When I was little I thought I was going to marry Gene Kelly or Danny Kaye. The classic mid-century films they both starred in were staples of my childhood, and I was convinced that when I grew up, I would run into one of them as I made my way toward Broadway and we would fall madly in love. And then my mom told me the rather unfortunate news. 

As I got older, my film interests jumped ahead a few decades and I found myself connecting with John Hughes’s coming-of-age masterpieces of the ’80s. I crushed on Ferris Bueller on his day off and indulged in Allison’s cereal-and-Pixie-Stix sandwich from The Breakfast Club as a performance piece in class (theatre-kid things, obviously). I felt connected to all of these films: They were timeless. They were relatable, hilarious, tragic. They were human.

That’s truly the magic of cinema─the human element. Writers, directors and actors capture viewers’ belief in the story they’re sharing because it’s a retelling of the life we’re all living together on this planet. Some films have magical elements, some hit a little too close to home. But good films immerse their viewers in every last detail of the story because of the human element at the forefront (most of the time, if you’re not George Lucas). And it takes a full company of talent on and off camera to make it happen.

We’ve got 64 pages of film magic coming up, and we know that’s not enough to capture all the talent bouncing around the Ozarks. Arkansas isn’t a stranger to the wonders of cinema. In fact, it’s become a mainstay in the international film industry thanks to the incredible talent in every corner of the state submitting for film festivals like Bentonville Film Festival, led by award-winning performer Geena Davis. Did you know the Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival celebrated its 30th anniversary this year? That makes it one of the longest-running film festivals in the nation. Find out more on page 37. Arkansas Soul is back, spotlighting festivals, podcasts and BIPOC filmmakers. We’re highlighting directors and documentarians, and on page 51, we’ve got a fun podcast and TV guide so you can find your next favorite Arkansas-based show. 

So grab some buttery popcorn, your favorite beverage and enjoy The Film and Media Issue of The Idle Class. Let it take you inside the minds of filmmaking creatives in our state and inspire you to connect with your fellow humans as we near the end of the year. We’re thankful to have once more connected with artsy humans to give you another issue for your collection. Danke schoen, darling. Danke schoen. 

Your friendly neighborhood editor, 

Julia M. Trupp