What is your film festival’s mission?
Our mission is to bring cool films, and the cool filmmakers who make them, to Oxford.
What role does your film festival play in supporting your film’s community?
Our festival supports the community through our year-round programming and partnership with Oxfilm Society that loans out film equipment to local filmmakers. We also provide educational opportunities during our festival such as panels and workshops. Also, we are the only real means to bring independent film that doesn’t have distribution to the big screen in our area and to therefore share great unique stories with our community.
What is something people look forward to every year at your film festival?
I want to say the great films, but really, they do love our parties, especially the karaoke party.
What do you want audiences to take away from your film festival?
We want audiences to not only have had a good time but partake in a meaningful discussion about a film they saw. Some films call for social change, some provide a unique perspective and we want our audience to feel just a bit more enlightened when the lights come up.
But, on another note, we want filmmakers to take away something too. Besides festivals where you shop around and network, regional festivals like ours really give you a unique opportunity to meet your audience and learn more about how people perceive your film. We hope people visiting our festival also get to see the beautiful unique take on Mississippi that is not often reflected in mainstream media.
How long has your film festival been around?
This is our 13th year in February 2016.
How did your film festival come into being?
Several people involved in the Oxford art scene saw another festival in our state and thought, we should do that. So they did!
Anything else you’d like to tell the audience about your festival?
Our call for entries starts July 31 on Film Freeway (we made the switch from Without A Box and love it!). Our festival is transitioning this year from all-volunteer to a full-time position that will help lead the festival in future years and while keeping the uniqueness and hospitality angles, help the festival achieve more growth and success. We are super excited to showcase films and bring you to Oxford.
Visit the Oxford Film Festival website here.
Like their Facebook page here.
The Audience Awards is film’s social network connecting audiences to films, filmmakers and film festivals. The Audience Awards hosts short film competitions where the audience chooses the best films.
