The public is invited to a screening of ‘Dixie’ by Ryan Kelley on November 19
In the spirit of storytelling, the Oxford Film Festival is highlighting alumni films in a series of events leading up to the main festival in February.
On November 19, the public is invited to view a free screening of Dixie by Ryan Kelley, a New York-based writer and filmmaker whose work focuses on the history of race relations in the United States. Kelley’s film was screened at the 2021 Oxford Film Festival.
Dixie takes viewers on a whirlwind history of the controversial song “Dixie Land.” Since its origin in 1859, the song has been woven into the fabric of American pop culture. Following the screening, Castel V. Sweet, Oxford Film Festival board member and director of community engagement with the University of Mississippi, will lead a panel discussion with Kelley and fellow festival Board member Don Cole, who served as assistant provost at UM until his retirement in 2019.
Additional screenings from festival alumni are planned for December and January. The 22nd Oxford Film Festival is February 27 to March 2, 2025, at the Malco Oxford Commons Cinema in Oxford, Mississippi. Tickets for the free film screenings are available at www.ox-film.com.
The Oxford Film Festival exhibits more than 100 films from across the globe that seek to provide the audience with a transformative viewing experience. A celebration of independent film and filmmakers, this year’s event focuses on story, storytelling, and storytellers.
Submissions are open for the 2025 Oxford Film Festival. Films will be accepted through December 9, 2024, and films selected for the festival will be notified on December 31, 2024. For complete submission rules and to submit an independent film, visit https://filmfreeway.com/OxfordFilmFestival.
“With our festival and our pre-event alumni film screenings, we want to go even further to engage with audience members,” said Mike Mitchell, vice president of the Oxford Film Festival. “We want them to discuss the film, ask questions, meet the filmmakers, and experience the power of story and storytelling in a whole new way.”
The addition of alumni film events is a way to build excitement leading up to the festival and introduce the new Oxford Film Festival Memberships. Annual memberships are available at three levels of $100, $250, and $500 includes access to workshops, panels, and VIP events among other perks. .
“We want to celebrate and highlight alumni films that have resonated with audiences in year’s past,” Mitchell said. “We’re excited to showcase these films to new audiences and build momentum around our annual membership program.”
The four-day festival is a packed weekend of film screenings, interactive events, and panel discussions with filmmakers.
“We have such a legacy of powerful stories in our state and we want to celebrate that,” Mitchell said. “People really identify with a powerful independent film experience. It’s more than a 30-second TikTok. It’s entertaining, provoking, and the people who tell really good stories are engaging.”
Tickets for the festival will go on sale in early 2025. For more information, visit www.ox-film.com.
Oxford Film Festival Alumni Film Screening
The alumni film screening of Ryan Kelley’s Dixie is at 7:30 pm on Tuesday, November 19 at the Malco Oxford Commons Cinema. The event is free and open to the public. Get a free ticket at www.ox-film.com.
Since its origin in 1859, the song “Dixie’s Land” has been woven into the fabric of American pop culture. Originally penned as a tune for blackface minstrel troupes, the song became the anthem of the confederacy during the Civil War. Adopted by segregationists during the civil rights movement, the song was protested by students during the 1960’s and 70’s, including at the University of Mississippi.
The song has virtually vanished from college campuses throughout the United States, but younger artists, both Black and white, are reinterpreting the song and redefining the meaning of the song in the 21st century. The song’s meaning, much like the history of the United States itself, is conflicted and controversial. The film “Dixie” takes viewers on a whirlwind history of the United States’ most dangerous song.
ABOUT OXFORD FILM FESTIVAL
The Oxford Film Festival exhibits more than 100 films from across the globe that seek to provide a transformative experience for the audience through the art of storytelling. Praised for its hospitality, the festival was founded in 2003 by the Yoknapatawpha Arts Council. In 2008, the Oxford Film Festival became an independent nonprofit organization committed to celebrating the art of independent cinema. The 22nd annual Oxford Film Festival is set for February 27 to March 2, 2025, at the Malco Oxford Commons Cinema in Oxford, Mississippi. For more information, visit www.ox-film.com.
