EL DORADO, Ark. — The El Dorado Film Festival (EDFF) has returned with an exciting 2024 line-up for this year's event taking place on February 8 through 11 at the South Arkansas Arts Center (SAAC), located at 110 East 5th St. in El Dorado.
“The El Dorado Film Festival has spawned so many great conversations, collaborations, and relationships in previous iterations,” said Executive Director Alexander Jeffery. “We are thrilled to bring this event back to South Arkansas after a three-year hiatus."
This year's event will feature a special presentation of the feature film Tapawingo, directed by Dylan K Narang, and starring Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite), Billy Zane (Titanic), and Gina Gershon (Brooklyn Nine-Nine). The film follows the story of an oddball who becomes a misfit teenager's bodyguard and finds himself in the crosshairs of the town's family of bullies.
Film lovers will also get to experience the Arkansas premiere of Shudderbugs, directed by Johanna Putnam. In the film, a woman unravels after her mother's mysterious death, following her suspicions to dangerous ends.
Feature Film Scrap, directed by Vivian Kerr and starring Anthony Rapp from the Broadway sensation RENT, will also be part of the line-up. EDFF originally screened the short film version of Scrap in 2019 and now Kerr returns with the feature film.
"What’s wonderful about these films is they are all created by truly independent filmmakers who had to get incredibly creative to get their work made and seen. No big studios, no big theatrical releases, you as the audience get to discover these gems and help the filmmakers spread the word about their achievement,” Jeffery added.
The Arkansas-made or connected films include:
- “Criterion” by Jeremy Enis
- “Pretty Canoe” by Nicholas Holland
- “The Book Club” by Jonnie Brannon
- “Banana Triangle Six” by Marc E Crandall
- “Mama Love” by Mary McDade
- “Arkansas Maternal Health” by Ringo Jones
- “How Do I Tell You This” by Lara Hill
- “The Hill We Climb” by Raeden Greer
- New West by Jordan Mears
Additionally, EDFF has connected with filmmakers in another part of the south to bring seven films from the Louisiana Film Prize Founders Circle to Arkansas.
These films are: “The Candy Lady” (winner), “The Capitalist,” “Clownfish” (directed by Smackover native Clayton Henderson), “Caught on Tape” (co-directed by Alexander Jeffery), “Dead Flesh,” “Off-Sides” and “Pink Suit, Black Suit.”
Tamra Corley Davis, chair of the film committee, said she believes this partnership is a fantastic way to grow the film industry regionally.
“Beyond being excited to be a part of bringing back the EDFF, I am proud that we are able to partner with the Louisiana Film Prize to bring some of the 2023 award-winning Prize films,” she said. “Over the years I have realized the film community is really small like a family. And no doubt over the weekend in February at the EDFF, new friendships will be made and collaborations formed that you will see for years to come at future festivals like ours and the Prize.”
EDFF is also set to feature national and international films, including “Break,” “Wheel,” “Beer Club,” “Smoke,” “Credit,” “They Grow Up So Fast,” “Purgy’s,” “Music for a While,” “Florence in Customer Care,” “Outpost,” “The Last Thing Lost,” “The Bathtub” (Spain) and “Chairs” (United Kingdom).
Cash awards are given to the winners in the categories of the following categories: Best of Fest ($1,500), Pam Callaway Spirit of the Festival Award ($1,000), Best Narrative Feature ($500), Best Documentary ($500), Best Short Drama ($500), Best Short Comedy ($500), Best Film With Arkansas Ties ($500) and Road to El Dorado Best International Film ($500).
Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased online here or at the SAAC box office.