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Jeff Nichols and producer Evan Hayes
Official selection of 2021 Toronto International Film Festival.
Inspired Adventurer, filmmaker, inventor, author, unlikely celebrity and conservationists: For over four decades, Jacques-Yves Cousteau and his explorations under the ocean became synonymous with a love of science and the natural world. As he learned to protect the environment, he brought the whole world with him, sounding alarms more than 50 years ago about the warming seas and our planet's vulnerability. In Becoming Cousteau, from National Geographic Documentary Films, two-time Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Liz Garbus takes an inside look at Cousteau and his life, his iconic films and inventions, and the experiences that made him the 20th century's most unique and renowned environmental voice--and the man who inspired generations to protect the Earth.
The Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmmaking Lab for Teen Girls will premiere their short film Drop It ahead of The Eyes of Tammy Faye.
Jeff Nichols and actor/producer Jessica Chastain
Official Selection of 2021 Toronto International Film Festival
Directed by Michael Showalter and written by Abe Sylvia, The Eyes of Tammy Faye is an intimate look at the extraordinary rise, fall and redemption of televangelist Tammy Faye Bakker. In the 1970s and 80s, Tammy Faye and her husband, Jim Bakker, rose from humble beginnings to create the world's largest religious broadcasting network and theme park, and were revered for their message of love, acceptance and prosperity. Tammy Faye was legendary for her indelible eyelashes, her idiosyncratic singing, and her eagerness to embrace people from all walks of life. However, it wasn't long before financial improprieties, scheming rivals, and scandal toppled their carefully constructed empire.
An Audience Award Winner of the Filmland: Arkansas Shorts program will be screened ahead of A Hero.
Jeff Nichols and director Asghar Farhadi
Cannes Film Festival Grand Prix Winner
A Hero tells the story of Rahim, who is in prison because of a debt he was unable to repay. During a two-day leave, he tries to convince his creditor to withdraw his complaint against the payment of part of the sum. But things don't go as planned...
A native of Iran, Asghar Farhadi has directed nine feature films. Only a handful of directors have won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Film multiple times and Farhadi is among them for his films, A Separation (2012) and The Salesman (2017). In 2012, he received the French Legion of Honor and was named one of Time's 100 Most Influential People and a Top 100 Global Thinker by Foreign Policy.
screenwriter Graham Gordy
True Detective Season 3 co-writer Graham Gordy will teach you how to take a story idea and begin building a script. This workshop will focus on the power of detail, the importance of show don't tell, and will guide participants through the basics of writing a scene for film. Participants will walk away having written a 3-5 page scene and how this technique of scene creation leads to a full script for film.
screenwriter Graham Gordy
During this engaging writing-for-film workshop for Middle School students, Graham Gordy will walk them through how to develop a story idea and how to write a scene. Students will have the opportunity to work one-on-one with a mentor, participate in fun, hands-on activities, and will walk away with an ACS binder full of helpful tools they can utilize in the future.
screenwriter Graham Gordy
High School students will be led by Graham Gordy through this exciting basics of screenwriting workshop. Working with a one-on-one mentor, students will learn through engaging hands-on activities how to develop a story idea, write a scene, and the basics of screenwriting format. Participants will walk away with an ACS binder full of helpful tools to guide them on their journey towards becoming the next award-winning writer.
casting director Yancey Prosser, The Agency, Inc.
During this unique workshop you will get inside secrets from a casting director on how to improve your audition. For $40 participants can sign up to perform a scene of their choice (3-minutes or less) and receive feedback from Casting Director Yancey Prosser of The Agency, Inc. For $20 you can sit in the audience and get a behind-the-scenes look at a casting director at work. Afterwards, Yancey will lead a lecture on improving a taped audition, mastering the "throw away line" as a day player, and answer questions from the audience.
Arkansas Filmmakers
Filmmaking is a collaborative visual art that isn't possible without all of the individuals who work together to make a story come to life. During this speed dating style workshop participants will have the opportunity to glean expert insight from professional filmmakers about their role on a film set. Learn from some of the most experienced and up-and-coming filmmakers in Arkansas, including Dave Calhoun, Kristy Pruitt, Nate Disarro, Dwight Chalmers, Brian Johnson, Paula Blanco, Hannah Whitney, and many more.
Mario Troncoso
During this workshop, Emmy Award Winning filmmaker and Director of Film and Media Ecosystems at CACHE Mario Troncoso will discuss how to take your project to the big screen. Using their original story idea, participants will start the process of building a pitch deck to intrigue agents and production companies.
director Jeff Nichols & cinematographer Adam Stone
The collaborative relationship between a director and cinematographer is a critical component of every film. Join us for a conversation between director Jeff Nichols and his cinematographer Adam Stone as they discuss their working relationship and their process of bringing a script to the screen.
