Maybe you have had a busy week, or maybe you just forgot, and you have not been to the Little Rock Film Festival. Either way, no need to worry, there is plenty left for you to go do at the festival this weekend.
For the final three days of the festival, there are screenings and events all day long. We’ve put together a highlight of what you can do over the last days of the festival, but for a full schedule click here.
Friday (May 16)
“Manny,” 12:45 p.m. at CALS Ron Robinson Theater: Manny Pacquiao is one of the bigger names in professional boxing. The Filipino Southpaw is currently the WBO Welterweight Champion. “Manny” takes viewers into the earlier years of the boxing champ’s life and highlights the struggles Pacquiao overcame to get to where he is now. The film is directed by Ryan Moore and Academy Award-winner Leon Gast. Liam Neeson is the film’s narrator. The documentary will be shown again at 12:45 p.m. Saturday at The Rep.
“Little Accidents,” 1:30 p.m. at The Rep: This 105-minute drama is not short on star power. Elizabeth Banks, Josh Lucas, Boyd Holbrook and Jacob Lofland come together in this film about the aftermath of a mining disaster in an Appalachian, coal-mining town. It’s directed by Sarah Colangelo. The film has earned six nominations for the Milan International Film Festival in September, including Best Director, Best Actor, Best Actress, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Production Design.
“Big Significant Things,” 6 p.m. at CALS Ron Robinson Theater: Craig seems to have life figured out with a good job, supportive family and a wonderful girlfriend. One week before he and his girlfriend are supposed to move across the country together, he lies to her so he can go on a road trip, alone. The film is directed by Bryan Reisberg and stars Harry Lloyd and James Ricker II. The film won Excellence in Poster Design at the SXSW Film Festival. It will be shown again at 12:30 p.m. Saturday at CALS Ron Robinson Theater.
“The Notorious Mr. Bout,” 6 p.m. at The Rep: Viktor Bout was an internationally-known arms smuggler that was arrested in 2008 in Thailand. This documentary, directed by Tony Gerber and Maxim Pozdorovkin, tells the story of Bout’s personal life, which included a love for traveling, his family and filming. The film was nominated in the Knight Documentary Competition at the Miami International Film Festival and for World Cinema Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival.
This is just a sampling of what is offered Friday night. For a full rundown of the day’s screenings, click here.
Saturday (May 17)
“Killing Time,” 10:45 a.m. at the Historic Arkansas Museum: This non-fiction film, shot in a cinema-direct style, follows a family waiting for the execution of a loved one. There is no music and no effects added to the film, which is referred to as a “naked film.” It’s directed by Jaap van Hoewijk.
“Life After Death,” 3:15 p.m. at the Clinton School of Public Service: This documentary follows Kwasa and Fils, two men in their 20s, living through genocide in Rwanda. The film is directed by Joe Callander.
“Korgengal,” 3:15 p.m. at CALS Ron Robinson Theater: The same Academy Award-nominated director, Sebastian Junger, that brought you “Restrepo” now brings “Korengal,” which picks up where the first film left off. It’s the same commanders, same men and same valley, but this film goes in-depth on how war works and what it feels like to be part of it day-after-day. Check out the trailer here.
“Two Step,” 3:30 p.m. at The Rep: This thriller follows the interactions of a college dropout and a career criminal. The film, directed by Alex R. Johnson, stars Beth Broderick, James Landry Hêbert, Ashley Spillers and Jason Douglas.
“The Case Against 8,” 8:30 p.m. at The Rep: This documentary gives a behind-the-scenes look at the case which overturned California’s ban on same-sex marriage. The film is directed by Ben Cotner and Ryan White. The film won Best Documentary Feature at the RiverRun International Film Festival, Best Documentary at the Vail Film Festival and the Directing Award for documentaries at the Sundance Film Festival.
There’s plenty of other films to check out Saturday. To see a full schedule, click here.
Sunday (May 18)
“Rich Hill,” 10:30 a.m. at The Rep: This documentary follows the lives of three teenage boys in a Missouri small town, the struggles they face and their hope for a better future. The film was named Best Documentary Feature at the Kansas City FilmFest, Best Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival and received the Documentary Directing Award at the Sarasota Film Festival. It’s directed by Tracy Droz Tragos and Andrew Droz Palermo.
“Point and Shoot,” 1 p.m. at CALS Ron Robinson Theater: This documentary follows Matt VanDyke, who in 2006 at the age of 27, left home for a “crash course in manhood.” The OCD-diagnosed VanDyke bought a motorcycle and video camera and embarked on a three-year, 35,000-mile journey. It won Best Documentary Feature at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film is directed by Marshall Curry, a two-time Academy Award-nominated documentary filmmaker.
“Devil’s Knot,” 8:15 p.m. at CALS Ron Robinson Theater: The film, based on the book by Mara Leveritt, tells the story of three teenagers, who became known as the West Memphis Three, who were convicted in the 1993 murder of three eight-year-old boys. The film brings A-list talent to the screen with Colin Firth, Reese Witherspoon, Mireille Enos and Amy Ryan. It’s directed by Atom Egoyan.
There are plenty more things to do and see on the final day of the festival. Click here to see the full schedule.
To buy passes to the film festival, click here. For more information on parking, venues and all other things, check out our guide.