Opening and Closing Night Announcement for 2021 Festival
The 2021 Oxford Film Festival (March 24-28, April 1-30) today announced the Opening Night and Closing Night selections for the film festival as well as a robust lineup of panels and parties as the film festival ramps up for a hybrid event taking place the next two months. Megan Petersen and Hannah Black’s previously announced family road trip drama Drought will serve as the film festival’s Opening Night selection, with a double feature offering of Nicholas Bruckman’s powerful documentary Not Going Quietly, and Tate Taylor’s comedy Breaking News in Yuba County.
Oxford Film Festival also announced an impressive lineup of in-person and virtual panels and parties to both bring audiences and film fans back together safely, as well as continue to open up the popular film festival to a state-wide, national, and international audience virtually.
As previously announced, on March 24-28, screenings will be held all in the Oxford Commons area in two specially designed open-air circus tents, Malco Outdoor Cinema and a special drive-in at the Oxford High School. From April 1-30, Virtual Cinema screenings will be offered via Eventive globally.
Oxford Film Festival Executive Director Melanie Addington, said, “These three films exemplify the best of what the Oxford Film Festival offers with its programming. Drought is a multiple award-winner on the circuit, Not Going Quietly gives rare insight into the experience of living with a disability, and Breaking News in Yuba County is a certified crowd please courtesy of Tate Taylor. In year one, we showcased his talents as a young filmmaker, and eighteen years later we are all grown up and can’t wait to once again showcase his work on this Mississippi made film. Add to that, a full lineup of in-person and virtual panels and passholder parties to underline the festival experience side-by-side with our films.” Addington added, “As well as requiring all films to have closed captioning this year, our open and closing films shine with great disability representation which is something we strive to celebrate at Oxford.”
Megan Petersen and Hannah Black’s Drought is the accomplished narrative feature debut from two rising North Carolinian filmmakers, which tells the tale of a group of reunited siblings as they chase a storm predicted by their brother who is on the spectrum, in the family ice cream truck, as they learn what it really means to love. Among the film’s producers are indie stalwarts the Duplass Brothers.
The Duplass Brothers also had a producing hand in the closing night documentary film, Not Going Quietly. The film moves alongside activist Ady Barkan diagnosed with ALS at age 32 and who, in spite of declining physical abilities, embarks on a nationwide campaign for healthcare reform, shedding light on healthcare inequality. Set to premiere at the upcoming SXSW Film Festival, the film explores the sacrifices and impact that many make for social change through a personal, heartfelt and hopeful lens.
Also screening on closing night will be a special free-to-the-public presentation of Natchez filmed comedy Breaking News in Yuba County. After her husband goes missing, Sue Buttons (Allison Janney), an underappreciated suburban wife, gets a taste of being a local celebrity as she embarks on a city-wide search in Yuba County to find him. In an effort to prolong her newfound fame, she stumbles into hilarious hijinks as her world turns upside down, dodging a wanna-be mobster (Awkwafina), a relentless local policewoman (Regina Hall), her half-sister (Mila Kunis) a local news reporter desperate for a story, and her husband’s dead-beat brother (Jimmi Simpson), who all set out to uncover the truth behind the disappearance. The film also includes local actor Susan McPhail.
Oxford Film Festival will also offer in-person filmmaker panels including a Living History Panel focused on archival filmmaking, a Community Film Table Read with filmmaker Chasity Nicole, and a live performance by Oxford’s acting royalty Johnny and Susan McPhail. Passholder parties include a game night celebrating the film Murder, Bury, Win, a record spin party built around the film Vinyl Nation, a cosmic bowling party, and a Weed & Wine party celebrating that film.
Virtual events include table reads of this year’s competing screenplays, Seed&Spark’s Art of the Pitch, utilizing film for social and political activism, first-person accounts of making films during the pandemic, and a discussion with documentarian Alex Glustrom (Mossville) which will be co-sponsored by the Oxford Film Festival and the Center for the Study of Southern Culture.
