Tag Archives: Little Rock Film Festival

Little Rock Film Festival Celebrates Opening of Ron Robinson Theater

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lrff_mp_hdr_logoLast week the new Ron Robinson Theater opened in the Arcade Building at the corner of President Clinton and River Market.  One of the anchors of this facility is the Little Rock Film Festival.
To celebrate the grand opening, the Little Rock Film Festival has scheduled a series of events.
Things kick off tonight with the documentary Ain’t In It for My Health.  This honest look at the life and career of Arkansas native and music legend Levon Helm was one of the highlights of the 2013 Little Rock Film Festival.  The film starts at 7pm.  It will be followed by a Q&A with Amy Helm.  Then at 9pm, Amy Helm and Handsome Strangers will take the stage for a concert.

On Saturday, January 18, at 3pm, the Ron Robinson Theater will be screen the “Best of the LRFF’s 48 Hour Film Project.”  the titles shown will be La Grande Fete, Surprise Party, Abbatoir, Vacation, The Door, The Plumber, Last Chance Romance, Drain, The Third Save, and Deuces.  

At 7pm on the 18th, the documentary Sleepy LaBeef Rides Again will be shown.  This documentary/concert film about Arkansas native Sleepy LaBeef will be followed by a Q&A with Sleepy LaBeef and Dave Pomeroy.  At 8:30pm, LaBeef and Pomeroy will be in concert.

On Monday, January 20 at 7pm, the HBO Documentary Film Moms Mabley will be screened.  A special Martin Luther King Day presentation about the iconic African American standup comedienne Jackie “Moms” Mabley, who broke racial and sexual boundaries and continues to inspire comedians to this day. In her directorial debut, Whoopi Goldberg pays homage to this pioneering legend.

Tuesday, January 21 will feature a program entitled “Locals Rule” at 7:30 pm.  These standout  Arkansas short films from the first seven years of Little Rock Film Festival represent some of the most creative work on the national festival circuit. From offbeat comedies to Gothic tales, these films show the vibrancy of the Arkansas Film Community.  The titles to be showns are Ballerina, Cain and Able, Mary, The Orderly, Pillow, Spanola Pepper Sauce, and The Van.

Wednesday, January 22 at 7:00pm may seem more like Halloween as The Little Rock Horror Picture Show presents One Please and Contracted.

  • One Please– Summers in suburbia get weird when Michael Berryman comes to town. The short film is an Arkansas premiere from the award winning team behind ‘Pillow’.
  • Contracted – Russellville native Eric England returns to Arkansas with his latest project, Contracted, a feature length thriller about what can go wrong when the party goes out of hand. England’s previous films, Madison County and Roadside, both screened at the Little Rock Horror Picture Show. Director Eric England and actress Najarra Townsend will be in attendance.

On Thursday, January 23 at 7:30pm, an episode of the Sundance series “Rectify” will be shown.  The Sundance series, “Rectify,” created by former Little Rock resident Ray McKinnon, has deservedly landed on many critics’ best of the year list. The series follows Daniel Holden as he struggles to deal with life on the outside when DNA evidence releases him from prison  after he served 19 years  for a rape conviction. Following a screening of Episode 4 from the first season, writer Graham Gordy will discuss the project.

The week-plus long series will culminate on Saturday, January 25, with a screening of Ladder 49 at 7pm.  North Little Rock native film director Jay Russell will be in town to present his film, Ladder 49, starring Joaquin Phoenix and John Travolta. Ladder 49 is a 2004 film centered around the heroics of fictional Baltimore firefighter Jack Morrison, who is trapped inside a warehouse fire, and his recollection of the events  that got him to that point.  Following the screening of Ladder 49 the Little Rock Film Festival will host a grand opening party in the lobby of the Ron Robinson Theater. Music, Food and Drink provided.

13 Cultural Highlights of 2013

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In no particular order, here are 13 cultural highlights of 2013 in Little Rock.

10.+citylittlerock-21. The 73 year old Joseph Taylor Robinson Municipal Auditorium received a new lease on life when Little Rock voters approved an extensive, two-year plan for renovation, remodeling and expanding the new facility.

2. Speaking of Robinson, the new Ron Robinson Theatre was constructed in the Arcade Building.  It will be the flagship home of the Little Rock Film Festival as well as a site for events hosted by the Clinton School of Public Service and the Central Arkansas Library System.

