The 2016 Oxford Film Festival announced the official selections today in its Mississippi Narrative, Documentary, and Music Video sections including nine selections which will make their world premieres at the popular film festival (February 17-21). Among those films making their world premieres will be Tony Bloodworth’s thriller Forced Move.
Oxford Film Festival Executive Director Melanie Addington said, “One of the most enjoyable and satisfactory moments we have this time of year is announcing the list of local films and filmmakers we have selected for the next edition of the Oxford Film Festival. This group of locally produced films and music videos is one of the best we’ve had to date and it will be a thrill to share it with the film fans and theater goers, as well as welcome back more than a few Mississippi filmmaking alumni returning to the fold in February.”
Written and directed by Tony Bloodworth, Forced Move is the lone feature film among the Mississippi selections. The film follows the desperate race against time a man must make it save his family, after discovering a series of brutal murders while on his daily jog – and realizing his home is next in the path of the killers. The film will make its world premiere at Oxford, screening on Friday, February 19 at 3:30 pm at the Oxford Conference Center.
Among the local filmmakers returning to the Oxford Film Festival are; Down Down Down director Coop Cooper (The Best Day /2012); “Fallen Star” AJC & The Envelope Pushers director Clay Hardwick; Fiddler’s Green director Thad Lee (Bill Lilly Builds a Greenhouse/2011); “The Happy Song” director Coop Cooper (The Best Day/2012); Living With H.I.V. director Kathryn A. Rodenmeyer (Uprooted/2005); Rock Me Slow director Edward Valibus (Songs In The Key of Death/2014); Stagrassle Paranormal director Glenn Payne (A Horror Movie/2015); and ‘Til Death director Matthew Graves (Dummy/2007, The Show Must Go On/ 2012, Barry/2015).
The 2016 Oxford Film Festival’s full slate of films is set to be announced following the holiday season.
FILMS AND DESCRIPTIONS
MISSISSIPPI NARRATIVE
FORCED MOVE (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Tony Bloodworth
Country: USA, Running Time: 79 min
A man discovers a series of brutal murders while on his daily jog. Realizing his home is next in the path of the killers, he races against time to save his family.
FREEDOM FIGHTERS (2016)
Director: Wade Patterson
Country: USA, Running Time: 16:53 min
The newest recruit of a right-wing militia finds himself at odds with the charismatic leader when the group tries to take a government official hostage.
LAST NIGHT (2016)
Director: Michael Ewing
Country: USA, Running Time: 13:42 min
A late night bar “conversation” among three friends reveals, in surprising ways, that actions have consequences.
STARGRASSLE PARANORMAL (2016)
Director: Glenn Payne
Country: USA, Running Time: 27:50 min
Welcome to Stagrassle! Meet the Colonel, Penny, Enzo and Bernice, their friends and foes, the ghosts that haunt them and Larry, the man that documents their misadventures.
THE FAUCET (2016) – U.S. Premiere
Directors: Danny Klimetz, Samip Raval
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:28 min
A gentleman just wants to wash his hands…
THE GIFT (2016)
Director: Gabriel Robertson
Country: USA, Running Time: 12:48 min
To celebrate his eleventh birthday, a young boy selects his gift – little knowing that his choice will change the world.
TIL DEATH (2016)
Director: Matthew Graves
Country: USA, Running Time: 10:05 min
On the dark and stormy night of his fiancée’s funeral, a grieving man, so overwhelmed at the thought of never seeing the love of his life again, decides to bring her home.
MISSISSIPPI DOCUMENTARY
THE BLACK DEFINITION (2016) – Regional Premiere
Director: Michael Fant
Country: USA, Running Time: 11:03 min
Seven black male students discuss the racial climate in America today, including stereotypes, police brutality and progression.
FINDING CLEVELAND (2016) – Mississippi Premiere
Director: Larissa Lam
Country: USA, Running Time 12:24 min
Finding Cleveland is a documentary short film that follows Charles Chiu and his family on an emotional journey as they take a trip to Cleveland, Mississippi to visit the grave site of Charles’ father, KC Lou.
LAYERS (2016)
Director: Christina Huff
Country: USA, Running Time: 12:45 min
Two Mississippians talk about their lives as artists. Claire Whitehurst talks about her art and her stylistic choices, while Jonathan Kent Adams talks about his struggles with his homosexual identity within his art. Using layers within their art is a very big theme for both artists, connecting these two talented artist’s stories into one narrative.
