE. But also, we wanted to make sure that our community is supported as they have supported us so we also launched Pet Fest, Music Fest and partnered with the Juneteenth Committee for the Miss Juneteenth showing on June 21 to make sure that Oxford is supported.”

James Woolley, Frameline Executive Director Annc’s films for Pride Showcase, including 12 world premieres

By John Wildman 6 years ago

“Pride Month has begun with riots and protests in the face of systemic injustice. The LGBTQ+ community is no stranger to these issues and we honor and support all those raising their voices in dissent and demanding equality,” said James Woolley, Frameline Executive Director. “Frameline has featured inspiring, thought-provoking cinema for more than 40 years and created a festival atmosphere that fosters community engagement and discourse, and we are proud to continue this tradition with our Pride Showcase.” 

Julio Vincent Gambuto’s TEAM MARCO at Oxford Film Festival emphasizes family with OFF to the DRIVE IN and the 8th Weekly Virtual Film Fest heads back to Mississippi with NOTHIN’ NO BETTER

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Executive Director Melanie Addington said. “From alumni films like PLIMPTON! STARRING GEORGE PLIMPTON AS HIMSELF that we can support with our Virtual Art House model, to one of my favorite films, LABYRINTH, from Mississippian’s own Jim Henson, at OFF to the DRIVE-IN and hosting MISS JUNETEENTH as well as providing free pizza from Dodo Pizza to create some sort of Juneteenth celebration for Oxford, to our Weekly Virtual Film Festival supporting artists from around the world, we are busy over at Oxford Film Festival shining a light on what makes our town truly special: the love of the arts.”

David Midell’s THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN leads Oxford Film Festival filmmaker awards for best 2020 films

By John Wildman 6 years ago

The 2020 Oxford Film Festival celebrated the best of this year’s films and filmmakers with a virtual awards ceremony on Saturday, June 6, highlighted by the announcement of Hoka awards for David Midell’s THE KILLING OF KENNETH CHAMBERLAIN for Best Narrative Feature, which included a $15,000 camera rental package from Panavision, and Pailin Wedel, and Nina Ijas’s HOPE FROZEN for Best Documentary Feature. The Best Documentary Feature prize included a $15,000 camera rental package from Panavision as well as documentary editing feedback from Joe Shapiro

Ed Wood’s cult classic PLAN 9 FROM OUTER SPACE Kicks off DRIVE IN with Oxford Film Festival

By John Wildman 6 years ago

Executive Director Melanie Addington said. “We are very excited to debut our OFF to the DRIVE IN film presentations, as I’m sure many of our locals are, to get out of the house and see some films but safely following CDC guidelines, but most importantly in this climate and in Mississippi, highlighting the great Mississippi-produced film THE EVERS on the anniversary of Medgar Evers’ death is crucial to further the conversation to improve our lives. A special conversation will be included with the film from the family and director.”