Tag Archives: Jeff Nichols

Final Day of Filmland features TOY STORY 4 and episodes from STRANGER THINGS season 2

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The Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland concludes with a double bill of works directed by Andrew Stanton.

Up first is Disney Pixar’s Toy Story 4.  Woody, Buzz Lightyear, Bo Peep and their friends return, this time joined by Forky. The gang embark on a road trip with Bonnie. The adventurous journey turns into an unexpected reunion as Woody’s slight detour leads him to his long-lost friend Bo Peep. As Woody and Bo discuss the old days, they soon start to realize that they’re two worlds apart when it comes to what they want from life as a toy.

Doors to the CALS Ron Robinson Theater open at 2pm with the screening starting at 2:30pm.  Prior to the showing of Toy Story 4, a five minute play from each semester of the Young Storytellers program will be performed.

Sunday evening, two episodes of Stranger Things, Season 2 will be shown.  Will Byers finds himself the target of the Upside Down a year after his disappearance as a large tentacled figure named the Mind Flayer soon terrorizes the citizens of Hawkins, drawing back Joyce and Hopper along with Mike’s sister Nancy, Will’s brother Jonathan, and Nancy’s boyfriend Steve, as well as Will’s close friends; Mike, Dustin and Lucas.

The whole group along with Californian newcomer Maxine as well as a missing Eleven must join forces once again to prevent the threat from increasing.

Doors open at 5:30pm with the screening starting at 6:30pm.

Following both screenings, Stanton will engage in a Q&A with ACS founder Jeff Nichols.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton was raised in Rockport, Massachusetts. He was educated at The California Institute of the Arts (or “CalArts”) in Los Angeles, where he studied character animation. After graduation, Stanton began working as a writer on the TV series Mighty Mouse: The New Adventures (1987). In 1990, he became only the second animator and ninth employee to join Pixar Animation Studios.

Stanton went on to help establish Pixar as one of the world’s leading animation studios. He was designer and writer on Toy Story (1995), for which he was nominated for an Oscar. He went on to write and direct such worldwide hits as A Bug’s Life (1998), Finding Nemo (2003) and WALL·E (2008), the latter two both winning Oscars for Best Animated Feature. Stanton also dabbles in voice work, perhaps most memorably as Crush, the laid back turtle, in Finding Nemo (2003).

Tonight at Filmland: BOY ERASED on the CALS Ron Robinson Theater screen

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Boy Erased (2018 poster).pngFilmland continues this evening with 2018’s Boy Erased.  Starring Oscar wines Nicole Kidman and Russell Crowe and Oscar nominee Lucas Hedges, this is based on Arkansan Garrard Conley’s Boy Erased: A Memoir.

Boy Erased was written for the screen and directed by Joel Edgerton, who also produced with Kerry Kohansky Roberts and Steve Golin.  Edgerton also appears in the movie.

The movie is the story of the son of a Baptist preacher who is forced to participate in a church-supported gay conversion program after being forcibly outed to his parents.

Director Joel Edgerton will participate in a Q&A with Arkansas Cinema Society founder Jeff Nichols after the screening.  As an actor, he has appeared in Nichols’ Midnight Special and Loving.

Doors to the CALS Ron Robinson Theater open at 5:30pm with the screening starting at 6:00pm.

Directors Panel, Arkansas Short Films on tap for Filmland’s daytime schedule

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So much is going on at Filmland today there will be two separate entries on the blog.

Things start with a Directors Panel at 11:30am (doors open at 11:00am).

Jeff Nichols, Andrew Stanton and Joel Edgerton will discuss the art and science of filmmaking from the perspective of the director.  Nichols is founder of the Arkansas Cinema Society.  Stanton and Edgerton will both be screening movies at Filmland this year.

Next up is a duo of Arkansas made short films:  Purple Monster by Damon McKinnis and Dragonslayer by Mark Thiedeman. Note, these films contain adult content.

  • PURPLE MONSTER: Three friends prepare for a carefree night of relaxing and getting high only to end up discovering the deeper problems weighing on their minds.
  • ‍DRAGONSLAYER: In rural Arkansas in the 1990s, a gay teenager agrees to chauffeur his only friend to a meeting with a stranger from an online chatroom, all the while battling his own romantic feelings.

Doors open at 1:00pm with the screening starting at 1:30pm.

At 3:00pm, the second block of Arkansas made short films starts.  (Doors open at 2:30pm.)

These selected shorts will be screened in this order:
ODD HAPPENINGS IN A TINY TENT by Jesse Burks SHELTER by Daniel Hanna
THE BENCH by Bronson Crabtree
UNOS HUEVOS by David C Cruz
INTO THE GREEN by Mary McDade Casteel
MIKE THE BIRDMAN by Paige Murphy

Following the screening, there will be a Q&A with Arkansas filmmakers.

All of the events take place at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.

TROOP ZERO and short films made by Arkansas teen girls highlight first night of Arkansas Cinema Society FILMLAND

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Mckenna Grace in Troop Zero (2019)On August 22, Filmland’s curated programming officially gets underway with Troop Zero, which stars Viola Davis, McKenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, and Allison Janney.

