The time has come for this year’s Little Rock Film Festival to start and there are a lot of firsts!
This year is the first time the festival is going a full week– starting today (May 12), screenings — all over downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock — include the competitive Golden Rock Narrative and Documentary films, Made in Arkansas films (self-explanatory), spotlights, World Shorts and music video competitions. To view the day-by-day schedule click here.
To accommodate the increased traffic, new venues like Stickyz Rock ‘N’ Roll Chicken Shack, 107 River Market Ave., Little Rock, and The Joint, 301 Main St., North Little Rock, have been added to their nearly dozen venues, spreading across downtown Little Rock and North Little Rock.
Everyone is excited about the debut of the CALS Ron Robinson Theater, 100 River Market Ave., Little Rock, as the flagship home for the LRFF. The brand new state-of-the-art 315-seat theater will allow the festival to screen films for the first time in Digital Cinema Projection and Dolby 7.1 surround sound. This year will also mark the return of the Clinton School of Public Service– long a favorite venue for LRFF audiences.
In 2014, the LRFF will program more than 100 films from around the world, most with filmmakers in attendance. The festival will continue to champion the best in Southern Filmmaking with two early announcements out of the Sundance film festival– the documentary, “Rich Hill,” and the narrative feature “Little Accidents.”
“Rich Hill,” directed by Andrew Droz Palermo and Tracy Droz Tragos, was filmed in Missouri and tells the powerful and emotional story of three boys growing up on the edge of poverty in rural America. It won the Sundance U.S. Grand Prize for Best Documentary.
“Little Accidents,” directed by Sara Colangelo, features an impressive cast, including Elizabeth Banks, Boyd Holbrook, Chloë Sevigny and Josh Lucas, and tells the story of a devastating mining disaster in an Appalachian coal-mining town, which links the lives of three very different residents in a web of secrets.
Also, in keeping with the goal of promoting the local arts and culture, the LRFF will host its first ever Artisan Street Fair on Friday (May 17) at the CALS Ron Robinson Theater. It will pay homage to our Southern roots by bringing together a collection of Little Rock’s best vendors in a downtown outdoor marketplace. They will curate artisanal food, vintage clothing, jewelry, crafts, home goods, drinks and much more. Get more info here!
Little Rock Film Festival recently launched a completely revamped website created by Aristotle. Festival passes are on sale now at the new site and remain at the same price points they have been for the past three years. The passes are organized into convenient Bronze, Silver, and Gold levels. For the first time a Student pass is available, the equivalent of a Silver Pass but for half the price with a valid ID.
All-access Gold passes are $300. Silver passes are $150. Bronze passes are $50. Passes may be purchased at the door or online by clicking here.
If you don’t purchase a pass, you can attend film screenings or panels by waiting in the Rush/Standby line and purchasing an available ticket (suggested donation $10) after passholders have been seated.
For more details or to purchase passes, click here.
Be on the lookout for our festival guide later this week!