Bentonville Film Festival returns with celebrities, Arkansas filmmakers and diverse voices
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Geena Davis at Bentonville's Skylight Cinema on May 13. Photo: Alex Golden/Axios
The Bentonville Film Festival is heading into its second decade next month with a new category for Arkansas filmmakers, event organizers announced Tuesday.
The big picture: The festival, founded by actor Geena Davis, features films, panel discussions and events in an effort to promote representation in the film industry.
- The event brings celebrities and professionals in the industry to Bentonville, gets eyes on films made by and starring people of diverse demographics and hosts free community events, including last year's screening of "Barbie" at The Momentary.
- Organizers are not yet revealing which stars will take part in this year's "Geena and Friends" — arguably one of the most popular annual events — in which female actors reimagine famous movie scenes starring men.
What they're saying: While the film and television industry has made lots of progress in on screen representation, the lack of diversity among behind the scenes roles like directors, editors and cinematographers is "abysmal," Davis told Axios on Tuesday during an event at Skyline Cinema in Bentonville.
- "The idea of what we're doing should apply universally," she said. "My contention is that in general, in front of and behind the camera, the film and television community should reflect the actual population, which is half female and incredibly diverse, and so we're trying to show how important and right and impactful and entertaining that can be. "
Context: Davis also started the Geena Davis Institute in 2004, originally focusing on research and advocacy around women in the industry and then expanding to more underrepresented groups, including people of color, diverse body types, the LGBTQ community and people with disabilities.
The intrigue: The new "Homegrown" section highlighting Arkansas filmmakers will likely continue in future festivals, festival president Wendy Guerrero said Tuesday.
- Allyson de la Houssaye, who first connected with other filmmakers at the 2015 festival after moving to Bentonville from Chicago, will debut her documentary, "Ridge to River: The Arkansas Traverse," which follows nine cyclists across the state as they stop at places along the Trail of Tears and a former Japanese internment camp, she said during the event.
- The festival has always had connections with local aspiring filmmakers, Davis told Axios, and film production in the area is growing.
The latest: The 11th Bentonville Film Festival — the fifth fastest growing film festival in North America — will also feature familiar faces like Al Roker, who will be hosting a sneak peek and discussion of his new animated series "Weather Hunters," and Lucy Liu, star of "Rosemeade," which will be screened, Guerrero said.
- The new science, technology, engineering art and math (STEAM) sessions announced Tuesday will include panel discussions on technology in filmmaking like AI tools to help with storyboarding, she told Axios.
If you go: The festival is June 16-22 at various venues including The Momentary, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Skylight Cinema and Thaden School Performing Arts Center. Tickets start at $250.
- Watch for free offerings, including screenings of "Wicked" and "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice."