The annual FILMLAND film festival will be held in downtown Little Rock, from November 2nd through November 6th, at the CALS Ron Robinson theater. The festival will include in-person film screenings as well as filmmaker workshops and seminars. The full schedule includes exciting new films like Empire of Light, The Inspection, Nanny, and more. The festival also features a digital experience with virtual screenings of many short and feature films.
Find the full schedule for the Filmland Arkansas: Digital Experience and the filmmaker workshop schedule at arkansascinemasociety.org
See the full festival schedule and official press release below.
For more details and tickets, visit arkansascinemasociety.org
FILMLAND 2022 Festival Schedule
EMPIRE OF LIGHT – Wednesday, November 2nd at 6:00pm
From Academy Award®-winning director and writer Sam Mendes, Empire of Light is an intimate and moving story about love, friendship, and connection, set in a coastal town in Southern England against the social turmoil of the early 1980s. Hilary (Olivia Colman), a woman with a difficult past and an uneasy present, is part of a makeshift family at the old Empire Cinema on the seafront. When Stephen (Micheal Ward) is hired to work in the cinema, the two find an unlikely attraction and discover the healing power of movies, music and community.
NANNY – Wednesday, November 2nd at 8:30pm
From filmmaker Nikyatu Jusu, Aisha is an undocumented nanny working for a privileged couple in New York City. As she prepares for the arrival of the son she left behind in Senegal, a violent supernatural presence invades her reality, threatening the American dream she is painstakingly piecing together.
THE INSPECTION – Thursday, November 3rd at 6:30pm
In Elegance Bratton’s deeply moving film inspired by his own story, a young, gay Black man, rejected by his mother and with few options for his future, decides to join the Marines, doing whatever it takes to succeed in a system that would cast him aside. But even as he battles deep-seated prejudice and the grueling routines of basic training, he finds unexpected camaraderie, strength, and support in this new community, giving him a hard-earned sense of belonging that will shape his identity and forever change his life.
THE ‘VOUS – Friday, November 4th at 3:00pm
A feature length-documentary submitted by Jack Porter Lofton and Jeff Dailey on the famous Memphis BBQ restaurant–was selected by our Jury to screen in-person over the weekend as part of our Arkansas Filmmaker Spotlight series.
Q+A with directors Jack Porter Lofton and Jeff Dailey
HOUSE OF DARKNESS – Friday, November 4th at 6:30pm
Justin Long and Kate Bosworth star in this seductive thriller from director Neil LaBute (The Wicker Man). Driving home to her secluded estate after meeting at a local bar, a player out to score thinks his beautiful, mysterious date will be another casual hook-up. While getting acquainted, their flirtation turns playful, sexy and sinister. Hoping to get lucky, his luck may have just run out.
Q+A with writer/director Neil LaBute and actor Gia Crovatin
TURNING RED – Saturday, November 5th at 10:30am
Turning Red introduces Mei Lee, a confident, dorky teenager torn between staying her mother’s dutiful daughter and the chaos of adolescence. Her protective, if not slightly overbearing mother, Ming, is never far from her daughter—an unfortunate reality for the teenager. And as if changes to her interests, relationships and body weren’t enough, whenever she gets too excited, she “poofs” into a giant red panda!
THERE’S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY – Saturday, November 5th at 7:00pm
Ted’s dream prom date with Mary never happens due to an embarrassing injury at her home. Years later, Ted hires Pat Healy to track down Mary so he can reconnect with her. Pat lies to Ted about Mary and he finds out everything he can about her to trick her into dating him. Ted travels to meet Mary and has to weave through the web of lies that Pat and Mary’s friend Tucker have woven to try and win her over.
Q+A with cinematographer Mark Irwin, ASC/CSC
FILMLAND: ARKANSAS STUDENT SHORTS BLOCK – Sunday, November 6th at 10am
“Dandelion” by Paula Blanco Perez
“DOUBLE TROUBLE!” by Levi Matthew Smith + Blake Dean Allen
“Just Benjamin” by Paige Murphy
“Kind Eyes” by Casey L. Floyd
“Spirit Day” by Annie Knight + Greg Shea
“Susan + Leslie” by Claire Barnett
Q+A with winner of the Audience Award will directly follow
FILMLAND: ARKANSAS SHORTS – Sunday, November 6th at 2:45pm
“Buffalo + Wolfy” by Rebecca Ozer
“Bunny” by Corey Clifford + Ryan Lagod
“New Boo” by Nancy Pop
“Shipwreck” by Lisa Cole
“The Blue Dress” by Clayton Henderson
“The Devil Will Run” by Noah Glenn
“The Show” by Jesse Gi
“Thirst” by Andrea Schmitz
“Voices of God” by Cole Borgstadt
“Yes, Mother!” by Misha Calvert
Q+A with winner of the Audience Award will directly follow
GOD SAID GIVE ‘EM DRUM MACHINES – Sunday, November 6th at 6:30pm
A vibrant and nostalgic music documentary that showcases the beginnings of techno music and how Detroit, Michigan was the creative and cultural hub for the creation and development of these beats. This lively exploration takes viewers from Detroit to Chicago to London and Berlin, tracing techno’s origins in the African American, and not the German, community. Focusing on the talent of a group of young Black artists, God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines is a compelling, rarely showcased history of mismanaged success, damaged friendships, ascendant beats, and raw inspiration.