LIVING WITH HIV (2014)
Director: Kathryn A. Rodenmeyer (OFF Alum)
Country: USA, Running Time: 28:09 min
Mississippi, the ‘buckle’ of the Bible Belt, ranks 7th in the U.S. for prevalence of HIV infection. Young African American men are the fastest growing group to become infected with HIV. In “Living with HIV,” those infected with HIV share their stories and how they are living with this incurable condition.
LOCKED OUT: A MISSISSIPPI SUCCESS STORY
Director: Sean W. Malone
Country: USA, Running Time: 26:53 min
Locked Out chronicles the struggles and success of Melony Armstrong, an entrepreneur who fought state restrictions to become the first professional African hair braider in Mississippi. Her victory struck down laws which required aspiring natural hair professionals to endure years of expensive licensing that only benefited the cosmetology schools and didn’t teach anything about hair braiding or natural hair.
MO’ BOUT JOE (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Tim O’Grady
Country: USA, Running Time: 24:51 min
“Outsider” artist Joe Wrenn of Charleston, Mississippi is featured in this 25- minute documentary. We glimpse into his life and his amazing and storied paintings.
MISSISSIPPI MUSIC VIDEO
BOOKER WRIGHT’S MASHUP (2016) – World Premiere
Director: George Gross
Country: USA, Running Time: 2:50 min
A musical video mashup of Booker Wright’s infamous 1966 monologue on NBC News’ TV documentary, Mississippi: A Self Portrait.
BOTTLE OF SUNSHINE (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Damein Wash
Country: USA, Running Time: 2:58 min
A boy, all clean and dressed up, is denied ice cream and forbidden to get dirty by his mother. She leaves him on the bench as she goes into a shop. Then, a little girl appears.
DOWN DOWN DOWN (2016)
Director: Coop Cooper
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:25 min
A music video by Steve Kolbus and the Clarksdale Blues Revue. Shot on location, live at Ground Zero Blues Club in Clarksdale, Mississippi.
FALLEN STAR AJC & THE ENVELOPE PUSHERS (2016)
Director: Clay Hardwick
Country: USA, Running Time: 8:00 min
FALLEN STAR is what happens when you make it to the top. This music video combines three original songs into a cinematic narrative, following AJC into a world of bitter famedom. Of course, making a deal at the crossroads has its costs. FIDDLER’S GREEN (2016) – World Premiere Director: Thad Lee Country: USA, Running Time: 5:55 min A song about a mysterious afterworld for people who are too bad for Heaven and too good for Hell.
OLE MISS REBEL BLUES (2016) – World Premiere
Directors: Nancy Maria Balach, Katie McLaughlin
Country: USA, Running Time: 4:52 min
The “Ole Miss Rebel Blues” celebrates music, football, and the social culture of Oxford, Mississippi. This Mississippi music video was created, produced, and performed by established artists (University of Mississippi faculty and alumni), who worked side by side with current UM students and children from the Oxford community.
ONE STAR DELTA NIGHT (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Jason Rochelle
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:40 min
A love story in the heart of the Mississippi Delta. A night where everything is just right. Where a romantic night turns into a beautiful relationship.
PREACHERMAN (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Calum Macdiarmid
Country: USA, Running Time: 7:04 min
Music video featuring Melody Gardot, based on the story of civil rights hero Emmett Till.
ROCK ME SLOW (2016)
Director: Edward Valibus
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:40 min
Alone with her just her thoughts, a bottle of bourbon, and her music, Faith Evans Ruch dwells on heartbreak and sorrow.
RUREMARM (2016) Directors: Joecephus Martin
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:12 min
Skipp Coon makes the street his congregation.
STREETWALKING-ROTOTILLER-DREAM (2016) – World Premiere
Director: Tate Moore
Country: USA, Running Time: 17:34 min
Kudzu Kings celebrate 20 years as a band at a special one night show at the Lyric Oxford.
THE HAPPY SONG (2016)
Director: Coop Cooper (OFF Alum: The Best Day, 2012)
Country: USA, Running Time: 5:25 min
A music video by Blackwater Trio. Three lonely people having a bad day receive a mysterious invitation to an event which will change their lives.
WOMEN AND WORK (2016)
Director: Jonathan Pekar
Country: USA, Running Time: 3:23 min
A music video that celebrates the great Southern band Lucero’s music and character. 