In rural 1977 Georgia, a misfit girl dreams of life in outer space. When a competition offers her a chance to be recorded on NASA’s Golden Record, she recruits a makeshift troop of Birdie Scouts, forging friendships that last a lifetime.

The film marks a reunion for Oscar winner (and Tony nominee) Janney with Oscar winner (and Tony winner) Davis who appeared in THE HELP.  It also reunites Janney and Grace, who appeared together in I, TONYA.

Before the film, “Ensemble” and “Justitia” two short films from the ACS Filmmaking Lab for Teen Girls will be screened.

After the film, there will be a Q&A moderated by ACS founder Jeff Nichols with writer Lucy Alibar and director BERT.

The showing is taking place at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.  Doors open at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm screening.  The after-party will be at Buenos Aires Grill.

Make plans now to attend Arkansas Cinema Society’s FILMLAND 2019

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Image result for arkansas cinema societyIndividual tickets are now on sale for events during the Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland.  The films will be shown at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater.

The 2019 edition kicks off with a special premiere screening on Wednesday, August 21.  As part of the AETN’s Men and Women of Distinction series, there will be a premiere of Gov. Mike Beebe.  Doors open at 5pm for a 6:30pm screening.  The after-party will be in Sonny Williams’ Steak Room.

On August 22, Filmland’s curated programming officially gets underway with Troop Zero, which stars Viola Davis, McKenna Grace, Jim Gaffigan, and Allison Janney.  Before the film, “Ensemble” and “Justitia” two short films from the ACS Filmmaking Lab for Teen Girls will be screened.  After the film, there will be a Q&A moderated by ACS founder Jeff Nichols with writer Lucy Alibar and director BERT.  Doors open at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm screening.  The after-party will be at Buenos Aires Grill.

Academy Award winning documentary Free Solo takes the screen on Friday, August 23.  After the film, there will be a discussion between ACS Baord Member Jayme Lemons and Oscar winning producer Evan Hayes.  The after-party will be at The Rail Yard.

Based on the memoirs of Arkansan Garrard Conley, Boy Erased will be shown on Saturday, August 24.  The film stars Nicole Kidman, Lucas Hedges and Russell Crowe.  Doors open at 5:30pm with the screening starting at 6:00pm.  Following the movie, there will be a Q&A between Jeff Nichols and the film’s director Joel Edgerton.  The after-party will be at The Rev Room.

On Sunday afternoon, August 25, Toy Story 4 will be shown. Featuring the voices of Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Annie Potts, Tony Hale, and others.  Doors open at 2:00pm with the screening starting at 2:30pm.  After the film, there will be a Q&A between Jeff Nichols and the film’s co-writer Andrew Stanton.

Stanton returns that evening for a screening of two episodes from Season 2 of “Stranger Things.”  Chapters 5 and 6 will be shown.  Doors open at 5:30pm and the showing starts at 6pm. There will be another Q&A between Nichols and Stanton following the episodes.  The after-party will be at Lost Forty.

The schedule for the ACS Filmland Arkansas Program has not yet been announced.  So stay tuned…..

While individual tickets are available (and on-sale now) many of the events sell-out.  A Filmland pass is the best way to guarantee access to events.  They are only $250 through August 17.

Submissions open for Arkansas Cinema Society Filmland: Arkansas 2019

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LogoThe Arkansas Cinema Society and its premiere event Filmland were created to build a film community in Arkansas where film lovers can watch films, share ideas, connect with each other and nurture the new and existing film talent within our state through increased exposure to filmmakers and their art.

Filmland returns this August to the CALS Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock, furthering ACS’s mission to promote local filmmakers with Filmland: Arkansas. Information and details on how to submit to Filmland: Arkansas can be found in the specific short film and feature film categories.

The past two years have included Academy Award nominated actor Adam Driver, five-time Oscar nominated Director Richard Linklater, Director David Lowery, Producers Fred Berger and Brian Kavanaugh-Jones, Actors David Arquette, WIll Forte and Ted Danson and Oscar winner and ACS board member Mary Steenburgen. Screenings also feature Q&A’s moderated by ACS Founder and Director Jeff Nichols and every night is topped off with a party for filmmakers and attendees.

Filmland 2019 will take place the weekend of August 23rd. The exact dates, events and other details will be announced once special guests are finalized.

Awards & Prizes

ACS Filmland is a non-competitive, curated event but there will be an audience award for the Filmland: Arkansas program.

Rules & Terms

Submissions are for Arkansas filmmakers who either made their film in Arkansas or for an Arkansas Filmmaker who is an Arkansas producer, director, or writer of a film. Films may also be considered if an Arkansas native was the lead or key role as an Actor, Supporting Actor, Production Designer, Costume Designer, Sound Designer, Composer, Editor, Cinematographer, Animator, Visual Effects, Makeup and Hair or First Assistant Director. The Arkansas filmmaker(s) must be available to attend the screening for a conversation after the film.

More information (including a link to submission) can be found here.