Arkansas filmmakers will showcase their talent at The Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland: Arkansas 2024 program August 15-18, in the Performing Arts Theater at the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts. 

 

The selections were chosen by a committee of filmmakers and film lovers, increasing the number of work selected from previous years to keep up with the growth of submissions. Each year, the submissions have grown. 

 

“It’s so encouraging to see the number of submissions for Filmland: Arkansas grow every year, ” ACS Executive Director Kathryn Tucker said. “There’s so much happening across the state now to inspire and provide opportunities for up-and-coming Arkansas filmmakers. That is and has always been the ACS mission – all ships rise when we have a connected, unified film community that supports one another and all of our collaborative efforts. We are happy that Filmland: Arkansas can play a part in that and provide the opportunity for filmmakers to network and exhibit their work in the beautiful state-of-the-art cinema at AMFA.”

 

Filmland: Arkansas is non-competitive in nature but all of the selected films in August will be eligible for the Audience Award for their category. 

 

The winners of the Professional Shorts and Feature Film Audience Awards will receive a Panavision New Filmmaker Program equipment grant: $15,000 for the audience favorite for short film and $60,000 for the audience favorite for feature film. The feature winners the last two years have each gone on to make films the following year in Arkansas, with the help of the Panavision equipment grant. 

 

“We’re so excited to return to Filmland: Arkansas as a sponsor and again be able to offer these equipment grants to the audience winners,” Panavision New Filmmaker Program manager Aaron Saffa said. “At Panavision, we work with filmmakers to empower their artistry by providing the equipment and support that can help them realize their creative visions. We can’t wait to celebrate the talents of this year’s audience winners and support their creativity through our New Filmmaker Program equipment grants.”

 

The 2024 ACS Filmland: Arkansas selections are: 

 

Features:

“I Do This for a Living” – directed by Noah Arthur Woods

“Rise Above: The Carl Jackson Story” – directed by Maryilene Blondell

“All Happy Families” – directed by Haroula Rose

“I’ll Be There” – directed by Andrew Shea

 

Professional Shorts:

“Anemoia” – directed by Hannah Alline

“Carving” – directed by Russell Sharman and Laura Shatkus

“Caught on Tape” – directed by Alexander Jeffery and Chris Alan Evans

“Clownfish” – directed by Clayton Henderson

“Goose” – directed by Ethan Edwards

“Mudpuppy” – directed by Cole Borgstadt

“Oh, Hi” – directed by Kathryn Francis Tucker

“Oscar Zulu” – directed by John Backstrom

“Smoothie” – directed by Chris Churchill

“That One Little Thing” – directed by Emmanuel Joel Rodriguez

“The Book Club” – directed by Johnnie Brannon

“The Tickle Monster” – directed by Brett Helms

 

Student Shorts:

“AfterSchool” – directed by Lexie Mosby

“Dandy, the Flower” – directed by Jonathan Michael Peterson

“Gluttony” – directed by Christine Waterman

“Greed” – directed by Paula Blanco Perez

“Miracle of Life” – directed by Vita Long

“Moonspeak” – directed by Sophie Barnes

“Oh Sh*t!” – directed by Janie Gentry

“Show Pub Queen” – directed by Ren Tsukamoto

“Strawberry” – directed by Nathaly M. Moreno

“The Space Between” – directed by Michelle Burney

“The Ambassadors” – directed by Brinson Davenport

“Wataté” – directed by Aidan Kolokithas

 

Given the limited time frame during the August program and large number of films submitted, ACS will also host a Filmland: Arkansas Showcase later this year to screen the remaining selections. 

 

The Filmland: Arkansas Showcase Films are:

 

Professional Shorts

“Banana Triangle Six” – directed by Marc Crandall

“Doom and Despair” – directed by Jonathan Childs

“How Do I Tell You This” – directed by Lara Hill

“(I’m Not) Your Negroni” – directed by Antonio Terrell

“Mom.ent of Peace” – directed by Raelyn Munneke 

“Self Tape” – directed by Eric White + Terrell Case

“Where Is It?” – directed by Brady C. Ness

 

Student Shorts

“American Heterosexual Story” – directed by Victor Keas

“Limbo” – directed by Sophie Barnes

“Perséfone” – directed by Nathaly M. Moreno

“Rise Share” – directed by Samuel Forst

“Second Childhood” – directed by Charles Bane (with Harding University students)

“Stargazer” – directed by K.J. Hatch

Tickets for Filmland: Arkansas will go on sale in the coming weeks. Members receive a 15% discount off their ticket to each event and 25% off to each workshop along with advance notice when tickets go on sale for all events. Memberships are $50 and available now on the ACS website.