3. The Little Rock Film Festival came downtown with all of its films being shown in downtown Little Rock and Argenta.  Among the highlights of the festival were Short Term 12, Bridegroom and Don John which have received plaudits at other festivals and are appearing on Best of 2013 lists as well as receiving award nominations.

4. As Main Street continues to redevelop, plans were announced in 2013 for the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Ballet Arkansas to each move their offices and rehearsal spaces downtown.  Joining them will be an expansion of educational space for the Arkansas Repertory Theatre.

5. A few blocks south on Main Street, the new South on Main restaurant and performance space opened.  Weekly performances of live music accent the food and drink under the leadership of Chef Matt Bell.

6. Further down Main Street, Little Rock’s newest museum opened.  The Esse Purse Museum honors women and their struggles, accomplishments, hopes and dreams through highlighting the purse.

7. Fashion also took center stage at the William J. Clinton Presidential Center as well with an exhibit on Oscar de La Renta.  In addition to showcasing his contributions to design, the exhibit attracted many boldfaced names from the worlds of fashion and politics to an event in Little Rock.

Washington Bible8. George Washington was the focus of two separate exhibits in Little Rock during 2013.  Historic Arkansas Museum showcased his inaugural Bible as well as his family Bible.  At the Clinton Presidential Center “A Tribute to George Washington” was on display.  It featured George Washington’s personal copy of the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights from Mount Vernon, and a portrait of George Washington painted in 1797 by artist Gilbert Stuart on loan from the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

9. The amphitheatre in Riverfront Park received a new name (First Security Amphitheatre) and a new roof just in time to kick off its 26th year and to play host to musical acts during Riverfest.

10. Rembrandt and Rothko were just two of the artists featured in exhibits at the Arkansas Arts Center through 2013.  The Arts Center featured the exhibit Treasures of Kenwood House which highlighted the works of Rembrandt, Van Dyck and many other world class artists.  Earlier in the year, exhibits highlighted Bauhaus architecture and relics of the Japanese internment camp at Rohwer.  The Arts Center was also the site of the world’s second largest yarn bomb installation.

Babe Sophie11. The Little Rock Zoo welcomed two new elephants: Sophie and Babe.  The Zoo also was the site of the birth of Bugsy the penguin and four new tiger cubs.  The tigers were born as the result of the Zoo’s new tiger exhibit which facilitated not only easier mating but also allows for the separation of the mother and cubs from the father.

12. The Central Arkansas Library System opened its new Children’s Library.  A few months after the building opened, a name was bestowed and it is now known as the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library and Learning Center.

13. As 2013 drew to a close, the holiday decorations at the Capital Hotel received international recognition as Forbes named them one of the ten best hotel Christmas trees in the world.  The nearly 30 foot tree was decorated by Tipton Hurst.

Little Rock Film Fest Honoree and Movie Icon Hal Needham Dies

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Photo courtesy of Little Rock Film Festival

In June 2011, legendary movie stuntman and director Hal Needham attended the Little Rock Film Festival.  While there, Needham, director of the classic film Smokey and the Bandit, was interviewed on a panel by Tim Basham from Paste Magazine.  He started out as a stunt man, and later a stunt coordinator, before he went on to direct.  He worked with John Wayne on 8 films.

He wrote about his life and career in the book Stuntman.  It tells the story of how a kid from rural Arkansas with an eighth grade education became the highest paid stuntman in the world and went on to direct American classics.

While Needham was in town for the Film Festival, he was gracious and enthusiastic as he visited with fans and filmmakers.  As the 2011 Little Rock Film Festival closed out, Hal Needham was presented with the Diamond Award for Career Excellence in Filmmaking at the awards gala at the Clinton Presidential Library.

LRFF’s Reel Civil Rights Film Festival concludes with – Beyond Galilee – Central Park Five – George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire

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GeoWallaceThe Little Rock Film Festival’s Reel Civil Rights Film Festival concludes today with three different films. The concluding one is George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire at Historic Arkansas Museum at 6pm.

George Wallace was one of the most controversial and conflicting figures of the second half of the 20th Century in America.  Four times governor of Alabama, four times a candidate for president, he was feared as a racist demagogue and admired as a politician who spoke his mind. A lightning rod for controversy, Wallace both reflected and provoked tensions in American society over more than four decades. This film traces the rise of the firebrand politician from his roots in rural Alabama to the assassination attempt that suddenly transformed him.

