For me, one of the highlights of the Oxford Film Festival each year is the representation of Mississippi films and filmmakers. My favorite genre is definitely documentary film, but it’s always fun to see the work of Mississippians on display in any style. It’s always satisfying to see topics that affect my home state on the big screen. As always, there is an abundance of excellent Mississippi films this year.
The following seven short films will screen in the Mississippi Films Block Saturday (4:30 pm) and Sunday (3 pm) with three music videos:
Garage Sale
Directed by Meaghin Burke. A woman and her father struggle to move on after the death of a family member.
In Ten
Directed by Melanie Addington. Celebrating the 10-Minute Play Festival’s 15th Anniversary, this film honors the creators and participants of the event.
PEAs
Directed by Kelly Buckholdt. A woman seeks companionship and guidance at a Picky Eaters Anonymous meeting.
Barry
Directed by Greg Earnest.
Something strange is going on in Barry’s dark coffin home.
Mississippi Milk
Directed by David Rogers.
The Brown Family works hard to supply North Mississippi with fresh, local dairy.
A Different Kind of Festival
Directed by Ellen Phillips. Oxford’s first Fringe Festival brought together artists and performers of all sorts over a weekend last summer.
A Horror Story
Directed by Glenn Payne. A group of “teenagers” spend the night in a cabin and hilarity ensues.
Four more documentaries and two music videos are scattered throughout the weekend programming. (For more on the Mississippi music videos, click here)
85% Broken
Directed by Alison Fast. Screens in a block of documentary shorts Friday (5:30) and Saturday (2:20). A Japanese composer comes to Water Valley seeking solitude to work on her projects. Instead, she finds a community that inspires her and leads her to create a production called “An Evening with Broken Accordions (And the People Who Love Them).”
Leadway
Directed by Robbie Fisher & Dudley Percy Olson. Screens with Documentary Feature, Yazoo Revisited, Friday (7:20) and Saturday (12:10) A Chinese American woman from Shaw, Mississippi, tells the tragic story of her father’s death and the impact it has had upon the small community.
Unquantifiable
Directed by Ed Foose.
Screens with Documentary Feature Oil & Water, Friday (1:50) & Saturday (10 am). Art Place Mississippi is an organization that promotes art education in adolescent offences programs, alternative schools, and senior citizen centers.
A Mississippi Love Story
Directed by Robbie Fisher. Screens with Documentary Feature Oil & Water, Friday (1:50) & Saturday (10 am). A gay couple living in Jackson, Mississippi, share their love story and the struggles they face in a time of change and progress. 
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Related articles:
“It’s Time: 12th Annual Oxford Film Festival”
“10 TLV Highlights at This Year’s Oxford Film Festival” by TLV Staff
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This article was originally printed in The Local Voice #223 (published February 19, 2015.)
To download a PDF of this issue, click here.
