Arkansas Cinema Society’s annual Filmland festival, held this year from Aug. 15-18, returns to the Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts (501 E 9th St.) in only a week, and the full line-up (well, most of it*) is finally here.
In addition to a previously announced slate of Arkansas-connected films, Filmland’s screenings will include “Voices of the Ogahpah” (Aug. 15, 2 p.m.), “The Peanut Butter Falcon” (Aug. 15, 3:30 p.m.), “Los Frikis” (Aug. 15, 7 p.m.), “Daddio” (Aug. 16, 7 p.m.) and “Sing Sing” (Aug. 18, 6:30 p.m.). Significant members of each innovative team will be present for Q&As after every film, with directors John E. Rodgers and Barry Linduff as well as Osage tribal leaders representing “Voices of the Ogahpah”; co-writer/co-director Michael Schwartz and actor Zack Gottsagen representing “The Peanut Butter Falcon”; co-director/co-writer Michael Schwartz representing “Los Frikis”; writer/director Christy Hall representing “Daddio”; and co-writer and producer Clint Bentley and producer Monique Walton representing “Sing Sing.”
“The Peanut Butter Falcon” and “Sing Sing” have both already received acclaimed theatrical releases (the former has a 95% on Rotten Tomatoes and the latter has a 97%), but “Los Frikis” and “Voices of the Ogahpah” have yet to see wider audiences. “Daddio” hit select theaters on June 28 and did pretty well with critics, who praised Dakota Johnson and Sean Penn — its sole stars — for having a “compulsively watchable” chemistry. For some reason, it’s the movie I’m most drawn to from all of these offerings. I like tranquil dramas and Penn as a silver fox, I suppose.
Filmland is also offering a Southern Storytellers Panel at 3:45 p.m. on Aug. 18. Hosted by Variety’s chief film critic Peter Debruge, panelists will include Little Rock native and ACS co-founder Jeff Nichols (who recently directed “The Bikeriders”), Michael Schwartz, Christy Hall, Clint Bentley and Monique Walton.
*We’re down to the wire here, but if the emails we’ve been receiving from ACS are to be believed, more programming is yet to be announced. So far, there’s nothing scheduled for Saturday evening, so maybe something exhilarating will fill that hole.
Find the schedule of events and tickets here.