To buy passes or tickets or find more information, please go to: https://www.oxfordfilmfest.com/.
Tickets are now on sale for both physical and virtual screenings. Closing night screenings and panel discussions will be announced at a later date. COVID-19 restrictions and rules are listed on the website.
2021 Oxford Film Festival’s Official Selections
OPENING NIGHT SELECTION
Drought
Directors: Megan Petersen, Hannah Black
Country: USA, Run Time: 84 min
It’s 1993 and North Carolina is experiencing a historic drought but autistic teen Carl, fascinated by weather, predicts that a storm will soon hit nearby while his sister Sam crafts a plan to help him chase the storm. Narrative Feature Competition.
CLOSING NIGHT SELECTIONS
Not Going Quietly
Director: Nicholas Bruckman
Country: USA, Running Time: 139 min
An intimate, inspiring look at activist and loving father Ady Barkan, diagnosed with ALS at age 32 and who, in spite of declining physical abilities, embarks on a nationwide campaign for healthcare reform.
Breaking News in Yuba County – Free screening
Director: Tate Taylor
Country: USA, Running Time: 96 min
In this dark comedy, Sue Buttons, an underappreciated suburban wife, gains fame after her husband mysteriously disappears, but she quickly finds herself in over her head, dodging cops, criminals and local reporters all aiming to uncover the truth.
In-Person Panels
Living History Panel
Friday, March 26 at 5:30PM
Oxford Conference Center Tent - Free with film ticket
The pandemic has caused a renaissance of archival filmmaking, a practice that brings the past into the present often to imagine the future. Join a selection of filmmakers as they explore the ways in which artifacts from the past are incorporated into the visual stories of today.
Community Film Table Read
Saturday, March 27 at 4:30PM
Malco Outdoor Theatre - Free Event
Come meet Chasity Nicole, writer and director of Blind Date, the 2021 community film.
Chasity Nicole is a native of Oxford, MS. A graduate of Oxford High School, Chasity has been a part of the theater community from middle school all the way through high school, under the direction of John Davenport and the late Ava Bonds. She’s done numerous productions with Theater Oxford and she’s also ventured into the world of film, in which she starred in many independent films. She has taken the title of playwright, selling out two shows with her first stage play “Her Mother’s Daughter.” Her latest project is a suspense feature film that she wrote, and will be directing and starring called The Will, a suspense thriller to be filmed March 2021.
A Play Is a Living Thing: Horton Foote
Sunday, March 28 at 6:00PM
Malco Outdoor Theatre - Free with Film Ticket
Local acting legends Susan McPhail and Johnny McPhail along with actor Elise Fyke perform a scene followed by a screening of the documentary film Horton Foote: The Road Home, directed by Anne Rapp.
Johnny has been involved with the Oxford Film Festival since the beginning and has been instrumental in promoting it through the years. He is an actor who is known for a variety of well-known works such as Ballast, True Detective, American Ultra, Free State of Jones, and Strange Weather. He was awarded a Hoka award several years ago for appearing in the most films in any film festival (7). He is a staunch supporter of the festival and fellow actors and is known for his encouragement and eagerness to help others.
Susan has been involved with OFF since its beginning. She has worn many hats for the festival and is proud to now serve as an ambassador, screener, promoter, and number one fan! Susan has discovered a love of acting and has appeared in movies with Nick Nolte and Ben Mendelsohn, and has worked with directors Alison Eastwood and Sean Brosnan. She also has a role in Breaking News in Yuba County.
Elise Fyke is a Mississippi native, SAG/AFTRA actress of stage, film, and television. Pre-Covid, she and her actress daughter enjoyed traveling for work in New York and Los Angeles. She is currently taking advantage of college online, and after 20 years, has been in the midst of completing her pre-med Bachelors in Biology and Chemistry. She is married to a veterinarian, and lives with five cats and three dogs, as she is also a member of the “temporary foster home...unless we keep them,” society. During any spare time in which she’s not hustling for the next gig or vacuuming, Elise likes to read, binge watch shows, ride horses, cook, and take Gen X sized power naps.
