The first time I attended the Oxford Film Festival was when I learned a documentary called The Rough South of Larry Brown would be playing at the Ford Center. I couldn’t pass up the chance to see a film about one of my favorite writers. It didn’t hurt that the soundtrack included songs by Vic Chesnutt and Alejandro Escovedo. Plus, I lived only a few blocks away at the time. This was in 2003, the inaugural year of the fest. I had never attended a film festival of any kind. I was only vaguely familiar with the idea that film festivals were even a thing, outside of Sundance and South by Southwest.
But, boy, was I hooked. Not only was the Larry Brown doc excellent, but I spent the rest of the weekend exploring short documentaries, short narrative films, full length movies, and going to parties to meet some of the amazingly creative and driven filmmakers who actually made these things. I’ve been doing it every year since.
Each year I would get out my schedule and highlight the films I wanted to see. It was always more than I had time to actually see. And I always end up being blown away by something unexpected. The Mississippi block of documentaries is always a favorite. I rarely miss a music documentary. I love the animated shorts because they’re often pretty weird. One year the comedy film Spaghetti Man stole the show for me, because it was about a superhero who shot spaghetti from his hands like Spider Man. The filmmakers showed up in costume and carried the gag throughout the weekend.
Soon, I was volunteering to help out in any way I could. I edited and distributed the printed schedule programs for a few years. One of my favorite jobs was the year I drove the shuttle bus. I got to drive filmmakers and other festival goers back to their hotels after the late-night parties. This made for some interesting conversations. A lot of them take their films from festival to festival, sometimes looking for wider distribution. Sometimes just to showcase their work and meet others in their field. Sometimes those filmmakers go on to wider acclaim. I remember Tate Taylor showing his short film Chicken Party here long before he went on to direct The Help. Sometimes, film luminaries come to participate in the roundtable discussions or give a speech. One year, I got to visit with Pulp Fiction co-writer Roger Avary. Morgan Freeman has made an appearance. James Franco showed up one year. Not surprisingly nearly all of these filmmakers, whether they are just starting out or have been nominated for Oscars, comment on how much they enjoy their visits to Oxford and how hospitable our little festival is. High praise coming from those who have attended dozens upon dozens of such festivals.
This year, the festival’s 21st, promises to be no less engaging. It will feature a selection of 120 narrative and documentary features and shorts, experimental films, and music videos. The films include two feature-length documentaries and 27 short projects set in Mississippi. Other films come from the United Kingdom, Australia, China, Iceland, France, and Germany.
Alongside film screenings, the festival will feature a lineup of workshops and panel discussions including:
Technology of Animation: featuring a panel of animators whose work spans the gamut of animation history, from 2D design to the most cutting-edge technology entering the market today.
Mobile Moviemaking: learn to make stunning films using tools from your very own back pocket.
Safety On-Set: armory specialist Bryan Carpenter will discuss the ins and outs of using weapons as props on set.
“This year, the festival is concentrated on audience experience,” says Matt Wymer, Executive Director of the Oxford Film Festival. “We’ve expanded our film selections to include sci-fi and horror while continuing to celebrate poignant documentaries and engaging narratives. There’s something for everybody and this lineup reflects a film industry on the cusp of exciting change.”
Actor and author Andrew McCarthy will be on hand to promote his new book, Walking With Sam at a special edition of Thacker Mountain Radio. That’ll be held at the Ford Center, the same place I wandered into 21 years ago to see The Rough South of Larry Brown. I hope to see you there. But be careful, you too might just get hooked.