Winner of the Sundance 2000 Film Festival Special Jury Prize, “George Wallace: Settin’ the Woods on Fire” is produced by Paul Stekler and Dan McCabe and written by Steve Fayer (“Eyes on the Prize,” “Vote for Me,” “Rock & Roll,” “Nixon”). According to PBS, this film places the public and private George Wallace within the turbulent history of the 1960s and 1970s, tracing a powerful story relevant to today’s presidential politics.

The first film of the day is Beyond Galilee at 12 noon.  It is the story of the Civil Rights movement in Shreveport.  Following the film, director and producer Tim DeWayne will lead a talkback.

At 3pm, the documentary Central Park Five will be shown.  It explores the 1989 case of five black and Latino teenagers who were wrongfully convicted of raping a white woman in Central Park.  Social justice activist Iris Roley will lead a discussion following the film.

LR Film Fest Reel Civil Rights Film Fest continues with MEDGAR EVERS: AN UNSUNG HERO

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medgar-eversFifty years ago this past June, Civil Rights activist Medgar Evers was assassinated in front of his house in Mississippi.  Earlier this week, his widow (Myrlie Evers-Williams) and daughter (Reena Denise Evers-Everette) were honored in Little Rock for their work on behalf of the Civil Rights movement.

The Little Rock Film Festival’s Reel Civil Rights Film Fest continues today with the showing of Medgar Evers: An Unsung Hero.  This 2010 documentary explores the life and legacy of Mr. Evers.  It was produced by some of the creative team behind the AMC hit series Mad Men.  Directed by Michael Cory Davis. This two part film documentary on Medgar Evers provides extensive interviews with Myrlie Evers-Williams (widow), Charles Evers (brother), Reena Evers-Everette (daughter), Kestin Boyce, Derrick Johnson, and more.

The Reel Civil Rights Festival is sponsored by the Little Rock Film Festival in partnership with the National Park Service trough its Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.  It was founded by Spirit Trickey.

The film will be shown at 6pm in the auditorium at Historic Arkansas Museum.

Following the film, Jerry Mitchell, an investigative reporter from The Clarion-Ledger will lead a talkback.

LR Film Fest Presents Reel Civil Rights Film Festival – Gideon’s Army

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gideons_slab_540As a part of its year round programming schedule, The Little Rock Film Festival is proud to announce the 2013 Reel Civil Rights Film Festival – in proud partnership with the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site.

The festival was originally founded by Spirit Trickey, daughter of one of the Little Rock Nine. The dates of the festival are centered around the anniversary of the desegregation crisis at Little Rock Central High that took place on September 25th, 1997.

“Little Rock’s importance in American civil rights history makes our city the perfect place to hold the Reel Civil Rights Film Festival,” says LRFF Executive Director Craig Renaud. “The Little Rock Film Festival is proud to help grow the Reel Civil Rights Film Festival into one more reason why Little Rock is becoming the next great Southern City.”

The Reel Civil Rights Film Festival runs from September 26 through September 28.  All films are screened at Historic Arkansas Museum.

Tonight’s film is Gideon’s Army.  It starts at 6pm.  It is a documentary which follows three young, committed Public Defenders who are dedicated to working for the people society would rather forget. Long hours, low pay and staggering caseloads are so common that even the most committed often give up.

In 1961 Clarence Earl Gideon was arrested for stealing soda and a few dollars from a pool hall.  He could not afford an attorney and was convicted after representing himself at trial.  Gideon appealed his conviction to the Supreme Court, which, in a unanimous decision, ruled that the right to counsel in a criminal case is fundamental to the American system of justice. 

More than 12 million people are arrested in the United States each year.  Fifty years after the landmark Gideon v. Wainwright case, most of them will be represented by one of the United States’ 15,000 public defenders.

An official selection of the U.S. Documentary Competition at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival, GIDEON’S ARMY follows a group of idealistic young public defenders in the Deep South, where lawyers face particularly difficult challenges due to high bonds, minimum mandatory sentencing and a culture that is traditionally “tough on crime.”  Directed by fellow attorney Dawn Porter, GIDEON’S ARMY follows two young lawyers as they prepare their cases for trial.

The film premiered on HBO in July.  It has previously been featured at many prestigious film festivals including Sundanace and Tribeca.

48 Hour Film Project Awards Tonight

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48HFP logoThe Little Rock Film Festival’s 48 Hour Film Project is nearly wrapped for 2013. This year was a whirlwind of anticipation, anxiety, excitement, and energy as the 31 teams produced short cinematic treasures in only 48 Hours. The audiences guffawed, gasped, and sometimes groaned before selecting their Top 10 favorites of the screening nights.