Passholder Parties
Game Night!
Wednesday, March 24 at 5PM
Oxford Conference Center Tent
Bring your favorite board game to our VIP Meet and Greet where appetizers and cocktails will be provided and stay after to watch the sweetly dark comedy Murder, Bury, Win. Bonus: The real-life board game created by the filmmakers will be available to play!
Spin Party
Thursday, March 25 at 4:30PM before the screening of Vinyl Nation
Oxford Conference Center Tent
Long live the vinyl record! Get warmed up with a selection of Southern Music Videos followed by Vinyl Nation, then get into the groove with an after film dance party brought to you by The End of All Music.
Cosmic Party
Friday, March 26 at 7:00PM
Premiere Lanes and Malco Outdoor Screen
Join us with a variety of options indoors and outdoors. Premiere Lanes will be open for cosmic bowling with free food served outdoors at the fire pit while we host sci-fi films at the Malco Outdoor theater. Projections will light up the alley between the two spaces making for a block party filled with aliens, zombies, and more. Blood, sweat, tears & laughs.
Red Carpet Weed & Wine Party
Saturday, March 27 at 5:00PM
Malco Commons Outdoor Theater
Join us on the red carpet before the premiere of Weed and Wine with samples of CBD, wine and appetizers.
Filmmaker Awards + Oxford Film Festival’s 18th Birthday Party
Sunday, March 28 at 5:00PM
Oxford Conference Center Lawn
Come celebrate Executive Director Melanie Addington’s birthday and Oxford Film Festival’s 18th while filmmakers receive their awards everyone learns more about the new rebrand of Oxford Film Festival.
Virtual Panels + Parties
Top 5 Table Read
This year’s top five screenplays will be presented via a table read and available for audience vote April 1-30. The winner receives $1000 and mentoring by producer John Norris and will be announced at the end of the virtual festival.
Art of the Pitch presented by Seed&Spark
Friday, April 2 at 1:00PM
The Art of the Pitch will cover how to convey the specifics of your creative project in a dynamic, succinct way that can land you not only investors but also collaborators, audience members, and more. Skills learned in this workshop include how to prepare for a pitch meeting, how to adapt a pitch to a different audience, and how to follow up.
Activism On & Off Film
Saturday, April 3 at 1:00PM
Can a film be a form of activism? Can a narrative film be a form of activism? Can a social issue documentary actually change the world? This panel talks with filmmakers about the ways in which filmmaking works to make a change in today's society from behind the camera, to the creative expression, to the audience.
My Pandemic Story: FIlmmaking in the time of COVID
Saturday, April 3 at 3:00PM
Adaptation is key on any film set, even more so during a pandemic. Producers, directors, actors have all had to change their ways over the last year and the future of the industry remains unfocused. Listen & discuss your pandemic journey and your hopes for the future of the industry.
Visiting Documentarian Discussion with Mossville’s Alex Glustrom
Monday, April Apr 5 at 6:00 PM
The MFA Program in Documentary Expression welcomes filmmaker Alexander Glustrom as its Visiting Documentarian for Spring 2021. Glustrom has directed, shot, produced, and edited a wide variety of film projects ranging from commercial, music, and art videos that have reached hundreds of thousands online, to documentaries that have been featured in film festivals internationally. Glustrom's first feature film was the award-winning documentary, Big Charity which he directed, shot, produced and edited. His second feature documentary and the one he will screen on Monday, April 5, Mossville has won more than fifteen awards at festivals around the world and is currently broadcasting nationally on PBS and is scheduled to be shown to the United Nations in Geneva in Spring of 2021.
Additional virtual panels will be announced later.