Christina McLarty Arquette, Jayme Lemons, & Mario Troncoso.
Moderated by Kathryn Francis Tucker
Producers often wear many hats when getting a script to the big screen. During this panel discussion led by ACS co-founder and Executive Director Kathryn Francis Tucker, producer Christina McLarty Arquette, producer Jayme Lemons, and Emmy Award Winner Mario Troncoso will delve into their specific wheelhouse as they discuss how a producer's role is different depending on genre and budget. Listen in as they discuss the different process for getting a TV show, indie film, documentary, or big-budge studio film greenlit.
Kathryn Francis Tucker, Christina McLarty Arquette, & Jen Gerber. Moderated by Alison Williams
These veteran Arkansas filmmakers join together to discuss the state of women in the film industry and how to break into the industry from Arkansas. Join us for a conversation between producer Christina McLarty Arquette, director Jen Gerber, and writer, director, producer Kathryn Francis Tucker, led by Alison Williams, chief of staff to Governor Hutchinson.
Filmland: Arkansas Audience Award winners
Filmland: Arkansas Audience Award winners of the shorts blocks join us for an exciting Q+A. These filmmakers will have an opportunity to discuss their process as filmmakers and what inspired them to create their short films.
The Arkansas Cinema Society’s Filmland is a curated annual celebration of cinema with a mission to nurture and inspire filmmakers in Arkansas by exposing Arkansans to filmmakers and their art. This will be ACS’s 4th annual Filmland.
Inspired by Ebertfest in Champaign, Illinois, Filmland hosts acclaimed filmmakers (producers, writers, actors, directors, production designers, cinematographers, etc.) at every screening. With no cross programming (single venue, one screening at a time) and only 5-10 screenings in the program each year, ACS is proud of Filmland’s unique, intimate, quality-over-quantity program.
As with every year, each screening will be followed by an in-depth Q&A conversation with the filmmakers, led by ACS board members Jeff Nichols, Jayme Lemons, and/or Evan Hayes. While the filmmakers will not be able to join us in person this year due to COVID-19, Filmland will still include a conversation with the filmmakers after each film! Health and safety are our top priorities this year, and we want as many people as possible to enjoy what Filmland has to offer.
Yes! You can get involved by helping us prepare for the festival or by working at the actual event. Click here to sign up to volunteer.
ACS will screen a collection of filmmaker-accompanied, cutting-edge, relevant, curated films and television shows, as well as a selection of Arkansas films—films either made by an Arkansan or made in Arkansas.
We opened submissions this summer to feature-length and short films, as well as documentaries and television episodes, with Arkansans in key roles or filmed in Arkansas.
As we felt the need to reimagine our annual event during the COVID-19 crisis, we knew we would want to offer a comprehensive Digital Experience. Our streaming platform that allows a seamless viewing experience online. You can even watch it on your TV with a code! Just download the Eventive app on your smart TV or Roku, or stream directly from your computer using AirPlay or Chromecast! So you could be in a parking lot, in your living room, in your backyard, on a mountain, in a river, in your garage, in your bedroom, in your office. Anywhere you have an internet connection! You’ll still be able to watch and vote for the Filmland: Arkansas films, as well as watch the filmmaker conversations.
Filmland in the Park will take place at MacArthur Park in downtown Little Rock. The entrance to the drive-in will be across the street from the UA-Little Rock Bowen School of Law at 1000 McMath Ave, Little Rock, AR 72202. The area will be very clearly marked. The experience will be timed with sunsets, and concessions and facilities will be offered. There will be strict adherence to Filmland 2021 Health and Safety Protocols.
Our priority is the safety of our guests, employees, and volunteers. Masks must be worn at all times when you are outside of your vehicle. Guests are not allowed to sit on top of vehicles. Parking is at the sole discretion of the Arkansas Cinema Society. Anyone causing a disturbance will be asked to leave.
We have worked together with official authorities and the health department to offer you an evening out celebrating film!
Please follow all rules and guidelines set in place by the ACS staff. You will be asked to leave without a refund if you are seen breaking any of the following:
While a little rain won't scare us away, high winds will. Unfortunately, if the event is cancelled due to inclement weather, we have a strict no refunds policy. As a nonprofit organization, we must stick to this refund policy due to the non-refundable amounts already paid out to vendors.
The Arkansas Cinema Society’s work and mission would not be possible without the support of our patrons and sponsors. Thank you for believing in the power of film to transform our community.