Ozark Foothills FilmFest’s Natural State Film Tour makes its first stop at the Gem Community Theater in Heber Springs on August 21 and 22. The Natural State Film Tour spotlights four highly successful short films by Arkansans, all of which have played at the annual film festival.
The program includes:
WHEN I WAS YOUNGER: A WEEKEND WITH THE BEATLES by Michael Bowman; produced by Kim Imboden. 22 minutes. 2001. In September of 1964, the Beatles had a 3-day break before the final show of their legendary US tour. They secretly flew into the tiny town of Walnut Ridge on their way to a secluded ranch in Missouri for some rest and relaxation away from the throngs. The film tells the story of how the teenagers of Walnut Ridge reacted to the surprise visit from the most popular group in the world. Filmmaker Michael Bowman lives in Jonesboro and works at ASU. He is also the producer of POW’s in Arkansas, which played at the 2004 festival. WHEN I WAS YOUNGER: A WEEKEND WITH THE BEATLES played at the first Ozark Foothills FilmFest in 2002.
ROAD TO NOWHERE: JOURNEYS THROUGH PALESTINE by Jefferson B. Fletcher and Shelton Jacobs. 27 minutes. 2003. A moving account of how a farm boy from northwest Arkansas found himself in the middle of the bitter Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The film recounts Jefferson Fletcher’s journey to the occupied territories from 200-2002 and his experiences living among the Palestinian refugees. Shelton Jacobs recently earned his master’s degree in journalism and documentary filmmaking at the University of Arkansas; he also produced and directed A Dam Story, about the building, history, and impact of Greers Ferry Dam. Jefferson Fletcher recently returned from the Middle East, where he is currently working on another documentary about the Palestinian situation. He will be present at both screenings to discuss the film and answer questions. ROAD TO NOWHERE: JOURNEYS THROUGH PALESTINE played at the 2004 Ozark Foothills FilmFest.
UNDER THE OCCUPATION by Brandon Carter. 26 minutes. 2003. This film about the German occupation of France during WWII follows the stories of three women who lived in France at that time and now reside in Jonesboro. Their personal accounts of survival and hope and accompanied by period music and wartime archival footage. Brandon Carter attended Cave City High School and ASU. He is currently pursuing an advanced degree in filmmaking at Trident Technical College in South Carolina. UNDER THE OCCUPATION played at the 2004 festival.
VELDA BROTHERTON: LIVING AMONG THE SHADOWS OF TIME by Jim Lukens. 28 minutes. 2003. A production of Multigrain Media. According to northwest Arkansas author and storyteller Velda Brotherton, “All the stories in the world are worth nothing if they don’t affect people.” And, she says, it is the characters in a story—their motivations and emotions, more than their actions—that make us care. In this highly personal conversation, Brotherton discusses stories and the role they play in maintaining community. Jim Lukens is a founding member of the Multigrain Media group, a filmmaking collective based in Fayetteville. VELDA BROTHERTON: LIVING AMONG THE SHADOWS OF TIME played at the 2004 festival.
For more info, visit the Ozark Foothills FilmFest website.
