The 2021 Oxford Film Festival was one of the first to dip its toes into doing the in-person screenings this year (March 24-28) which meant a return to doing red carpets and more.
Under circus-style tents, in a convention center, in a hotel lobby, and outside a multiplex, filmmakers had their films screened, did Q&As, interviews, red carpet photos and more.
The film festival weathered two separate tornado threats, rain, and brought the community of Mississippi film fans and filmmakers (many of whom made the trip from various spots around the country) back together in a warm and friendly return to the film festival world so may of us have missed for a year.
Opening Night was held under a circus tent, to keep everyone in the open air. Filmmakers and film fans wore masks and were advised to only remove them when they were effectively socially distanced unless, of course, they were keeping to their own filmmaker group “bubble.”
For photos, we did a “mask on, mask off” thing unless we had people posing together from separate “camps”, then the masks stayed on..
Actress Shannon Gibbs (MY OWN) with mask on (Photo by Joey Brent)
MY OWN’s Shannon Gibbs with he mask off (Photo by Joey Brent)
OxFilm board members Don Cole and Donna Ruth with Board President Steven case and his wife, Gay. (Photo by Joey Brent)
And now with masks off and a little separation… Don Cole, Donna Ruth, Gay Case and Steven Case (Photo by Joey Brent)
HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME director Ann Rapp (Photo by Joey Brent)
Ann Rapp (HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME) without the mask (Photo by Joey Brent)
GENNDERF*CK DRAG’s director Christina Huff (Photo by Joey Brent)
GENNDERF*CK DRAG’s director Christina Huff takes off the mask (Photo by Joey Brent)
Darrel & OXFilm Board member Rocio Harrelson (Photo by Joey Brent)
OxFilm Board member Lucas Singh joins Darrell and Rocio Harrelson (Photo by Joey Brent)
Oxford Film Festival Executive Director Melanie Addington issues some marching orders (Photo by Joey Brent)
MENDING MITTIE’S TOMB director Jonathan Smith (Photo by Joey Brent)
MENDING MITTIE’S TOMB director Jonathan Smith takes the mask off. (Photo by Joey Brent)
Jury member & panelist Jaye Davidson joins Jonathan Smith (MENDING MITTIE’S TOMB) and Oxford Film Festival volunteer Jonathan Clayton (Photo by Joey Brent)
Oxford Film festival jury member and panelist Jaye Davidson playing it safe on the red carpet. (Photo by Joey Brent)
Wrangling filmmakers.. (Photo by Joey Brent)
RAP SQUAD producer Nathan Willis with the mask on.. (Photo by Joey Brent)
And RAP SQUAD producer Nathan Willis with the mask off. (Photo by Joey Brent)
The wife is in the picture: Alee and Nathan Willis (RAP SQUAD) (Photo by Joey Brent)
OxFilm Board member Kristina Carlson and festival sponsor Susan Boylette (Photo by Joey Brent)
Masks off and socially distanced.. OxFilm Board member Kristina Carlson and festival sponsor Susan Boylette (Photo by Joey Brent)
8 MINUTES & 46 SECONDS director Aaron Strand (Photo by Joey Brent)
It took him less time than that to take the mask off.. 8 MINUTES & 46 SECONDS director Aaron Strand (Photo by Joey Brent)
If the publicist isn’t careful, he can get pulled into a shot with the Executive Director’s (and the film festival’s honorary) mom and dad: Lynda and Harry Addington (Photo by Joey Brent)
The next day, Oxford Film Festival’s photographer Joey Brent caught some filmmakers at the convention center in between screenings..
LOVE director Andrea Ashton with her editor Michelle Botticelli (Photo by Joey Brent)
And with the masks off.. LOVE director Andrea Ashton with her editor Michelle Botticelli (Photo by Joey Brent)
MISSISSIPPI YEARNING director Marcus Black and documentary co-coordinator Antonio Tarrell (Photo by Joey Brent)
ALL I WANTED WAS YOU’s Anquanzia Hall (CAST), Randy Ferino (DIR), X’zavier Henderson (CAST), and TAHSIC’s Edward Griffin (CAST) (Photo by Joey Brent)
And the masks come off! ALL I WANTED WAS YOU’s Anquanzia Hall (CAST), Randy Ferino (DIR), X’zavier Henderson (CAST), and TAHSIC’s Edward Griffin (CAST) (Photo by Joey Brent)
A little product placement.. CLAVE director Alex Argiles and Susana Arias (Photo by Joey Brent)
No masks but holding on to the drinks! CLAVE director Alex Argiles and Susana Arias (Photo by Joey Brent)
This edition of the Oxford Film Festival also marked the return of the speed dating-style press junkets. It was nice to do the in-person interviews instead of the Zoom version for once.
QUEENS OF PAIN directors Cassie Hay and Amy Winston being interviewed by Damon Burks for the Oxford Film Festival’s video coverage. (Photo by Joey Brent)
IN A DIFFERENT KEY subject Donald Triplett gets distracted by the camera while directors Caren Zucker and John Donvan talk about the film. (Photo by Joey Brent)
QUEENS OF PAIN directors Cassie Hay and Amy Winston being interviewed for FilmsGoneWild.com. (Photo by Joey Brent)
IN A DIFFERENT KEY subject Donald Triplett and directors Caren Zucker and John Donvan being interviewed for FilmsGoneWild.com. (Photo by Joey Brent)
HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME director Ann Rapp being interviewed for FilmsGoneWild.com. (Photo by Joey Brent)
GENNDERF*CK DRAG’s director Christina Huff, MENDING MITTIE’S TOMB director Jonathan Smith, HORTON FOOTE: THE ROAD TO HOME director Ann Rapp, on red carpet for Oxford Film Festival 2021
