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Welcome to the 7th annual Ozark Foothills FilmFest.
Once again, we celebrate the artistry, skill, and spirit so
abundant in the independent film world with an
eclectic and sometimes startling selection of
statewide, national, and international cinema art.
 Beginning at home, this year’s festival celebrates
the creative contributions of two very different
Arkansans, musician Louis Jordan and photographer
Mike Disfarmer. Jordan, born in Brinkley, rose to
stardom in the 40’s as a bandleader, singer,
musician, and songwriter. His unique brand of “jump
blues” helped pave the way for the emergence of
Rock’n’Roll in the early 50’s. The festival will
present a pair of programs showcasing the
influential musician,
“Louis Jordan at 100: The Film
Record." We’ll also be celebrating Jordan’s music
with a concert and dance at Independence Hall,
featuring The Bob Boyd Sounds and Low Profile.
 A contemporary of Jordan, photographer Mike
Disfarmer worked in Heber Springs from the
Depression Era until his death in the late 50’s.
Disfarmer captured images of rural people that
reveal their joy, their pain, and their humanity.
His work is currently attracting growing attention
from both scholars and art dealers and he is
increasingly considered one of the 20th century’s
more important photographers. Canadian film producer
Dennis Mohr will present a preview screening of
DISFARMER: A PORTRAIT OF AMERICA, the first
documentary to examine the enigmatic photographer.
This year also marks the festival’s first annual
Screenwriting Competition. The work of twenty-one
talented writers, all but two from Arkansas, has
been under review by a distinguished panels of
judges led by film critic Philip Martin for several
months. The winners will be announced at an
Awards
Ceremony, the festival’s opening
event. Judges and entrants will be in attendance to
answer questions and discuss the entries.
One of the most distinctive features of the Ozark
Foothills FilmFest through the years has been the
large number of filmmakers and other artists
(writers, musicians, actors) who travel to the Ozark
Foothills to share their work and make themselves
available for questions and conversation. Our
out-of-the-way locale and relaxed ambience result
in a “total access” situation between festival
attendees and guests, and plenty of time for
questions and discussion is built into the schedule
for each program.
This year’s guests include Louis Jordan biographer
and the creator and host of the public radio series,
Arkansongs, Stephen Koch; Jason Wehling and
Chris Eska, the producer and director of the
Independent Spirit Award winning feature film,
AUGUST EVENING; and Arkansas filmmakers Tim Jackson
(WHERE’S MY CLOSE-UP, MR. THORNTON?), Mike Gunter
(THE CLEANER), Michad Holliday (STREET STORIES), and
Phil Chambliss (THE PENCIL-STAND and
SHADOWS OF THE
HATCHET-MAN). Festival president Bob Pest crosses
the center line from host to guest to talk about his acting
debut as the fallen spiritual leader, Reverend OK,
in the Chambliss comedy, THE PENCIL-STAND, a
FilmFest world premiere!
One way to further enhance your festival experience
is to become a member of the
Foothills Film Society.
Film Society members receive discounts on admission
to all Ozark Foothills FilmFest and T Tauri Film
Festival programs and events for the 2008 calendar
year. They also receive the official festival poster
and invitations to two Members-Only FilmFest special
events, a reception honoring the screenplay judges
and entrants at Bradley Manor on the campus of Lyon
College and a post-concert, “meet the musicians”
gathering at Janine’s Café at Cooking Secrets. A
Basic Membership in the Foothills Film Society is
available for a $25 tax-deductible contribution to
Ozark Foothills FilmFest. Find out more
HERE.
Arkansas visual artists were once again invited to
submit images of original artworks depicting some
aspect of the landscape, lore, or lifestyle of the
Ozark Foothills for consideration as the image for
the festival poster. For the second consecutive
year, the finalists and selected work were
beautifully showcased in OZARKS magazine. We
sincerely appreciate all of the artists who
participated in this year’s poster art competition.
"Sandtown Memories," a watercolor by Batesville
native Stacey Rhoades, was selected as this year’s
branding artwork.
To purchase the Official Poster for $10, call
870-251-1189.
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