Q+A with producer Jennifer Washington and director Kristian R. Hill
Find the full schedule for the Filmland Arkansas: Digital Experience and the filmmaker workshop schedule at arkansascinemasociety.org
Read the full press release from the Arkansas Cinema Society
ACS’ FILMLAND 5 BRIMMING WITH HOT FALL FESTIVAL HITS + CLASSIC MOVIES
Actor David Arquette, writer/director Neil LaBute, cinematographer Mark Irwin, and Panavision to attend! Film screenings include Empire of Light, Nanny, The Inspection, House of Darkness, Turning Red, There’s Something About Mary & God Said Give ‘em Drum Machines.
(LITTLE ROCK, Oct. 25, 2022) — Catch the hottest films of Oscar season before they hit theaters and hear from expert writers, directors, producers, actors and cinematographers once again at this year’s Filmland! The Arkansas Cinema Society (ACS) is excited to announce the line-up for the fifth anniversary of Filmland bringing drama, comedy, romance, horror and hope for all ages–along with workshops from industry professionals at-home and abroad–back to CALS Ron Robinson Theater in downtown Little Rock on Nov. 2-6, 2022.
There’s something for everyone at Filmland 5–so many great movies, in fact, ACS has added a special sneak preview night on Wed., Nov. 2nd to screen unreleased films, Searchlight’s Empire of Light from Academy Award winner Sam Mendes, and the 2022 Sundance Film Festival U.S. Grand Jury Award winner, Nanny. You can also be the first to see A24’s upcoming release The Inspection, which received great reviews out of Toronto. Other films include Neil LaBute’s newest film, House of Darkness, shot on location in Northwest Arkansas; the classic Farrelly Brothers comedy There’s Something About Mary; Pixar’s 2022 family favorite Turning Red; and the hot documentary, God Said Give ‘Em Drum Machines, which premiered as a Tribeca Film Festival Official Selection.
“Filmland is an opportunity for Arkansas filmmakers to showcase their diverse talent and have access to hear from and connect with both expert and cutting-edge filmmakers on the international fall festival circuit every year right here in Little Rock,” said ACS Executive Director Kathryn Tucker. “We’ve hosted filmmakers like Jessica Chastain and Chloé Zhao, who have gone on to win Oscars and we love being able to provide our audience a chance to be the first to see the films that will be making the awards circuit each year. This year’s line-up is no different with screenings from Academy Award®-winners like Sam Mendes, independent film distributors like A24 and Searchlight, and the most talked about unreleased films from festivals like Sundance, Telluride and Toronto.”
Thanks to the Windgate Foundation, filmmaking workshops and seminars are back this year at Filmland and will be led by Neil LaBute, Mark Irwin ASC/CSC, Jennifer Washington, Kristian R. Hill, David Arquette, Gia Crovatin, Spade Robinson and local filmmakers, and industry professionals. Workshops will cover topics ranging from directing and cinematography to film industry equipment and writing.
“Our slate of workshops create unique educational opportunities in all facets of filmmaking and provides an opportunity for aspiring visual artists to learn and be inspired by some of the best directors, cinematographers, gaffers, writers, and producers in the industry,” said ACS Director of Education Rachel Norris-Wilson.
Panavision–one of the industry’s top camera equipment companies and post-production services–will attend to award $75,000 in New Filmmaker Program grants for the Audience Award winners of the feature film category of the Filmland: Arkansas Digital Experience and the short film category for the in-person program of Filmland: Arkansas. The grants can be used for Panavision camera packages for a future film project.
Kathryn Tucker added, “We are beyond thrilled to have film industry mainstays like Panavision supporting the incredible filmmakers coming out of Arkansas this year,” said ACS Executive Director Kathryn Tucker. “Along with being an endorsement of the work of filmmakers in Arkansas, every cent counts when making an independent film and the New Filmmaker grants provide the necessary industry connections, tools, and resources new filmmakers need and can build on throughout their careers.”
Tickets go on sale for Sponsors & Members on Wednesday, Oct. 26th at 9:00 a.m. and Thursday, Oct. 27th at 9:00 a.m. for the General Public. ACS Members receive 50% off all events at Filmland. Visit Filmland.org for more information on tickets, sponsorship opportunities and membership benefits.
About the Arkansas Cinema Society
ACS is a non-profit committed to building 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. Those interested in supporting ACS can visit their website at www.arkansascinemasociety.org.