The following films will be playing at the Best Of Screening and Awards Ceremony tonight at 7pm at Wildwood Park for the Arts. The lineup in no particular order as voted by the audiences are:

  • La Grande Fete by Flokati Films (Operetta)
  • Surprise Party by AndrewMFilms (Comedy)
  • Vacation by Something Clever (Vacation or Holiday Film)
  • Abattoir by Team Bearshark (Buddy Film)
  • The Door by The Immaculate Production (Thriller/Suspense)
  • The Plumbmeler by Altered Egos (Martial Arts)
  • Last Chance Romance by Domino Pictures (Dark Comedy)
  • Drain by Raymond Roquello and His Orchestra (Found Footage)
  • The Third Save by Whiffle Powder Productions (Superhero)
  • Deuces! by Clever Alibi Productions (Mystery).

In addition to playing the Top 10 Audience favorites at the Award Ceremony we will also announce and award the Best Film of Little Rock that will go on to represent the city at the national competition for the 48 Hour Film Project in Hollywood! The nominations were very difficult for the judges this year who will remain anonymous until after the ceremony and I don’t envy them because there were so many great films.

The nominations for the awards are as follows:

Best Film

  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Joshua Harrison)
  • La Grande Fete Flokati Films (Johnnie Brannon)
  • Surprise Party AndrewMFilms (Andrew McMurray)
  • Metafloor Fort Smith Film Mafia (Jeff Carter)

Best Directing

  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Joshua Harrison)
  • Surprise Party AndrewMFilms (Andrew McMurray)
  • Miss Otis Regrets Down River Productions (David Bogard)
  • Now You See Me Grundle Productions (Kelly Griffin)

Best Story

  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Joshua Harrison, John Schol, Matthew Maguire)
  • Last Chance Romance Domino Pictures (Lauren Walker)
  • Miss Otis Regrets Down River Productions (Jim Linsley, Wanda Linsley, Jim Jolly, David Bogard, Sherri Andrews, Ruth Shepherd)
  • Surprise Party AndrewMFilms (Andrew McMurry, Matthew McMurry, Joe Ochterbeck, Austin Blunk, Garrett Whitehead, Spencer Waldner)

Best Actor

  • Now You See Me Grundle Productions (Jay Morgan)
  • Drain Raymond Roquello and his Orchestra (Mike Brabender)
  • Surprise Party AndrewMFilms (Austin Blunk)
  • Shillelagh Dirty Gnome Productions (Ed Lowry)

Best Actress

  • The Door The Immaculate Production (Holly Mary Anne Hall)
  • Community Cove Filmmakers Corner (Keshia Walton)
  • La Grande Fete Flokati Films (Karen Clark)
  • Dateable Evan Pierce Productions (Rachel Jarchow)

Best Cinematography

  • Last Chance Romance Domino Pictures (Brent Walker)
  • MetaFloor Fort Smith Film Mafia (Charlie Ryan)
  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Joshua Harrison)
  • Drain Raymond Roquello and His Orchestra (Charlie Brady)

Best Editing

  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Joshua Harrison)
  • Drain Raymond Roquello and His Orchestra (Charlie Brady)
  • Metafloor Fort Smith Film Mafia (Charlie Ryan)
  • Vacation Something Clever (Jack Turner, Lorenzo Balderas, Drew Brown)

Best Music

  • La Grande Fete Flokati Films (Sam Clark et al.)
  • Dateable Evan Pierce Productions (Jonathan Glisson)
  • Forever and Again One of Many (Various)
  • Abbatoir Team Bearshark (Matthew Cronk, Luke Fain)

Best use of Prop

  • Shillelagh Dirty Gnome Productions
  • Community Cove FilmMakers Corner
  • La Grande Fete Flokati Films

Best use of Line of Dialogue

  • Now You See Me Grundle Productions
  • Plumb Out of Luck Heads or Tales
  • Tai Chi Child The Movie: The Movie die katze und die hunde

Best use of Character

  • Dateable Evan Pierce Productions
  • Scheit Happens Kaleidoscope Media
  • Halloween Revenge Reel J

More information about the films and the 48 Hour Film Project including where you can get tickets for the Awards Show can be found at http://www.48hourfilm.com/littlerock. You can also email littlerock@48hourfilm.com for more info.